Alessandro Volta, a famous Italian physicist, was born in Como in 1745, in the old building still located in via Volta. He was a pioneer of electricity and power, was credited as the inventor of electrical battery and the discoverer of methane. He, also, invented the Voltaic pile in 1799.
Volta’s legacy is celebrated by Tempio Voltiano memorial located in the public gardens by the lake. In Como there is also a museum which has been built in his honour, where you can admire some of equipment that, the scientist used to conduct his experiments.
In Villa Olmo is situated the Volta Foundation , an organization that promotes scientific activities.
His image was depicted on the Italian 10,000 lira note (1990-1997) along with a sketch of his voltaic pile.
