North of Milan, the city of Desio has been famous cause one of his citizens has been on the past a Pope in Vatican, with the name of Pio XI. To celebrate this event, a bronze statue has been placed on the main square of the city at the end of XIX century.

After many years, the monument was in bad conditions: the bronze had been highly damaged by pollution, in particular by acid rains, and damaged both by the constant presence of birds and vandals, which continuolsy damaged the four water fountains, placed one on each side of the monument.