Como & Como
Perhaps, the story about Lake Como would be incomplete without mentioning the most famous city of the same name - the city of Como.
When making a plan for a holiday on the lakes, we considered this city only as a transit city - to get to it by bus from Lenno, transfer to the train to Milan and from there get to Lake Maggiore. Unfortunately, there is no direct shortcut between Lake Como and Lake Maggiore - all routes pass through Milan.
But as often happens, even the most “planned” plan can be deviated from. Arriving in the city of Como, we decided to devote two hours to getting to know him and took tickets for a later time than we originally planned. For which we paid with a significantly higher price of a train ticket from Milan to Stresa - it turned out that we took tickets for the international train Milan-Zurich. But the city of Como was worth it, only... two hours is too little for him. : )
The city of Como is famous for the atmosphere of the old medieval city, picturesque views and wonderful monuments of culture and art, and the mild, pleasant climate and healing thermal springs have made Como a world resort.
Once upon a time, the ancient Etruscans lived on these lands, who were eventually replaced by the tribes of warlike Gauls. Como reached its peak during the reign of Emperor Augustus, when several trade routes were laid through the city, connecting the country with Switzerland. After the fall of the Roman Empire, power in these places passed into the hands of the Germanic tribe of the Lombards, from whom this northern part of Italy became known as Lombardy. Then in the history of Como came a period of constant change of power and, unfortunately, ruin. The city regularly changed citizenship, passing under the authority of the Italian, German, Spanish, Austrian crowns. Como is famous for its famous citizens: Pliny the Elder and Pliny the Younger, Pope Innocent IX and Alessandro Volta, the inventor of the rechargeable battery, in whose honor the "Temple of Volta" was erected on the shore of the lake.
The most famous religious building of the city is the Cathedral of Como (Cattedrale di Como), dedicated to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Considered one of the most beautiful monuments in northern Italy, the cathedral is often referred to as Italy's last gothic temple.
The construction of the cathedral began in 1396 on the site of the early Christian church of Santa Maria Maggiore, just 10 years after the founding of the famous Duomo in Milan. The construction of the temple lasted about 400 years, so it combines different styles: strict Gothic, elegant Renaissance and lush Baroque. The white marble facade is famous for the statues of Pliny the Younger (on the right) and Pliny the Elder (on the left) located on both sides of the main entrance and a luxurious portal with five sculptures above the entrance - in the center is the statue of the Virgin, to whom the Cathedral is dedicated, to the left of it is the statue of St. Abbondius, the fourth bishop of Como, who is the patron saint of the city. The interior of the cathedral is decorated with frescoes and paintings by Italian artists of the Middle Ages, old tapestries made by craftsmen from Ferrara, Florence and Antwerp in Holland, luxurious stucco and stained glass windows. There is also an altar and a fresco from the ruined Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.
The cathedral is adjoined by Broletto (Palazzo del Broletto) - the building of the former city municipality, erected in the Middle Ages from three types of Lombard marble, and a massive bell tower made of gray hewn stone.
In Piazza San Fedele, which was once the central and main market square of the city, there is one of the most ancient not only in Como, but in the entire region, the Romanesque Basilica of San Fedele (Basilica di San Fedele). The temple was built on the site of the early Christian church of St. Euphemia in the XI-XII centuries. The interior of the basilica is filled with paintings, ancient frescoes and baroque stucco. It houses an old organ, considered one of the best in Como.
Another equally ancient temple of Como is the church of Sant'Abbondio (Chiesa Sant'Abbondio), on the site of which in the 5th century there was a Christian church dedicated to the holy apostles Peter and Paul. After the consecration by Pope Urban II in 1095 and until the construction of the current Cathedral, the basilica was the main church of the city.
Another charming sight of Como, which made the city popular among the female part of the population, is shops selling products made from natural silk. : ) The city of Como is the birthplace of Italian silk and its recognized capital. Back in the 14th century, local peasants began to breed silkworms, which eventually became the main source of income for the population. Today, about 800 enterprises and textile companies are located here. The most famous designers order fabrics and silk products for their collections from the Como factories.
And if you once again want to admire the lake from a height, you can take the funicular up to one of the mountains surrounding the lake - Mount Brunate, where an absolutely incredible picture opens up from the observation deck.
