Lake Como
Encyclopedia
Lake Como is a lake
of glacial
origin in Lombardy
, Italy
. It has an area of 146 km², making it the third largest lake in Italy, after Lake Garda
and Lake Maggiore
. At over 400 m (1320 ft) deep it is one of the deepest lakes in Europe
and the bottom of the lake is more than 200 metres (656 ft) below sea-level.
Lake Como has been a popular retreat for aristocrats and wealthy people since Roman times, and a very popular tourist attraction with many artistic and cultural gems. It has many villas and palaces (such as Villa Olmo
, Villa Serbelloni and Villa Carlotta
). Many celebrities have or had homes on the shores of Lake Como, such as Matthew Bellamy
, Madonna
, George Clooney
, Gianni Versace
, Ronaldinho, Sylvester Stallone
, Richard Branson
, and Ben Spies
. Lake Como is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful lakes in Italy.
The lake is shaped much like the character "Y
". The northern branch begins at the town of Colico
, while the towns of Como
and Lecco
sit at the ends of the southwestern and southeastern branches respectively. The small towns of Bellagio
, Menaggio
and Varenna
are situated at the intersection of the three branches of the lake: a triangular boat service operates between them.
Lake Como is fed in large part by the Adda River
, which enters the lake near Colico and flows out at Lecco. This geological conformation makes the southwestern branch a dead end, and so Como, unlike Lecco, is often flooded.
The mountainous pre-alpine territory between the two southern arms of the lake—between Como, Bellagio and Lecco—is known as the Larian Triangle, or Triangolo lariano. The source of the river Lambro
is here. At the centre of the triangle, the town of Canzo
is the seat of the Comunità montana del Triangolo Lariano, an association of the 31 municipalities
which represent the 71,000 inhabitants of the area.
The lake's name in Latin
is Larius, Italianized as Lario, but this name is rarely used; it is usually called Lago di Como (literally "Lake of Como"). In guidebooks the lake may be variously described as "Lake Como", "Lake of Como", or "Como Lake." The lake's name comes from the town of Como
, known to the Romans as Comum.
While the town of Como is referred to as "Como", the lake itself is never referred to solely by this name. (This is not true of another lake in Italy, Lake Garda
, where "Garda" may refer to either a town on its shores, or the lake).
The lake is well known for the attractive villa
s which have been built here since Pliny the Younger
constructed the Comedia and the Tragedia. Many have admirable gardens which benefit from the mild climate induced by the stabilising presence of 22.5 km³ of lake water and are able to include tropical as well as temperate plants.
The Villa Carlotta
was built for the Milan
ese marchese Giorgio Clerici in 1690 and occupies a site of over 70000 m² (83,719 sq yd) at Tremezzo
, facing the Bellagio
peninsula. An Italian garden, with steps, fountains and sculpture was laid out at the same time. The villa was later sold to the banker and Napoleonic politician Giambattista Sommariva. Stendhal
was his guest in 1818, and his visit is recalled at the start of La Chartreuse de Parme. In 1843 it was purchased by Princess Marianne of Nassau as a wedding present for her daughter Carlotta, after whom the villa is now named. The latter, together with her husband, Georg II of Saxen-Meiningen laid out the woodland landscape park in Romantic
style. The villa today includes a museum of agricultural implements as well as important works of sculpture by Sommariva’s friend Antonio Canova
and by Luigi Acquisti
.
The Villa d'Este
, at Cernobbio
, was built in 1568 by Cardinal Tolomeo Gallio
, a native of the town. In 1816–17 the villa was home to Caroline of Brunswick
, estranged wife of the Prince of Wales and shortly to become Queen Consort
of King George IV
of the United Kingdom
. The landscaped gardens in the English style are a product of this period. Later in the century it was turned into a luxury hotel. Today the Villa d’Este is known for attracting celebrity guests.
The Villa del Balbianello
, famous for its elaborate terraced gardens, lies on a promontory of the western shore of the lake near Isola Comacina
. Built in 1787 on the site of a Franciscan monastery, it was the final home of the explorer Guido Monzino
and today houses a museum devoted to his work.
