Como

For other uses, see Como (disambiguation).

Como (Italian pronunciation: [ˈkɔːmo] ^ⓘ,^[3][4] locally [ˈkoːmo] ^ⓘ;^[3] Comasco: Còmm [ˈkɔm],^[5] Cómm [ˈkom] or Cùmm [ˈkum];^[6]) is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy. It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como.

Como Còmm (Lombard)
Comune
Città di Como
View of Como from Baradello Castle
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Como
Como Location of Como in Lombardy Show map of Italy Como Como (Lombardy) Show map of Lombardy
Coordinates: 45°49′0″N 9°5′0″E / 45.81667°N 9.08333°E / 45.81667; 9.08333
Country	Italy
Region	Lombardy
Province	Como (CO)
Roman foundation	196 BC
Frazioni	Albate, Borghi, Breccia, Camerlata, Camnago Volta, Civiglio, Garzola, Lora, Monte Olimpino, Muggiò, Ponte Chiasso, Prestino, Rebbio, Sagnino, Tavernola
Government
• Mayor	Alessandro Rapinese (since 27 June 2022) (Ind.)
Area ^[1]
• Total	37.14 km^2 (14.34 sq mi)
Elevation	201 m (659 ft)
Population  (31 October 2022)^[2]
• Total	84,250
• Density	2,300/km^2 (5,900/sq mi)
Demonym	Comaschi
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	22100
Dialing code	031
Patron saint	Saint Abbondio
Saint day	31 August
Website	Official website

Como and its lake.

Life Electric, by Daniel Libeskind, to celebrate scientist Alessandro Volta (2015)

Its proximity to Lake Como and to the Alps has made Como a tourist destination, and the city contains numerous works of art, churches, gardens, museums, theatres, parks, and palaces: the Duomo, seat of the Diocese of Como; the Basilica of Sant'Abbondio; the Villa Olmo; the public gardens with the Tempio Voltiano; the Teatro Sociale; the Broletto or the city's medieval town hall; and the 20th-century Casa del Fascio.^[7]

Como was the birthplace of many historical figures, including the poet Caecilius mentioned by Catullus in the first century BCE,^[8][9] writers Pliny the Elder and Pliny the Younger, Pope Innocent XI, scientist Alessandro Volta,^[10] and Cosima Liszt, second wife of Richard Wagner and long-term director of the Bayreuth Festival, and Antonio Sant'Elia (1888–1916), a futurist architect and a pioneer of the modern movement.

History

 

City and Lake Como, painted by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, 1834

The hills surrounding the current location of Como were inhabited, since at least the Iron Age, by a Celtic tribe known as the Orobii. Remains of settlements are still present on the wood-covered hills to the southwest of town.

Around the first century BC, the territory became subject to the Romans. The town centre was situated on the nearby hills, but it was then moved to its current location by order of Julius Caesar, who had the swamp near the southern tip of the lake drained and laid the plan of the walled city in the typical Roman grid of perpendicular streets. The newly founded town was named Novum Comum and had the status of municipium. In September 2018, Culture Minister Alberto Bonisoli announced the discovery of several hundred gold coins in the basement of the former Cressoni Theater (Teatro Cressoni) in a two-handled soapstone amphora, coins struck by emperors Honorius, Valentinian III, Leo I the Thracian, Antonio and Libius Severus dating to 474 AD.^[11]

In 774, the town surrendered to invading Franks led by Charlemagne and became a centre of commercial exchange.

In 1127, Como lost a decade-long war with the nearby town of Milan. A few decades later, with the help of Frederick Barbarossa, the Comaschi were able to avenge their defeat when Milan was destroyed in 1162. Frederick promoted the construction of several defensive towers around the city limits, of which only one, the Baradello, remains.

Subsequently, the history of Como followed that of the Duchy of Milan, through the French invasion and the Spanish domination, until 1714, when the territory was taken by the Austrians. Napoleon descended into Lombardy in 1796 and ruled it until 1815, when the Austrian rule was resumed after the Congress of Vienna. By 1848, the population had reached 16,000.^[12] In 1859, with the arrival of Giuseppe Garibaldi, the town became part of the newly formed Kingdom of Italy under the House of Savoy.

At the end of World War II, after passing through Como on his escape towards Switzerland, Benito Mussolini was taken prisoner and then shot by partisans in Giulino di Mezzegra, a small town on the north shores of Lake Como.

