Opening of Horti, the Park of the Almo Collegio Borromeo of Pavia

On Saturday, September 17th, the Horti of the Almo Collegio Borromeo in Pavia will be inaugurated. This 35,000-square-meter park, which the College has revitalized, opens to everyone as a space where natural habitats, contemporary art, ethics, equity, and social inclusion intertwine. The more than three hectares in the historic center of Pavia, overlooking the Ticino River, once dedicated to the cultivation of vegetables and orchards, are now becoming a place for social interaction and the exchange of knowledge.

On the occasion of the inauguration ceremony (starting at 5:00 PM), on Saturday, September 17th, the park will be open from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Starting from Sunday, September 18th, the Horti will be open to everyone for free from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM.

The overall project of the Horti was born from the desire to enhance the historical heritage of the oldest merit-based university college in Italy, with three key themes: Art, Nature, and Ethics, articulated on various levels:

• Horti.Oasis, to enhance and safeguard biodiversity;
• Horti.Art, a permanent exhibition featuring sculptures by contemporary artists and murals;
• Horti.Ethics, to promote social inclusion, workforce reintegration, and the encouragement of volunteerism.

Completing the project, the park hosts “Zero,” the refreshment point managed by Planeat.eco, which is particularly focused on a sustainable style.

The Foundation enthusiastically joined the Horti.Art project area by lending several works from its Collection on free loan: monumental sculptures by Arnaldo Pomodoro, Nicola Carrino, Gianfranco Pardi, Luigi Mainolfi, Mauro Staccioli, and Salvatore Cuschera will now inhabit the park’s spaces, side by side with works specially commissioned by the College from artists such as Ivan Tresoldi and David Tremlett.

The Horti project is an educational promise: “In a complex social and historical moment like the current one,” declared the Rector, Alberto Lolli, “the College intends to actively engage in the processes of revitalizing and rebuilding public space, promoting places for social interaction, the exchange of knowledge, and ethical sense.”