The Villa Melzi, at Bellagio was built in the neo-classical style by the architect Giocondo Albertolli
in 1808–10 as the summer residence of Francesco Melzi who had been vice-president of the Napoleonic Italian Republic
. The park includes an orangery
, a chapel, statues and a Japanese garden
, and is planted, as often on lake Como, with huge rhododendron
s. Nineteenth-century guests at the Villa included Stendhal and Franz Liszt
.
The Villa Serbelloni, also at Bellagio, houses the Bellagio Study and Conference Center, a residential center set up and managed by the Rockefeller Foundation
since 1959, which operates a 'scholar-in-residence' program for scholars from around the world. This is believed to have been the site of Pliny the Younger’s villa ‘Tragedia’. Its well-known park was created at the end of the eighteenth century by Alessandro Serbellon.
and Lake Garda
.
Today there are three main services:
-‘Motorship’ services up and down the western branch and northern end of the Lake (between Colico or Piona and Como town), with additional shuttles to the mid-lake area.
-‘Fast services’ that follow broadly the same route but use quicker hydrofoils, stop less frequently and cost extra.
-‘Ferries’ that run only between the hugely popular mid-lake villages of Menaggio, Bellagio and Varenna, plus Cadenabbia. Some of these boats carry vehicles as well as passengers.
The Sacro Monte di Ossuccio
("Sacred Mount of Ossuccio
") is located on a hillside slope between olive groves and woods along the western edge of Lake Como facing Isola Comacina
. Fifteen Baroque
inspired chapels, built between 1635 and 1710, and dedicated to the Mysteries of the Rosary
are dotted along the way that leads to the Monastery. This building is the last in the chain and is dedicated to the Coronation of the Virgin
.
In 2003, the Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy, including that of Ossuccio, were inserted by UNESCO
in the World Heritage List.
, windsurfing
and kitesurfing
. In 1818 Percy Bysshe Shelley
wrote to Thomas Love Peacock
: "This lake exceeds anything I ever beheld in beauty, with the exception of the arbutus islands of Killarney
. It is long and narrow, and has the appearance of a mighty river winding among the mountains and the forests".
.jpg)
Cities and villages on Lake Como >
Western shore
from North to South
South shore
from West to East
Eastern shore
from North to South
----
Colico
Dorio
Dervio
Bellano
Varenna
Lierna
Mandello del Lario
Lecco
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
of glacial
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
origin in Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. It has an area of 146 km², making it the third largest lake in Italy, after Lake Garda
Lake Garda
Lake Garda is the largest lake in Italy. It is located in Northern Italy, about half-way between Brescia and Verona, and between Venice and Milan. Glaciers formed this alpine region at the end of the last ice age...
and Lake Maggiore
Lake Maggiore
Lake Maggiore is a large lake located on the south side of the Alps. It is the second largest of Italy and largest of southern Switzerland. Lake Maggiore is the most westerly of the three great prealpine lakes of Italy, it extends for about 70 km between Locarno and Arona.The climate is mild...
. At over 400 m (1320 ft) deep it is one of the deepest lakes in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and the bottom of the lake is more than 200 metres (656 ft) below sea-level.
Lake Como has been a popular retreat for aristocrats and wealthy people since Roman times, and a very popular tourist attraction with many artistic and cultural gems. It has many villas and palaces (such as Villa Olmo
Villa Olmo
Villa Olmo is a neoclassic villa located in the city of Como, northern Italy.-History:The construction began in 1797 and was commissioned by marquis Innocenzo Odescalchi to the Swiss architect Simone Cantoni....
, Villa Serbelloni and Villa Carlotta
Villa Carlotta
Villa Carlotta is a villa in Northern Italy on Lake Como. It was built for the Milanese marquis Giorgio Clerici in 1690 and extends over a area in Tremezzo, facing the Bellagio peninsula. An Italian garden, with steps, fountains and sculptures was laid out at the same time...