In 2010, a motion by members of the nationalist Swiss People's Party was submitted to the Swiss parliament requesting the admission of adjacent territories to the Swiss Confederation; Como (and its province) is one of these.^[13][14][15]

The Rockefeller fountain that today stands in the Bronx Zoo in New York City was once in the main square (Piazza Cavour) by the lakeside. It was bought by William Rockefeller in 1902 for Lire 3,500 (the estimated equivalent then of $637).^[16]

Geography

Situated at the southern tip of the south-west arm of Lake Como, the city is located 40 kilometres (25 mi) north of Milan; the city proper borders Switzerland and the communes of Blevio, Brunate, Capiago Intimiano, Casnate con Bernate, Cernobbio, Grandate, Lipomo, Maslianico, Montano Lucino, San Fermo della Battaglia, Senna Comasco, Tavernerio, and Torno, and the Swiss towns of Chiasso and Vacallo. Nearby major cities are Varese, Lecco, and Lugano.

 

The lakefront

 

Como Main Town buildings decorated with light show during December 2017

Climate

Como
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D     79     6 −2     74     8 −1     109     13 4     157     17 7     201     23 12     175     27 16     137     30 19     173     29 19     160     23 13     147     19 9     127     12 4     66     9 2 █ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C █ Precipitation totals in mm
Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D     3.1     43 28     2.9     46 30     4.3     55 39     6.2     63 45     7.9     73 54     6.9     81 61     5.4     86 66     6.8     84 66     6.3     73 55     5.8     66 48     5     54 39     2.6     48 36 █ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F █ Precipitation totals in inches

According to the Köppen climate classification, Como has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa); winters are not long but present occasional periods of frost from the Siberian Anticyclone; spring and autumn are well marked and pleasant, while summer can be quite oppressive, hot, and humid. Wind is quite rare; only sudden bursts of foehn or thunderstorms manage to sweep the air clean. Pollution levels rise significantly in winter when cold air clings to the soil. Rain is more frequent during spring; summer is subject to thunderstorms and occasionally hailstorms.

Climate data for Como
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	11 (52)	14 (57)	21 (70)	25 (77)	31 (88)	37 (99)	38 (100)	36 (97)	29 (84)	23 (73)	17 (63)	12 (54)	38 (100)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	6 (43)	8 (46)	13 (55)	17 (63)	23 (73)	27 (81)	30 (86)	29 (84)	23 (73)	19 (66)	12 (54)	9 (48)	18 (64)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	−2 (28)	−1 (30)	4 (39)	7 (45)	12 (54)	16 (61)	19 (66)	19 (66)	13 (55)	9 (48)	4 (39)	2 (36)	9 (47)
Record low °C (°F)	−12 (10)	−7 (19)	−5 (23)	−2 (28)	1 (34)	4 (39)	5 (41)	5 (41)	2 (36)	0 (32)	−3 (27)	−9 (16)	−12 (10)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	79 (3.1)	74 (2.9)	109 (4.3)	157 (6.2)	201 (7.9)	175 (6.9)	137 (5.4)	173 (6.8)	160 (6.3)	147 (5.8)	127 (5.0)	66 (2.6)	1,605 (63.2)
Average precipitation days	9	8	10	12	13	11	8	9	8	10	11	9	118
Average relative humidity (%) (daily average)	84	76	69	74	72	71	73	72	74	81	85	86	76
Mean monthly sunshine hours	59	97	151	176	209	242	285	253	187	129	65	58	1,911
Average ultraviolet index	1	2	3	5	7	8	8	7	5	3	2	1	4
Source 1: ^[17]
Source 2: ^[18]

Government

The legislative body of the Italian comuni is the City Council (Consiglio Comunale); in Como, it comprises 32 councillors elected every five years with a proportional system, at the same time of the mayoral elections. The executive body is the City Committee (Giunta Comunale), composed of 9 assessori each overseeing a specific ministry, that is nominated and presided over by a directly elected Mayor (Sindaco). The mayor of Como since June 27, 2022, is Alessandro Rapinese, an independent leading an alliance bearing his name (Rapinese Sindaco), unaffiliated with any official political party.

