Who was Carlo Cattaneo

Carlo Cattaneo was without doubt one of the key figures of the 19th century. A multi-faceted intellectual, he made his name as a politician, philosopher and writer and played a key role in advancing the Italian cultural and social debate as well as the development and modernisation of the Canton of Ticino. His contribution to society was far-reaching and can still be seen today. 

Carlo Cattaneo, ties with Italy

In 1820 Milan was under Austrian rule, the salon of patriot Bianca Milesi¹ was a meeting place for the many revolutionaries and intellectuals of the era, the Milanese “gardeners” conspired to depose the Austrians and talk of freedom and independence abounded among the Carbonari and the other secret societies of the time. 

In these years of political and cultural ferment, Carlo Cattaneo worked as a teacher at S. Marta high school in Milan (1824, for ten years) before becoming editor of the Il Politecnico review. In 1844 he promoted and published the book Notizie naturali e civili su la Lombardia (‘Natural and civil news on Lombardy’).

It was a time of intense intellectual activity in which Cattaneo made numerous technical and scientific contributions, becoming actively involved in the construction of the first Italian railway line between Milan and Venice, and supporting other large-scale industrial and economic projects. 

In 1848 the growing intolerance of the enemy resulted in the active participation of the population in the insurrection against the Austrian rulers, culminating in the Five Days of Milan. Carlo Cattaneo joined the War Council and was among the leaders of the uprising. 

Carlo Cattaneo’s influence in Ticino

Exiled to Ticino after the failure of the Milanese revolution and the return of the Austrians to Italy, Carlo Cattaneo took up residence in Lugano, at Castagnola House, where he lived from 1849 until his death (1869). 
Here, he continued to actively promote his ideals and contribute to the progress of the area, supporting initiatives dedicated to economic, political and educational development.

Modern infrastructure

He was one of the first to understand the strategic value of railways and roads for economic and social growth, firmly convinced that technological progress was essential for creating a fairer society.
One important example of his work in this area was the project to extend the Tornavento railway line², an initiative which sought to create a strategic railway connection between Milan and Airolo, passing through Sesto Calende and Magadino. The goal was to facilitate trade and travel, bringing Ticino closer to the main urban and production centres and integrating the region in the growing European economic system. The project would be realised a hundred years after his death. 

Trans-alpine railway and variant of the Gotthard Tunnel

In the 19^th century railways were symbolic of the power and evolution of the new industrial age. A vocal supporter of progress, Cattaneo viewed the plan to build a railway through the Alps, connecting Italy and Switzerland via the Gotthard Pass, as a unique opportunity. Reducing the distance between the two countries, this infrastructure would promote trade and cultural exchange, facilitating “the meeting of different peoples and populations”³. It was a farsighted vision of a more closely integrated and united Europe where modern railway connections would open the doors to new economic opportunities, contributing to the progress and prosperity of Ticino.

Reclamation of the Magadino Plain

Cattaneo proposed an ambitious project to reclaim the Magadino Plain⁴ - a large valley subject to continuous flooding which undermined local agriculture - with the aim of transforming the zone into farmland and areas suitable for human habitation. Not only would the project improve the region’s hygiene and sanitation conditions, reducing the spread of illnesses connected with the marshlands, it would also boost production, bringing economic benefits to Ticino. 
A project very close to his heart, he was not put off even by the various rejections he received from the Council of State. In fact it was only in 1885, after his death, that the correction work on the Ticino River was approved. This work would continue, with interruptions along the way, until the middle of the 20^th century.

Fondazione del nuovo Liceo cantonale di Lugano

«Solo la scienza può, nella contemplazione dell'immenso universo, assopir tutte le ire, disarmar tutte le vendette, stringere in consorzio fraterno tutte le genti. Accingetevi dunque, giovani, a prendere il vostro seggio al convivio della scienza, a scrivere il vostro nome nelli annali della verità.»  - Introductory lecture to a philosophy course at Ticino Lyceum, 1852.

These were his words to the students of Ticino at the opening of the canton lyceum school of Lugano in 1852, where he reminded them that “the pathway of science is now solemnly open to you”.⁵

For Cattaneo, education was the bedrock of an advanced and prosperous society. And together with Giovanni Cantoni (Milanese, political émigré) he was one of the leading proponents of the reform of higher education teaching in Ticino and contributed to the founding of the new canton lyceum of Lugano, envisaging an institution where the younger generations could receive an appropriate education in line with the needs of their time. As well as a seat of learning, this high school was also a hotbed of ideas, forging the skills required for the economic and social development of Ticino. Thanks to this institution, Cattaneo laid the foundations for a more cultured and capable society, ready to take on the challenges of the future.

In recognition of his untiring contribution to Ticino, the local authorities awarded him honorary citizenship in 1858. Carlo Cattaneo died on 6 February 1869 and was buried in the little cemetery of Castagnola. However, just six months later his remains were reclaimed by the city of Milan, keen to pay tribute to him back in his homeland. All that was left in Castagnola was a commemorative plaque, a silent witness to the unbreakable bond between the thinker and the safe haven that became his home.

Sources

¹ Wikipedia - Bianca Milesi biography

² Lugano Cultura - Carlo Cattaneo

³ Scuola Ticinese - San Gottardo cento anni 1882 - 1982 ('one hundred years')

⁴ Storia della bonifica del piano di Magadino, ('History of the reclamation of the Magadino plain')

⁵ Una continuità d'intenti di Giampaolo Cereghetti, ('A continuity of intentions') 

^{. .}