). Many celebrities have or had homes on the shores of Lake Como, such as Matthew Bellamy
Matthew Bellamy
Matthew James Bellamy is an English musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, best known as the lead vocalist, lead guitarist, pianist, and main songwriter of the alternative rock band Muse.-Early life:...
, Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
, George Clooney
George Clooney
George Timothy Clooney is an American actor, film director, producer, and screenwriter. For his work as an actor, he has received two Golden Globe Awards and an Academy Award...
, Gianni Versace
Gianni Versace
Gianni Versace was an Italian fashion designer and founder of Gianni Versace S.p.A., an international fashion house, which produces accessories, fragrances, makeup and home furnishings as well as clothes. He also designed costumes for the theatre and films, and was a friend of Madonna, Elton John,...
, Ronaldinho, Sylvester Stallone
Sylvester Stallone
Michael Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone , commonly known as Sylvester Stallone, and nicknamed Sly Stallone, is an American actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, film director and occasional painter. Stallone is known for his machismo and Hollywood action roles. Two of the notable characters he has portrayed...
, Richard Branson
Richard Branson
Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson is an English business magnate, best known for his Virgin Group of more than 400 companies....
, and Ben Spies
Ben Spies
Ben Spies , also known as "Elbowz" due to his riding style where his elbows protrude outward, is a professional motorcycle road racer who turned pro in 2000...
. Lake Como is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful lakes in Italy.
Geography
Y
Y is the twenty-fifth letter in the basic modern Latin alphabet and represents either a vowel or a consonant in English.-Name:In Latin, Y was named Y Graeca "Greek Y". This was pronounced as I Graeca "Greek I", since Latin speakers had trouble pronouncing , which was not a native sound...
". The northern branch begins at the town of Colico
Colico
Colico is a comune in the province of Lecco, Lombardy, Italy. It is situated near the tip of the northern arm of Lake Como, where the river Adda enters the lake...
, while the towns of Como
Como
Como is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy.It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como....
and Lecco
Lecco
Lecco is a town of c. 47,760 inhabitants in Lombardy, northern Italy, north of Milan, the capital of the province of Lecco. It lies at the end of the south-eastern branch of Lake Como...
sit at the ends of the southwestern and southeastern branches respectively. The small towns of Bellagio
Bellagio
Bellagio is a comune in the Province of Como in the Italian region Lombardy, located on Lake Como. It has long been famous for its setting at the intersection of the three branches of the Y-shaped lake, which is also known as Lario....
, Menaggio
Menaggio
Menaggio is a town and comune in the province of Como, Lombardy, Italy, located on the western shore of Lake Como at the mouth of the river Senagra.-History:The area of current Menaggio was conquered by the Romans in 196 BC...
and Varenna
Varenna
Varenna is a comune on Lake Como in the Province of Lecco in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 60 km north of Milan and about 20 km northwest of Lecco...
are situated at the intersection of the three branches of the lake: a triangular boat service operates between them.
Lake Como is fed in large part by the Adda River
Adda River
The Adda is a river in North Italy, a tributary of the Po. It rises in the Alps near the border with Switzerland and flows through Lake Como. The Adda joins the Po a few kilometres upstream of Cremona. It is 313 kilometres long...
, which enters the lake near Colico and flows out at Lecco. This geological conformation makes the southwestern branch a dead end, and so Como, unlike Lecco, is often flooded.
The mountainous pre-alpine territory between the two southern arms of the lake—between Como, Bellagio and Lecco—is known as the Larian Triangle, or Triangolo lariano. The source of the river Lambro
Lambro
For the river in Cilento, see Lambro . For the genus, see Lambro .The Lambro is a river of Lombardy, northern Italy, a left tributary of the Po....
is here. At the centre of the triangle, the town of Canzo
Canzo
Canzo or Canz is a town and comune in the province of Como, in Lombardy. It has 5,192 citizens and an area of 11.8 km², with a density of 445 humans/km²...
is the seat of the Comunità montana del Triangolo Lariano, an association of the 31 municipalities
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
which represent the 71,000 inhabitants of the area.
