Como

For other uses, seeComo (disambiguation).

Como(Italian:[ˈkɔːmo],locally[ˈkoːmo];Comasco:Còmm[ˈkɔm],Cómm[ˈkom]orCùmm[ˈkum];Latin:Novum Comum) is a city andcomune(municipality) inLombardy,Italy. It is the administrative capital of theProvince 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 Como Como (Lombardy)
Coordinates:45°49′0″N9°5′0″E
Country	Italy
Region	Lombardy
Province	Como(CO)
Romanfoundation	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
• Total	37.14 km2(14.34 sq mi)
Elevation	201 m (659 ft)
Population (31 October 2022)
• Total	84,250
• Density	2,300/km2(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,byDaniel Libeskind,to celebrate scientistAlessandro Volta(2015)

Its proximity toLake Comoand to theAlpshas made Como a tourist destination, and the city contains numerous works of art, churches, gardens, museums, theatres, parks, and palaces: theDuomo,seat of theDiocese of Como;theBasilica of Sant'Abbondio;theVilla Olmo;the public gardens with theTempio Voltiano;the Teatro Sociale; theBrolettoor the city's medieval town hall; and the 20th-centuryCasa del Fascio.

Como was the birthplace of many historical figures, including the poet Caecilius mentioned byCatullusin the first century BCE,writersPliny the ElderandPliny the Younger,Pope Innocent XI,scientistAlessandro Volta,andCosima Liszt,second wife ofRichard Wagnerand long-term director of theBayreuth Festival,andAntonio Sant'Elia(1888–1916), a futurist architect and a pioneer of the modern movement.

History

City and Lake Como,painted byJean-Baptiste-Camille Corot,1834

Ancient History

The hills surrounding the current location of Como were inhabited, since at least theIron Age,by aCeltictribe known as theOrobii,who also, according toPliny the Elderand modern scholars, had relations with theAncient Ligurians,a people very similar to the Celts. Remains of settlements are still present on the wood-covered hills to the southwest of town, around the area of the modern town's district of Rebbio. In the areas of the districts of Breccia, Prestino and the neighbouring towns ofSan Fermo della BattagliaandCavallascathere were also settlements of theGolasecca Culture,built in the Iron Age. Later, a second Celtic migration brought the Gaulish peoples in the area of Como, especially the tribe of theInsubres.

Around the first century BC, the territory became subject to theRomans.The town centre was situated on the nearby hills, but it was then moved to its current location by order ofJulius 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 namedNovum Comumand had the status ofmunicipium.In September 2018,Culture MinisterAlberto Bonisoliannounced the discovery of several hundredgold coinsin the basement of the formerCressoni Theater(Teatro Cressoni) in a two-handledsoapstoneamphora,coins struck byemperorsHonorius,Valentinian III,Leo I the Thracian,AntonioandLibius Severusdating to 474 AD.

Early Middle Ages

After the so-called "fall of the Western Roman Empire",the history of Como followed that of the rest ofLombardy,being occupied by theGoths,theByzantines,and later theLangobards.The Langobards were a significant people in the region. Originating inScandinavia,thisGermanicgroup arrived in thePo Valleyin 568, led by KingAlboin. The Langobards established theLombard Kingdom,which initially encompassed only modern-dayNorthern Italy,but later expanded to includeTuscany,Umbria,and portions ofSouthern Italy.Under Lombard rule, Como continued to flourish, particularly due to the reconstruction ofQueen Theudelind's road,which connectedGermanyand theItalian Peninsula,providing the town with strategic access tocommerce. In 774, Como surrendered to the invadingFranksled byCharlemagneand subsequently became a center of commercial exchange.

