Perhaps you are asking yourself why this fountain is called Fontana ONU. The story behind the Fontana ONU is deeply intertwined with a dark chapter in Milan’s history. However it also shows Milan’s resilience.
Let’s step back to December 12 1969. A day etched in the memory of Milan. On that day a bomb exploded in Piazza Fontana at the Banca Nazionale dell’Agricoltura. The National Agricultural Bank was near the Duomo. Seventeen people died. Eighty-eight more were injured. It was a terrorist attack. Other bombs exploded in Rome that same afternoon. Another unexploded bomb was found elsewhere.
The Piazza Fontana bombing was initially blamed on Italian anarchists. Over eighty arrests followed. Giuseppe Pinelli an anarchist railway worker died after falling from a police station window. He was held there. The police account had serious discrepancies. They said Pinelli committed suicide. He jumped from the window during interrogation.
Later investigations revealed a different story. The neo-fascist paramilitary group Ordine Nuovo carried out the attack. The bombing was part of a well-coordinated series of attacks. Earlier that year a bomb exploded at the Fiat booth at a Milan trade fair. Five people were injured. Another bomb was found at the city’s central station. The Piazza Fontana bombing was not the first.
The Fontana ONU commemorates this tragic event. It stands as a reminder of the victims of the Piazza Fontana bombing. It symbolizes Milan’s commitment to peace and justice. The fountain’s name ONU is Italian for UN. It signifies the hope for a world free from violence and terrorism. The artist Alberto Ceppi designed the Fontana ONU. It is not just a fountain. It is a memorial. It is a symbol of hope.
President Sergio Mattarella spoke on the bombing’s 55th anniversary. He said the Piazza Fontana bombing was a terrible trial for Italians. They found unity in defending constitutional values. The goal was to defeat terrorists. They wanted to subvert democracy. Italy wanted to resume progress towards civil and social growth.
The president noted that the massacre was followed by attempts to subvert reality. The neo-fascist imprint of the bombing emerged during judicial proceedings. However deviations and delays prevented those responsible from being called to account.
The Fontana ONU serves as a permanent lesson. It wasn’t a given that Italy would overcome this. The Republic is close to the families of victims. It feels the duty of memory. Milan was the symbol. The whole country knew how to be united.
As you stand before the Fontana ONU consider its significance. It is more than just water and stone. It represents a city’s resilience. It is a nation’s commitment to truth and justice. Let’s reflect on the past. Let’s work towards a future where such tragedies never happen again.