Name
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
is Larius, Italianized as Lario, but this name is rarely used; it is usually called Lago di Como (literally "Lake of Como"). In guidebooks the lake may be variously described as "Lake Como", "Lake of Como", or "Como Lake." The lake's name comes from the town of Como
Como
Como is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy.It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como....
, known to the Romans as Comum.
While the town of Como is referred to as "Como", the lake itself is never referred to solely by this name. (This is not true of another lake in Italy, Lake Garda
Lake Garda
Lake Garda is the largest lake in Italy. It is located in Northern Italy, about half-way between Brescia and Verona, and between Venice and Milan. Glaciers formed this alpine region at the end of the last ice age...
, where "Garda" may refer to either a town on its shores, or the lake).
Lakeside villas
Villa
A villa was originally an ancient Roman upper-class country house. Since its origins in the Roman villa, the idea and function of a villa have evolved considerably. After the fall of the Roman Republic, villas became small farming compounds, which were increasingly fortified in Late Antiquity,...
s which have been built here since Pliny the Younger
Pliny the Younger
Gaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus, born Gaius Caecilius or Gaius Caecilius Cilo , better known as Pliny the Younger, was a lawyer, author, and magistrate of Ancient Rome. Pliny's uncle, Pliny the Elder, helped raise and educate him...
constructed the Comedia and the Tragedia. Many have admirable gardens which benefit from the mild climate induced by the stabilising presence of 22.5 km³ of lake water and are able to include tropical as well as temperate plants.
The Villa Carlotta
Villa Carlotta
Villa Carlotta is a villa in Northern Italy on Lake Como. It was built for the Milanese marquis Giorgio Clerici in 1690 and extends over a area in Tremezzo, facing the Bellagio peninsula. An Italian garden, with steps, fountains and sculptures was laid out at the same time...
was built for the Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
ese marchese Giorgio Clerici in 1690 and occupies a site of over 70000 m² (83,719 sq yd) at Tremezzo
Tremezzo
Tremezzo is a comune of some 1300 people in the Province of Como, in the Italian region Lombardy.It is located on the western shore of Lake Como between Mezzegra to the south-west and Griante to the north-east, and about 20 km from Como...
, facing the Bellagio
Bellagio
Bellagio is a comune in the Province of Como in the Italian region Lombardy, located on Lake Como. It has long been famous for its setting at the intersection of the three branches of the Y-shaped lake, which is also known as Lario....
peninsula. An Italian garden, with steps, fountains and sculpture was laid out at the same time. The villa was later sold to the banker and Napoleonic politician Giambattista Sommariva. Stendhal
Stendhal
Marie-Henri Beyle , better known by his pen name Stendhal, was a 19th-century French writer. Known for his acute analysis of his characters' psychology, he is considered one of the earliest and foremost practitioners of realism in his two novels Le Rouge et le Noir and La Chartreuse de Parme...
was his guest in 1818, and his visit is recalled at the start of La Chartreuse de Parme. In 1843 it was purchased by Princess Marianne of Nassau as a wedding present for her daughter Carlotta, after whom the villa is now named. The latter, together with her husband, Georg II of Saxen-Meiningen laid out the woodland landscape park in Romantic
Romanticism
Romanticism was an artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Europe, and gained strength in reaction to the Industrial Revolution...
style. The villa today includes a museum of agricultural implements as well as important works of sculpture by Sommariva’s friend Antonio Canova
Antonio Canova
Antonio Canova was an Italian sculptor from the Republic of Venice who became famous for his marble sculptures that delicately rendered nude flesh...
and by Luigi Acquisti
Luigi Acquisti
Luigi Acquisti was an Italian sculptor mainly known for his works in the neoclassical style.He was born in Forlì the 29 March 1747 and died in Bologna in 1823. His works are distributed throughout Italy...
.