Communal Era

TheCommuneof Como likely originated in the11th centuryas an "association of prestigious families on a treaty basis," bound by an oath of adhesion to the commune, which was renewed periodically in front of municipal authorities until the 1200s, and later in the presence of the mayor. Despite resistance from parts of the feudal nobility of thediocese,this pact quickly extended to the entire free male population of the town. This expansion aimed to strengthen the political independence of Como and its diocese, especially from neighboringMilan,and to affirm the sovereignty of thebishopof Como. The bishop soon became the de facto "head of state",while an assembly of citizens convened in the" Broletto "(Town Hall), called" Brolo ". This assembly consisted of representatives of the local nobility, known as consuls, and later included representatives of theguilds.The Commune had a set of laws and conventions that regulated urban activities,commerce,agriculture,fishing,hunting,law enforcement,andtaxation.

The first explicit written mention of the Commune of Como dates back to 1109. Initially, the deliberative assembly of the commune was likely theplenary assembly.In the early12th century,the role of this assembly was assumed by the council (or "Credenza" ), known after 1213 as the "General council" or "Bell council". From the second half of the 13th century, this assembly was divided into a large and a small council. Starting in 1109, the communal organization included an executive body called the "collegial magistracy of the consuls". Before 1172, this body was divided into two institutions: the consuls of justice and the consuls of the municipality. In the early 13th century, the latter were replaced by thepodestà,who had broader special powers in criminal matters.

The territory of the Commune extended beyond the town of Como itself, encompassing the entire diocese, which included most of present-dayProvince of Como,modern-dayCanton of Ticino,Valtellina,Valchiavenna,andColico.Thanks to its strategic position onLake Comoand the importantRoad of Queen Theudelind,which linked theItalian PeninsulawithGermany:the heart of theHoly Roman Empire,Como quickly became a wealthy and powerful town.

During this period of growth, Como and Milan quickly became rivals. TheCommune of Milanexperienced significant population growth but lacked strategic communication routes.Consequently, Milan planned to conquer neighboring territories to gain access to their strategic positions. Tensions first arose over theCounty of Seprio,as both communes sought control of the area.Meanwhile, Milan acted aggressively against other Lombard towns, leading to the outbreak of thewar of Lodiwhen soldiers fromLodi,Pavia,andCremonaattackedTortona,an ally of Milan. In this conflict, Milan, supported by Crema and Tortona, fought against the communes of Lodi, Pavia, and Cremona, ultimately achieving a significant victory that established Milan as the dominant power in Lombardy.

This left the Commune of Como as Milan's only remaining rival. Tensions escalated when EmperorHenry IVappointed Landolfo da Carcano, who sympathized with Milan, as the bishop of Como. In response, the people of Como electedGuido Grimoldias their bishop and exiled Landolfo. Despite his exile, Landolfo continued to interfere in Como's affairs, prompting the town to besiege his castle under the leadership of consulAdamo del Pero.Landolfo was captured and imprisoned, igniting a crisis between Como and Milan, as Milanese soldiers had defended Landolfo's castle.

This conflict led to theDecennial War between Como and Milanin 1118. The war is well-documented thanks to an anonymous poet who recorded the events in a poem titled "Liber Cumanus, sive de bello Mediolanensium adversus Comenses".Initially, Como seemed to prevail due to smart tactics, but after the death of Guido Grimoldi, the tide turned, and Como lost the war in 1127. Milanese soldiers destroyed every building in Como, sparing only the churches.

After the war, the Commune was forced to pay tribute to Milan.However, this changed whenFrederick Barbarossacame to power and restored Como's independence from Milan. The Comaschi avenged their defeat when Milan was destroyed in 1162. Frederick promoted the construction of several defensive towers and small castles around the town's limits, of which only theBaradelloremains. He also assisted the town in rebuilding its defensive walls, most of which still survive today.

When theGuelphcommunes organized theLombard Leagueto oppose the Holy Roman Emperor, Como maintained its Ghibelline alignment. Frederick I Barbarossa formally recognized the Commune of Como with an imperial diploma in 1175 (Concession of Frederick I 1175), allowing the town to elect the mayors of the county. This was a reward for Como's defection from the Lombard League and its shared anti-Milan policy. Subsequent agreements in 1191 and 1216 saw EmperorsHenry VIandFrederick IIextend additional concessions to Como, similar to those made in thePeace of Constanceto the cities participating in the League.