See also: List of mayors of Como

Administrative subdivisions

 

Administrative subdivisions

Como is divided into these frazioni (roughly equivalent to the anglocentric ward):

1. Albate – Muggiò – Acquanera
2. Lora
3. Prestino – Camerlata – Breccia – Rebbio
4. Camnago Volta
5. City Center – West Como
6. Borghi
7. North Como – East Como
8. Monte Olimpino – Ponte Chiasso – Sagnino – Tavernola
9. Garzola – Civiglio

Main sights

Further information: List of buildings and structures in Como

Churches

 

Duomo (Cathedral)

 

The park of Villa Olmo and the Cathedral

• Como Cathedral: Construction began in 1396 on the site of the previous Romanesque church of Santa Maria Maggiore. The façade was built in 1457, with the characteristic rose window and a portal flanked by two Renaissance statues of the famous comaschi Pliny the Elder and Pliny the Younger. The construction was finished in 1740. The interior is on the Latin cross plan, with Gothic nave and two aisles divided by piers, while the transept wing and the relative apses are from the Renaissance age. It includes a carved 16th-century choir and tapestries on cartoons by Giuseppe Arcimboldi. The dome is a rococo structure by Filippo Juvarra. Other artworks include 16th–17th-century tapestries and 16th-century paintings by Bernardino Luini and Gaudenzio Ferrari.
• San Fedele, a Romanesque church erected around 1120 over a pre-existing central plan edifice. The original bell tower was rebuilt in modern times. The main feature is the famous Door of St. Fedele, carved with medieval decorations.
• Sant'Agostino, built by the Cistercians in the early 14th century, heavily renovated in the 20th. The interior and adjoining cloister have 15th–17th-century frescoes, but most of the decoration is Baroque.
• Basilica of Sant'Abbondio, a Romanesque structure consecrated in 1095 by Pope Urban II. The interior, with a nave and four aisles, contains paintings dating to the 11th century and frescoes from the 14th.
• San Carpoforo (11th century, apse and crypt from 12th century). According to tradition, it was founded re-using a former temple of the God Mercury to house the remains of Saint Carpophorus and other local martyrs.

 

Cathedral as seen at night during the light festival of Como during December 2017

Secular buildings and monuments

• The ancient town hall, known as the Broletto
• Casa del Fascio, possibly Giuseppe Terragni's most famous work. It has been described as an early "landmark of modern European architecture".
• Monumento ai caduti (war memorial) by Giuseppe Terragni
• Teatro Sociale by Giuseppe Cusi in 1813^[19]
• Villa Olmo, built from 1797 in neoclassicist style by the Odescalchi family. It housed Napoleon, Ugo Foscolo, Prince Metternich, Archduke Franz Ferdinand I, Giuseppe Garibaldi, and other eminent figures. It is now a seat for exhibitions.
• Monumental Fountain also known as "Volta's Fountain", a monument to Volta's battery; it was designed by architect Carlo Cattaneo and painter Mario Radice and is a 9 m-high (30 ft) cement combination of alternating spheres and rings. It is in the centre of Camerlata Square.
• Ancient walls (medieval)
• the Tempio Voltiano, a museum dedicated to Alessandro Volta, a famous Comasco engineer, physicist, and inventor
• the Life Electric, a modern sculpture made by Daniel Libeskind
• Castello Baradello, a small medieval castle overlooking the town and which is all that remains of the fortress constructed by Barbarossa c. 1158

 

The church of San Fedele, apse area

 

The Neoclassical English landscape gardens of Villa Olmo

 

Cathedral as seen from across the lakeside

 

The Basilica of Sant'Abbondio

Economy

The economy of Como, until the end of the 1980s, was traditionally based on industry; in particular, the city was world-famous for its silk manufacturers, and in 1972 its production exceeded that of China and Japan,^[20][21] but since the mid-1990s increasing competition from Asia has significantly reduced profit margins and many small and mid-sized firms have gone out of business. As a consequence, manufacturing is no longer the economic driver, and the city has been absorbed into Milan's metropolitan area where it mainly provides workers to the service industry sector. A significant number of residents are employed in the nearby Swiss towns Lugano and Mendrisio, primarily in the industrial sector, health care services and in the hospitality industry;^[22] the 30 km (19 mi) commute is beneficial as wages in Switzerland are notably higher. For these reasons, tourism has become increasingly important for the city's economy since the late 1990s, when local small businesses have gradually been replaced by bars, restaurants and hotels. With 215,320 overnight guests in 2013, Como was the fourth-most visited city in Lombardy after Milan, Bergamo, and Brescia.^[23] In 2018, Como surpassed Bergamo becoming the third most visited city in Lombardy with 1.4 million arrivals.^[24] The city and the lake have been chosen as the filming location for various recent popular feature films, and this, together with the increasing presence of celebrities such as Matt Bellamy who have bought lakeside properties,^[25] has heightened the city's attractiveness and given a further boost to international tourism; since the early 2000s the city has become a popular "must-see" tourist destination in Italy.^[26]