The Villa d'Este
Villa d'Este (Cernobbio)
The Villa d'Este, originally Villa del Garovo, is a Renaissance patrician residence in the Italian town of Cernobbio on the shores of Lake Como. Both the villa and the park which surrounds it have undergone significant changes since their sixteenth-century origins as a summer residence for the...
, at Cernobbio
Cernobbio
Cernobbio is a comune in the Province of Como in the Italian region of Lombardy, located about north of Milan and about northwest of Como, on the border with Switzerland...
, was built in 1568 by Cardinal Tolomeo Gallio
Tolomeo Gallio
Tolomeo Gallio was an Italian Cardinal.In the time of Pope Gregory XIII, he acted as papal secretary of state , having a key role in the curia....
, a native of the town. In 1816–17 the villa was home to Caroline of Brunswick
Caroline of Brunswick
Caroline of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel was the Queen consort of King George IV of the United Kingdom from 29 January 1820 until her death...
, estranged wife of the Prince of Wales and shortly to become Queen Consort
Queen consort
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
of King George IV
George IV of the United Kingdom
George IV was the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and also of Hanover from the death of his father, George III, on 29 January 1820 until his own death ten years later...
of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The landscaped gardens in the English style are a product of this period. Later in the century it was turned into a luxury hotel. Today the Villa d’Este is known for attracting celebrity guests.
The Villa del Balbianello
Villa del Balbianello
The Villa del Balbianello is a villa in the comune of Lenno , Italy, overlooking Lake Como.It is located on the tip of a small wooded peninsula on the western shore of the south-west branch of Lake Como, not far from the Isola Comacina and is famous for its elaborate terraced gardens.The villa was...
, famous for its elaborate terraced gardens, lies on a promontory of the western shore of the lake near Isola Comacina
Isola Comacina
Isola Comacina is a small wooded island of Italy’s Lake Como, administratively a part of the commune of Ossuccio. It is located close to the western shore of the Como arm of the lake in front of a gulf known as Zoca de l'oli, a dialectal name referring to the local small-scale production of olive...
. Built in 1787 on the site of a Franciscan monastery, it was the final home of the explorer Guido Monzino
Guido Monzino
Count Guido Monzino was a twentieth-century Italian mountain climber and explorer. In 1973 he led the first Italian expedition to climb Mount Everest.-Life:...
and today houses a museum devoted to his work.
The Villa Melzi, at Bellagio was built in the neo-classical style by the architect Giocondo Albertolli
Giocondo Albertolli
Giocondo Albertolli was a Swiss-born architect, painter, and sculptor who was active in Italy during the Neoclassical period....
in 1808–10 as the summer residence of Francesco Melzi who had been vice-president of the Napoleonic Italian Republic
Italian Republic (Napoleonic)
The Italian Republic was a short-lived republic located in Northern Italy. It was a vassal state of the First French Republic of Napoleon.-The republic:...
. The park includes an orangery
Orangery
An orangery was a building in the grounds of fashionable residences from the 17th to the 19th centuries and given a classicising architectural form. The orangery was similar to a greenhouse or conservatory...
, a chapel, statues and a Japanese garden
Japanese garden
, that is, gardens in traditional Japanese style, can be found at private homes, in neighborhood or city parks, and at historical landmarks such as Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines and old castles....
, and is planted, as often on lake Como, with huge rhododendron
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
s. Nineteenth-century guests at the Villa included Stendhal and Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt ; ), was a 19th-century Hungarian composer, pianist, conductor, and teacher.Liszt became renowned in Europe during the nineteenth century for his virtuosic skill as a pianist. He was said by his contemporaries to have been the most technically advanced pianist of his age...
.