In 1281, Como adopted its first written legislative code, the "Statuta Consulum Iustitie et Negotiatorum", followed by a second code in 1296.

The rise of Rusca/Rusconi family to power

Coat of Arms of theRusca family.

In the second half of the 12th century, the Rusca family (also known as Rusconi) began to gain prominence in the town of Como. The Rusca were a noble family originating in Como in the 10th century. They led theGhibellinefaction in the town, with their principal rivals being the members of theVitani family.

In 1182, Giovanni Rusca became a consul of the commune and was later appointedpodestàof Milan in 1199, thanks to his abilities during a peace treaty with the rival city. Between 1194 and 1198, he was joined by two other relatives, Adamo and Loterio, who also became consuls of Como. The Rusca quickly became the most influential family in Como, with several members attempting to establish alordshipover the town with varying degrees of success.

Loterio Ruscawas the first to attempt this goal. He was acclaimed "Lord of the People" in 1276 and, with the trust of the Comaschi, he began his rise to power. However, he faced resistance from the bishop of Como,Giovanni degli Avvocati,who was consequently exiled. Giovanni was hosted by theViscontiof Milan, providingOttone Viscontiwith a pretext to start a new war against Como. Unexpectedly, Loterio prevailed and signed a favorable peace treaty with Milan in the town ofLomazzo.Milan was forced to recognize Loterio as the ruler of their rival town and return the town ofBellinzonato Como.

Thanks to this success, the family secured titles such as Lords of Como, Bellinzona,Chiavenna,andValtellina,as well as Counts ofLocarno,Lugano,andLuino.Following Loterio's death, the next notable family member wasFranchino I Rusca,who established a personal lordship over Como and its territories and became animperial vicar.

In 1335, a new war between Como and Milan broke out due to the expiration of conditions established in Lomazzo. This time, under the leadership ofAzzone Visconti,Milan won the war and Como was annexed to theDuchy of Milan.The people of Como sought to regain their administrative freedom, and an opportunity arose in 1402 whenGian Galeazzo Visconti,Duke of Milan, died.Franchino II Ruscaled a rebellion against the Milanese, which ended in 1412 when his son,Loterio IV Rusca,gained the title of Lord of Como and drove out the Milanese occupiers. However, this did not end the political unrest, and a period of conflicts and massacres ensued until Como once again fell under the control ofFilippo Maria Visconti,becoming part of the Duchy of Milan in 1416.

At the Duke's death, Como reclaimed its independence, and in 1447, the "Republic of Saint Abundius" was founded.In January 1449,Francesco Sforza,who claimed the title of Duke of Milan (though the city was under the control of theAmbrosian Republic), sentGiuseppe Ventimigliato attack Como. He was repelled by the citizens led byGiovanni della Noce,forcing him to retreat toCantù,inBrianza.Monzoneassisted the Rusca against the Vitani, who were Guelphs allied with the Milanese, ultimately defeating them with Ghibelline forces. In April 1449, Ventimiglia attacked Como again, and in January 1450, he unsuccessfully attacked the Ambrosian garrisons inMonza,intended to reunite with theVenetiansofColleonito support Milan against Sforza. These events, known as the Battles of Cantù andAsso,culminated in March 1450 when Como was defeated following the fall of the Ambrosian Republic, due to exhaustion and lack of resources. Como was definitively subjected to the reconstituted Duchy of Milan under Francesco Sforza, who in 1458 profoundly reformed the Statutes of Como.

Modern Era

Subsequently, the history of Como followed that of theDuchy of Milan,through the French invasion and the Spanish domination, until 1714, when the territory was taken by the Austrians.Napoleondescended into Lombardy in 1796 and ruled it until 1815, when the Austrian rule was resumed after theCongress of Vienna.By 1848, the population had reached 16,000.In 1859, with the arrival ofGiuseppe Garibaldi,the town became part of the newly formedKingdom of Italyunder theHouse of Savoy.