Demographics

The city of Como has seen its population increase until it peaked at almost 100,000 inhabitants in the 1970s, when manufacturing, especially the silk industry, was in its boom years. As production began to decline, the population tally decreased by almost 20,000 until the beginning of the 21st century, when the city saw its population grow again by more than six thousand units, generally due to increasing immigration from Asia, Eastern Europe and North Africa. As of October 2022, the population was 84,250 people of which 11,921 were resident aliens, that is, 14.1% of the total; the population distribution by origin was as follows:^[27]

Pos.	Origin	%
1	Italy	86%
2	Europe	5.3%
3	Asia	4.1%
4	Africa	2.8%
5	America	1.8%
6	Oceania	0.02%

Top 20 nationalities of resident aliens:

Pos.	Citizenship	Residents
1	Philippines	1155
2	Romania	947
3	Sri Lanka	791
4	Turkey	656
5	Albania	604
6	Ukraine	578
7	El Salvador	545
8	Nigeria	498
9	China	470
10	Tunisia	426
11	Pakistan	411
12	Morocco	364
13	Bangladesh	313
14	Ecuador	301
15	Peru	234
16	Ghana	233
17	Russia	214
18	Egypt	168
19	United Kingdom	164
20	Kosovo	151

Culture

Museums

In Como there are the following museums and exhibition centres:

• Museo Archeologico "P. Giovio" – archeological museum
• Garibaldi Museum (Como) – a museum dedicated to Giuseppe Garibaldi
• Tempio Voltiano – a museum devoted to Alessandro Volta's work
• Villa Olmo – various exhibitions
• – educational silk museum
• Museo Liceo classico "A. Volta" – scientific museum
• Pinacoteca Civica – paintings and artworks from the Carolingian to modern era housed in the 17th-century Palazzo Volpi

Cuisine

See also: Lombard cuisine

Polenta is a popular dish in Como, and was traditionally eaten for meals in wintertime. It is obtained by mixing and cooking corn flour and buckwheat. It is usually served with meat, game, cheese and sometimes fish; in fact, Polenta e Misultin (Alosa agone) is served in the restaurants in the Lake Como area.

 

A typical plate of polenta (here depicted with rabbit), a very common and traditional dish of the region

A traditional dish is the Risotto con Filetti di Pesce Persico or simply Risotto al Pesce Persico (European perch filet risotto), a fish grown in Lake Como, prepared with white wine, onion, butter and wheat.^[28]

Transportation

Rail

The Servizio Ferroviario Regionale (Regional Railway Service) connects Como by train to other major cities in Lombardy. Services are provided by Trenord through two main stations: Como San Giovanni and Como Nord Lago. There are five more urban stations (Albate-Camerlata, Albate-Trecallo, Como Borghi, Como Camerlata and Grandate-Breccia).

Como San Giovanni is also a stop on the main north–south line between Milan Centrale and Zürich HB and Basel SBB. Intercity and EuroCity trains stop at this station, which makes Como very accessible from the European Express train network.

The lakeside funicular connects the centre of Como with Brunate, a small village (1,800 inhabitants) on a mountain at 715 m (2,346 ft) above sea level.

 

An old steamship

 

The funicular to Brunate

Buses and taxis

The local public transport network comprises 11 urban (within city limits) lines and 'extra-urban' (crossing city limits) (C) lines connecting Como with most of its province centres. They are provided by ASF Autolinee.

Ferrovie Nord Milano also provides other bus lines connecting Como to Varese in substitution of the original railway line that was dismissed in the 1960s.

Taxi service is provided by the Municipality of Como.

Ship transport

The boats and hydrofoils (aliscafi) of Navigazione Laghi connect the town with most of the villages sitting on the shores of the lake.

Airports

Nearby airports providing scheduled flights are Malpensa International Airport, Milano Linate and Orio al Serio International Airport; Lugano Airport, in Switzerland, mainly schedules regional flights within Switzerland, charter flights to nearby countries^[29] and caters to private aircraft operations.

Aero Club

 

Aero Club Como

Como is home to the oldest seaplane operation in the world,^[30] the Aero Club Como (ICAO code LILY),^[31] with a fleet consisting of four seaplanes, used for flight training and local tour flights and four classic seaplanes of historical interest, a 1961 Cessna O-1 Bird Dog, a 1946 Republic RC-3 Seabee a 1947 Macchi M.B.308 idro and a perfectly restored 1935 Caproni Ca.100.^[32][33] A hangar right next to the lake houses the club's fleet and is also used for aircraft maintenance and servicing.

 

The restored Caproni 100

Education and health

Como is home to numerous high schools, the Conservatory of music "Giuseppe Verdi", the Design school "Aldo Galli", the University of Insubria and a branch campus of the Politecnico di Milano.