The Villa Serbelloni, also at Bellagio, houses the Bellagio Study and Conference Center, a residential center set up and managed by the Rockefeller Foundation
Rockefeller Foundation
The Rockefeller Foundation is a prominent philanthropic organization and private foundation based at 420 Fifth Avenue, New York City. The preeminent institution established by the six-generation Rockefeller family, it was founded by John D. Rockefeller , along with his son John D. Rockefeller, Jr...
since 1959, which operates a 'scholar-in-residence' program for scholars from around the world. This is believed to have been the site of Pliny the Younger’s villa ‘Tragedia’. Its well-known park was created at the end of the eighteenth century by Alessandro Serbellon.
Climate
Lake Como weather is generally mild. It is known for its Mediterranean-like climate where tropical and sub-tropical plants can grow year-round. In the winter, the lake helps to maintain a higher temperature in the surrounding region. Average daily temperatures range from about 13 °C (55 °F) in December to 30 °C (86 °F) in July. Water temperatures can reach an average of 24 °C (75 °F) during the month of July. Snowfall is erratic and primarily affects the higher elevations. Rainfall is heaviest in May and lowest during the winter months.Ferries
The Lake Como ferry service is a highly developed public transport system linking the dozens of small towns and villages dotted around the perimeter of the Lake. A motorized service began in 1826 when a steamship with sails, the “Lario”, was launched by the newly established Società privilegiata per l'impresa dei battelli a vapore nel Regno Lombardo Veneto. Since 1952 the system has been run under the auspices of a government organisation called first the Gestione Commissariale Governativa and subsequently the Gestione Governativa Navigazione Laghi, which is also responsible for services on Lake MaggioreLake Maggiore
Lake Maggiore is a large lake located on the south side of the Alps. It is the second largest of Italy and largest of southern Switzerland. Lake Maggiore is the most westerly of the three great prealpine lakes of Italy, it extends for about 70 km between Locarno and Arona.The climate is mild...
and Lake Garda
Lake Garda
Lake Garda is the largest lake in Italy. It is located in Northern Italy, about half-way between Brescia and Verona, and between Venice and Milan. Glaciers formed this alpine region at the end of the last ice age...
.
Today there are three main services:
-‘Motorship’ services up and down the western branch and northern end of the Lake (between Colico or Piona and Como town), with additional shuttles to the mid-lake area.
-‘Fast services’ that follow broadly the same route but use quicker hydrofoils, stop less frequently and cost extra.
-‘Ferries’ that run only between the hugely popular mid-lake villages of Menaggio, Bellagio and Varenna, plus Cadenabbia. Some of these boats carry vehicles as well as passengers.
Sacro Monte di Ossuccio
Sacro Monte di Ossuccio
The Sacro Monte di Ossuccio is one of the nine sacri monti in the Italian regions of Lombardy and Piedmont which were inscribed on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 2003....
("Sacred Mount of Ossuccio
Ossuccio
Ossuccio is a comune in the Province of Como in the Italian region Lombardy. It is located on the western shore of Lake Como some 20 km northeast of Como...
") is located on a hillside slope between olive groves and woods along the western edge of Lake Como facing Isola Comacina
Isola Comacina
Isola Comacina is a small wooded island of Italy’s Lake Como, administratively a part of the commune of Ossuccio. It is located close to the western shore of the Como arm of the lake in front of a gulf known as Zoca de l'oli, a dialectal name referring to the local small-scale production of olive...
. Fifteen Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
inspired chapels, built between 1635 and 1710, and dedicated to the Mysteries of the Rosary
Rosary
The rosary or "garland of roses" is a traditional Catholic devotion. The term denotes the prayer beads used to count the series of prayers that make up the rosary...
are dotted along the way that leads to the Monastery. This building is the last in the chain and is dedicated to the Coronation of the Virgin
Coronation of the Virgin
The Coronation of the Virgin or Coronation of Mary is a subject in Christian art, especially popular in Italy in the 13th to 15th centuries, but continuing in popularity until the 18th century and beyond. Christ, sometimes accompanied by God the Father and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove,...
.
In 2003, the Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy, including that of Ossuccio, were inserted by UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
in the World Heritage List.