20th century

The Rockefeller fountain that today stands in theBronx Zooin New York City was once in the main square (PiazzaCavour) by the lakeside. It was bought byWilliam Rockefellerin 1902 forLire3,500 (the estimated equivalent then of $637).

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

21st century

In 2010, a motion by members of the nationalistSwiss People's Partywas submitted to the Swiss parliament requesting theadmission of adjacent territoriesto theSwiss Confederation;Como (and its province) is one of these.

Geography and Climate

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 bordersSwitzerlandand thecommunesofBlevio,Brunate,Capiago Intimiano,Casnate con Bernate,Cernobbio,Grandate,Lipomo,Maslianico,Montano Lucino,San Fermo della Battaglia,Senna Comasco,Tavernerio,andTorno,and the Swiss towns ofChiassoandVacallo.Nearby major cities areVarese,Lecco,andLugano.

The lakefront

Como Main Town buildings decorated with light show in 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 theKöppen climate classification,Como has ahumid subtropical climate(Cfa); until the late 20th century winters used to be quite cold, with average daily temperatures well below freezing;recently, occasional periods of frost from theSiberian Anticyclonehave been recorded; however, due toglobal warmingaverage temperatures in winter have gradually risen since the turn of the 21st century, reaching a record high of 21 degrees Celsius (70 °F) on 27 January 2024;spring and autumn are well marked and pleasant, while summer can be quite hot and sultry. Wind is uncommon although sudden bursts offoehnhave been registered in different occasions. Pollution levels rise significantly in winterwhen cold air clings to the soil.Rain is more frequent during spring; summer is subject to thunderstorms and occasionally violenthailstorms.

Climate data for Como
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	21 (70)	22 (72)	24 (75)	26 (79)	31 (88)	37 (99)	38 (100)	37 (99)	31 (88)	25 (77)	22 (72)	21 (70)	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)	−18 (0)	−16 (3)	−11 (12)	−5 (23)	−1 (30)	3 (37)	7 (45)	5 (41)	4 (39)	−3 (27)	−9 (16)	−10 (14)	−18 (0)
Averageprecipitationmm (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
Averagerelative humidity(%)(daily average)	84	76	69	74	72	71	73	72	74	81	85	86	76
Mean monthlysunshine hours	59	97	151	176	209	242	285	253	187	129	65	58	1,911
Averageultraviolet index	1	2	3	5	7	8	8	7	5	3	2	1	4
Source 1:
Source 2:

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 9assessorieach overseeing a specific ministry, that is nominated and presided over by a directly elected Mayor (Sindaco). The mayor of Como since 27 June 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 thesefrazioni(roughly equivalent to the anglocentricward):

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 previousRomanesquechurch of Santa Maria Maggiore. The façade was built in 1457, with the characteristicrose windowand a portal flanked by two Renaissance statues of the famouscomaschiPliny the ElderandPliny the Younger.The construction was finished in 1740. The interior is on theLatin crossplan, withGothicnave 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 byGiuseppe Arcimboldi.The dome is arococostructure byFilippo Juvarra.Other artworks include 16th–17th-century tapestries and 16th-century paintings byBernardino LuiniandGaudenzio 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 theCisterciansin the early 14th century, heavily renovated in the 20th. The interior and adjoining cloister have 15th–17th-century frescoes, but most of the decoration isBaroque.
• Basilica of Sant'Abbondio,a Romanesque structure consecrated in 1095 byPope 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 GodMercuryto house the remains ofSaint Carpophorusand other local martyrs.

