Most famous monuments to see in Lugano

Igor Mitoraj - 1999

Founded probably in the early Middle Ages, it became a Parish Church as early as 818, and in the year 1078 it was elevated to Collegiata. Since 1888 it has been a Cathedral.

The main entrance to the Parco Civico on the promenade is home to Vincenzo Vela's statue of William Tell, created by the Ligornetto sculptor in 1856.

Monument (Obelisk from the 16th century) in memory of the battle between the "Volontari Luganesi" and the "Cisalpini" in February 1798.

A visit to the church is a “must”. This impressive edifice built on a spur of the mountain offers a place for meditation as well as a new perspective on the landscape. The chapel, built between 1992 and 1996, is dedicated to Santa Maria degli Angeli (Saint Mary of the Angels), and its innovative design represents a new take on religious architecture.

Built of porphyry, it stands on the edge of a slope opening onto an amazing panorama. The paintings by Enzo Cucchi occupy two main areas – the vault of the footbridge, where there is a tall cypress tree, and the very heart of the church. The deep-blue apse features hands cupped in offering. Twenty-two panels above the windows also continue the Marian iconography.

Capuchin Father Giovanni Pozzi, a leading expert on forms of prayer and spirituality, composed the twenty-two litanies which Enzo Cucchi has translated into attractive and evocative images.

The Santa Maria degli Angeli chapel, designed by the world famous architect Mario Botta, is a marvel of contemporary architecture, with paintings by Enzo Cucchi. The chapel, built from 1992 to 1994, is dedicated to Santa Maria degli Angeli, and boasts innovative features in terms of religious building design.

The whole fresco resembles a magnificent gobelin. Take some time to study it closely. On the left wall of the nave is a large fresco depicting the Last Supper and on the first of the four side altars is also a fresco, depicting the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child. Both are attributed to Luini and reflect the influence of Leonardo da Vinci.

The church is located on Piazza Bernardino Luini, at the end of Via Nassa, the city's elegant shopping boulevard.