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Comoby Loretta Gallorini A visit to Como is like leafing through a manual on the history of architecture. Its ancient walls, the Duomo with its rich Gothic-Renaissance façade, the Broletto, the Castel Baradello, the Romanesque basilicas of Sant'Abbondio and S. Fedele, the myriad of monuments created by the "Comacini Masters", and the modern "rationalist" architectural lines, all represent foundations of the urban and tourist fabric, interwoven with unforgettable splendour. To amble past the neo-classic Villa Olmo and the Tempio Voltiano, or to head out in the lake aboard the Concordia, the historic paddle steamer furrowing the waters overlooked by the aristocratic villas including Villa d'Este, now transformed into a luxury hotel, and Villa Erba, now seat of an important exhibition and congress centre, are once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Then there are the museums and the silks, universally renowned for their delicacy and originality: the result of a creativity that is part of a century-old tradition of the people living by this lake, known all over the world by businessmen and those who seek peace in the limpid air transported by the winds of the Tivano and the Breva. Another highlight, and not last on the list, is that of the Como-Brunate cable-car and the walks that can be made from this "balcony" in the direction of the "high peaks", while enjoying the views over both legs of the Lario and the plain and the Briantei lakes to the south. Magniloquent creative expressions, therefore, in this striking, light-filled, dreamy landscape, infinitely complex and delicate, that dominates the ever-varied world of merging waters and mountains. The city of Como is located at the top corner of the western leg of the Lario, on an alluvial plain opening northwards to the waters of the lake, dominated to the east by Mount Brunate, the last pre-alpine ramification, and closed to the south and the west by the sinuous low hills of San Fermo della Battaglia, modelled during the Quaternary ice age. The necropolises discovered to the south of the city, in the area known as "Cà Morta", bear witness to human presence in prehistoric times. The ancient Comum, Gallic town of the Orobi, was cited by historians in 196 BC, when it was conquered by the Roman Consul Marco Claudio Marcello. Erected at Municipio it became the capital of a vast territory bordering with Bergamo and Milano, and later headquarters of a Prefect and the base of a naval fleet. It was equipped with a stadium, gym, public baths and thermal springs in accordance with roman customs, as well as a basilica, theatre and forum. The eight greenish-striped limestone columns today in the portico of the Volta Liceum, the varied features of the city walls from the republican epoch and the remains of the Porta Praetoria towards Milano (second-third century AD) visible in the basement of the technical Institute, are but a few of the archaeological testimonies of these centuries. Como's development, documented by the rich lapidary collection in the Museo Civico, takes us back to the night of our times, as a testimony to the florid public and religious life, with faces and names of such illustrious figures as Caio Plinio the Second (the Elder), author of "Naturalis Historia" and Caio Plinio Cecilio (the Younger), writer, magistrate and tribune of the plebe. The rule by the Longobards, who were subsequently civilised and became fervent Christians, has left valuable testimonies, like the one connected to mythical Queen Teodolinda, with the story of the Iron Crown in the duomo of Monza and the building of a road, the "Via Regina", part of which still runs round the western shore of the lake to the north. During the following centuries the topographical growth was influenced by alternating events. In 1715, the Austrians took over from the Spaniards and for nearly a century the city lived in peace with a sharp upturn in social and economic development. It regained its role as small economic capital of northern Italy and industrial concerns sprang up (mills, silk, glass and hat factories, tanneries, printing houses...). From among the glories of Como in that period, Alessandro Volta still holds place of honour. Born at Porta Nuova in the heart of the city on February 28 1745, his invention of the battery changed the course of technological progress. Imposing works carried out profoundly altered Como, like the building of the railway to the Gotthard and the cable-car to Brunate, the remodelling of the lakeside on the site of the ancient port, the building of Piazza Cavour, the first great hotels and the damn outside the town for protecting the lake fleet. Como opened up to visitors, especially from over the Alps and discovered a new vocation for tourism. The following years of the financial "boom" characterised Como's economic development, adding greater value to its already richly interwoven geographical, historical and artistic background. Today, this growth is evident above all along the southern roads leading to Brianza, Varese, Milano and in particular towards Camerlata. The most recent area includes numerous textile factories and commercial centres with the modern aspect contrasting sharply with the ancient face of the internal quarters with their narrow alleys and ancient houses, still arranged according to the roman layout and an integral part of the pedestrian island. On leaving this "coffer", enclosing an incredible artistic heritage that is Como, the beating heart of Lombardy and crossroads of European civilisation, we must include it on the list of cities forming part of the heritage of mankind. Other towns in the area: Bellagio, Campione d'Italia, Cernobbio, Colico, Lecco, Lenno, Menaggio, Mezzegra, Musso, Ossuccio, Tremezzo, VarennaYou might also be interested in reading about the following Como topics:
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