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

Secular buildings and monuments

• The ancient town hall, known as theBroletto
• Casa del Fascio,possiblyGiuseppe Terragni's most famous work. It has been described as an early "landmark of modern European architecture".
• Monumento ai caduti(war memorial) byGiuseppe Terragni
• Teatro Sociale byGiuseppe Cusiin 1813
• Villa Olmo,built from 1797 in neoclassicist style by theOdescalchifamily. It housed Napoleon,Ugo Foscolo,Prince Metternich,ArchdukeFranz Ferdinand I,Giuseppe Garibaldi,and other eminent figures. It is now a seat for exhibitions.
• Monumental Fountainalso known as "Volta's Fountain", a monument to Volta's battery; it was designed by architectCarlo Cattaneoand painterMario Radiceand 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)
• theTempio Voltiano,a museum dedicated toAlessandro Volta,a famous Comasco engineer, physicist, and inventor
• theLife Electric,a modern sculpture made byDaniel Libeskind
• Castello Baradello,a small medieval castle overlooking the town and which is all that remains of the fortress constructed byBarbarossac. 1158

The church of San Fedele, apse area

The NeoclassicalEnglish landscape gardensofVilla Olmo

Cathedral as seen from across the lakeside

TheBasilica 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,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 intoMilan's metropolitan areawhere it mainly provides workers to theservice industrysector. A significant number of residents are employed in the nearby Swiss townsLuganoandMendrisio,primarily in theindustrial sector,health care servicesand in thehospitality industry;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 about 400 thousand overnight guests in 2023, Como was one of the most visited cities in Lombardy.

The city and the lake have beenchosen as the filming locationfor various recent popular feature films, and this, together with the increasing presence of celebrities such asMatt Bellamywho have bought lakeside properties,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.

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 January 2023, the population was 83,700 people of which 12,000 were resident aliens, that is, 14% of the total; the population distribution by origin was as follows:

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 toGiuseppe Garibaldi
• Tempio Voltiano– a museum devoted to Alessandro Volta's work
• Villa Olmo– various exhibitions
• Museo Didattico Della Seta– 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

Polentais a popular dish in Como, and was traditionally eaten for meals in wintertime. It is obtained by mi xing and cooking corn flour andbuckwheat.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 ofpolenta(here depicted with rabbit), a very common and traditional dish of the region

A traditional dish is theRisotto con Filetti di Pesce Persicoor simplyRisotto al Pesce Persico(European perchfiletrisotto), a fish grown in Lake Como, prepared with white wine, onion, butter and wheat.

Palio del Baradello

See also:War of Milan against Como

In Como, a medieval festival calledPalio del Baradellotakes place annually.

The first edition took place in 1981.The event is organized every year to narrate to the citizens and tourists the events that happened in 1159 when the town hosted the Holy Roman EmperorFrederick Barbarossaand aided him in his fight against the rebel communes inLombardy.The Emperor restored Como's former freedom, which was lost in a ten-year-long war against Milan. Together, theGhibellinecommunes and the emperor defeatedMilan.

These pivotal moments for the town are celebrated by the medieval festival, where actors portray the main characters:Frederick Barbarossa,Henry the Lion,Beatrice of Burgundy,andBishop Ardizzone,while citizens dress up in medieval attire.

During the Palio del Baradello, the town is divided into its historical wards called "Borghi" (inLombard:"Burgh") Tavernola,Quarcino,Rebbio, Camerlata,Cernobbio,Cortesellaand Sant'Agostino.The first day hosts the opening ceremony while in the following days the factions compete in different races to determine which district will win the year's edition.

The final day of the festival consists of a grand parade where all the participants march across the town in medieval costumes, accompanied by animals, wagons, and replicas ofsiege engines,culminating in a ceremony where the emperor announces to the public which ward won the competition.

People dressed in medieval clothing

Last day parade of the Medieval festival

Symbology

Heraldry

Theheraldic achievementof Como consists of a white cross on a red background. This symbol was used in the Middle Ages to represent the town's political faction, theGhibellines.The first recorded mention of this emblem dates back to thedecennial war between Como and Milan(1118–1127). An anonymous poet from Como described the coat of arms in his poem about the war as "rubra signa" (Latin: "red symbol" ) and "cum cruce alba" (Latin: "with a white cross" ).