In Como there are three major hospitals: Ospedale Sant'Anna, Ospedale Valduce and Clinica Villa Aprica.

Sports

Notable sports clubs are the ASDG Comense 1872 basketball team, a two-time winner of the FIBA EuroLeague Women, and Calcio Como, a football team. There are also numerous recreational activities available for tourists such as pedal boating, fishing, walking and seaplane rentals. Como also hosts a prestigious clay-court tennis tournament every year, the Città di Como Challenger, which attracts many of the world's top players who are not involved in the concurrent US Open. Many players have testified that they much prefer playing in the relaxed and friendly Como environs than the hustle and bustle of Flushing Meadows–Corona Park.^{[citation needed]}

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Italy

Como is twinned with:^[34]

•   Fulda, Germany, since 1960
•   Tokamachi, Japan, since 1975
•   Nablus, Palestine, since 1998
•   Netanya, Israel, since 2004^[35]

See also

• Lake Como
• Province of Como
• List of people from Como

Notes

1. "Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
2. . Archived from the original on 21 November 2004. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
3. Migliorini, Bruno; Tagliavini, Carlo; Fiorelli, Piero. Tommaso Francesco Borri (ed.). . dizionario.rai.it. Rai Eri. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
4. Canepari, Luciano. . dipionline.it. Archived from the original on 9 October 2018. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
5. Carlo Bassi, Grammatica essenziale del "dialètt de Còmm", Como, Edizioni della Famiglia Comasca, 2014
6. Libero Locatelli, Piccola grammatica del dialetto comasco, Como, Famiglia Comasca, 1970, p. 6.
7. "Como, Italy. The best things to do in Como city". Lake Como Travel.
8. John Hazel (2001). Who's who in the Roman World. Psychology Press. p. 42. ISBN 978-0-415-22410-9.
9. . Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 17 January 2010.
10. "Alessandro Volta". Corrosion-doctors.org. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
11. Hundreds Of Roman Gold Coins Found In Theater Basement, Shannon Van Sant, NPR, 2018-09-10
12. The National Cyclopaedia of Useful Knowledge Vol IV. London: Charles Knight. 1848. p. 811.
13. Maurisse, Marie (22 June 2010). "Quand un député suisse rêve d'annexer la Savoie". Le Figaro. Retrieved 22 June 2010.
14. "SVP-Forderung: Vorarlberg soll Kanton werden". Der Standard. 21 June 2010. Retrieved 22 June 2010.
15. Coen, Leonardo (22 June 2010). "L'ultima tentazione di Como: "Vogliamo diventare svizzeri"". La Repubblica. Retrieved 22 June 2010.
16. "Bronx Park Highlights". Retrieved 18 January 2011.
17. "Como Climate". MeteoBlue.com. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
18. "Como Climate". Weather-atlas.com. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
19. "Il tetatro socilae di Come (in English)". Archived from the original on 3 July 2013. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
20. "Lake Como's Silk". lakecomotravel.com. 16 June 2019. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
21. Tagliabue, John (10 April 1997). "Italian Silk Industry Upset By a New U.S. Trade Law". The New York Times. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
22. "Cross-border commuters". Admin.ch. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
23. . asr-lombardia.it. Archived from the original on 3 May 2015. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
24. "Giardini e terrazze sul lago di Como, meta internazionale e gourmet". 28 June 2019.
25. "Muse's Matt Bellamy Lists Lake Como Condo". Variety. 16 May 2017. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
26. "Best Places to Visit in Italy". US News. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
27. "Data Warehouse - Statistiche Istat". Istat. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
28. "Food and Culture Encyclopedia:Northern Italy". answers.com. Retrieved 5 April 2010.
29. "Lugano Airport". Flightradar24. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
30. "The World's Best Hotel Bars: Terrazza 241 In Lake Como, Italy". www.forbes.com. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
31. AIP Italia AD2 LILY
32. "The historic fleet". www.aeroclubcomo.com. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
33. "Aero Club Como". Retrieved 20 September 2014.
34. "Città Gemelle". Comune di Como. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
35. . Netanya Municipality. Archived from the original on 1 February 2013. Retrieved 1 August 2013.

Sources

• "Como". Northern Italy (14th ed.). Leipzig: Karl Baedeker. 1913. OL 16015532M.

External links

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Como.

 

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Como.

• Official website (in Italian and English)
• Official Tourism Portal
• Historical picture gallery and slideshow
• Official Tourist Board website (in Italian and English)
• Official Virtual Tour
• A documentary about the Lake by Yann Arthus-Bertrand