Later, the motto 'LIBERTAS' (Latin: 'Freedom') was added to the town's heraldic achievement. The oldest testament of this symbol comes from the year 1619 when the historianFrancesco Ballariniwrote that the people of Como at the time were already using the motto in the town's coat of arms.It is thought that this motto emerged when the town of Como was liberated from the Milanese occupation with the help of the Holy Roman emperorFrederick I Barbarossa.The motto was later censored when the town was conquered by theViscontifamily in the 15th Century. It was restored when the town proclaimed its independence from theLordship of Milan,but censored again asMilanregained control over Como. The motto was restored one last time after theunification of Italy,as otherwise the town's coat of arms would have been too similar to the arms of theHouse of Savoy,which were included in the heraldic achievement of the newly bornKingdom of Italy.

Curiously, the coat of arms of Como is often represented with a curvature and surrounded by floral elements. The crown is another important element of the heraldic achievement. A crown appeared in the coats of arms of Como reported on some municipal posters in 1796. On 9 November 1819,Francis I of Austria,Emperor of theAustria,recognized Como as a "Royal Town": that is when the crown (five-pointed and studded with gems) officially entered the coat of arms. In the version that came in 1859, the crown is topped with six gold fleurs-de-lis (only the front three visible).

Flags

Throughout history, Como has used the Cross of Saint John as its flag: a white cross over a red field. Around the 12th Century, the city started to fly a version of this banner that included the word "LIBERTAS" in the bottom right corner, as represented in the town'sheraldic achievement.This flag can be seen displayed at the town hall (Palazzo Cernezzi).

Version of the flag with the word LIBERTAS

Transportation

Rail

The Servizio Ferroviario Regionale (Regional Railway Service) connects Como by train to other major cities in Lombardy. Services are provided byTrenordthrough two main stations:Como San GiovanniandComo 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 andZürich HBandBasel SBB.Intercity andEuroCitytrains stop at this station, which makes Como very accessible from the European Express train network.

Thelakeside funicularconnects the centre of Como withBrunate,a small village (1,800 inhabitants) on a mountain at 715 m (2,346 ft)above sea level.

An old steamship

The funicular toBrunate

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 byASF Autolinee.

Ferrovie Nord Milanoalso provides other bus lines connecting Como toVaresein 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 andhydrofoils(aliscafi) ofNavigazione Laghiconnect the town with most of the villages sitting on the shores of the lake.

Airports

Nearby airports providing scheduled flights areMalpensa International Airport,Milano LinateandOrio al Serio International Airport;Lugano Airport,in Switzerland, mainly schedules regional flights within Switzerland,charter flightsto nearby countriesand caters to private aircraft operations.

Aero Club

Aero Club Como

Como is home to the oldest seaplane operation in the world,theAero Club Como(ICAO codeLILY),with a fleet consisting of four seaplanes, used for flight training and local tour flights and four classic seaplanes of historical interest, a 1961Cessna O-1 Bird Dog,a 1946Republic RC-3 Seabeea 1947Macchi M.B.308idroand a perfectly restored 1935Caproni Ca.100.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, theConservatoryof music "Giuseppe Verdi", theDesign school"Aldo Galli", theUniversity of Insubriaand a branch campus of thePolitecnico di Milano.

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

Sports

Notable sports clubs are theASDG Comense 1872basketball team, a two-time winner of the FIBAEuroLeague Women,andComo 1907,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, theCittà di Como Challenger,which attracts many of the world's top players who are not involved in the concurrentUS Open.Many players have testified that they much prefer playing in the relaxed and friendly Como environs than the hustle and bustle ofFlushing Meadows–Corona Park.

International relations

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

Como istwinnedwith:

• Fulda,Germany, since 1960
• Tokamachi,Japan, since 1975
• Nablus,Palestine,since 1998
• Netanya,Israel,since 2004

See also

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

Sources

• "Como".Northern Italy(14th ed.). Leipzig: Karl Baedeker. 1913.OL16015532M.

External links

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