Recreation and tourism
As a tourist destination, Lake Como is popular for its scenery, wildlife and spas. It is a venue for sailingSailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
, windsurfing
Windsurfing
Windsurfing or sailboarding is a surface water sport that combines elements of surfing and sailing. It consists of a board usually two to four metres long, powered by the orthogonal effect of the wind on a sail. The rig is connected to the board by a free-rotating universal joint and comprises a...
and kitesurfing
Kitesurfing
Kitesurfing or Kiteboarding is an adventure surface water sport that has been described as combining wakeboarding, windsurfing, surfing, paragliding, and gymnastics into one extreme sport. Kitesurfing harnesses the power of the wind to propel a rider across the water on a small surfboard or a...
. In 1818 Percy Bysshe Shelley
Percy Bysshe Shelley
Percy Bysshe Shelley was one of the major English Romantic poets and is critically regarded as among the finest lyric poets in the English language. Shelley was famous for his association with John Keats and Lord Byron...
wrote to Thomas Love Peacock
Thomas Love Peacock
Thomas Love Peacock was an English satirist and author.Peacock was a close friend of Percy Bysshe Shelley and they influenced each other's work...
: "This lake exceeds anything I ever beheld in beauty, with the exception of the arbutus islands of Killarney
Killarney
Killarney is a town in County Kerry, southwestern Ireland. The town is located north of the MacGillicuddy Reeks, on the northeastern shore of the Lough Lein/Leane which are part of Killarney National Park. The town and its surrounding region are home to St...
. It is long and narrow, and has the appearance of a mighty river winding among the mountains and the forests".
Pollution
In 2007 it was reported that Lake Como was too polluted to swim in, with colony-forming units of bacteria at 68 times the safe limit for bathing. This pollution level presents a risk of skin infections, dermatitis and even salmonella to bathers. In 2008 it was reported that the upper lake was suitable for swimming.Places on the lake
from North to South
from West to East
from North to South
- DomasoDomasoDomaso is a comune in the Province of Como in the Italian region Lombardy, located about north of Milan and about northeast of Como...
- GravedonaGravedonaGravedona ed Uniti is a comune in the Province of Como in the Italian region Lombardy, located about north of Milan and about northeast of Como....
- DongoDongoDongo is a comune in the Province of Como in the Italian region Lombardy. It lies on the northwestern shore of Lake Como between Gravedona and Musso at the mouth of the Albano...
- MussoMusso (CO)Musso is a small town in the Province of Como in the Italian region Lombardy. It lies on the western shore of the northern branch of Lake Como about northeast of the city of Como...
- MenaggioMenaggioMenaggio is a town and comune in the province of Como, Lombardy, Italy, located on the western shore of Lake Como at the mouth of the river Senagra.-History:The area of current Menaggio was conquered by the Romans in 196 BC...
- CadenabbiaCadenabbiaCadenabbia is a small community in Lombardy, Italy, in the province of Como, on the west shore of Lake Como. The community is part of the comune of Griante, situated about 15 miles by steamer from the town of Como, between the communities of Menaggio and Tremezzo.Cadenabbia is a favorite spring...
- GrianteGrianteGriante is a comune in the Province of Como in the Italian region Lombardy, located on the western shore of Lake Como about northeast of Como between Menaggio and Tremezzo. Griante also borders the communes of Bellagio and Varenna on the other side of the lake. The commune of Griante itself is...
- TremezzoTremezzoTremezzo is a comune of some 1300 people in the Province of Como, in the Italian region Lombardy.It is located on the western shore of Lake Como between Mezzegra to the south-west and Griante to the north-east, and about 20 km from Como...
- MezzegraMezzegraMezzegra is a comune in the Province of Como in the Italian region Lombardy.-Geography:It lies on the northwestern shore of Lake Como between Tremezzo and Lenno at the foot of Monte Tremezzo . It is about north of Milan and about northeast of Como...
- LennoLennoLenno is a comune in the Province of Como in the Italian region Lombardy, located about north of Milan and about northeast of Como...
- OssuccioOssuccioOssuccio is a comune in the Province of Como in the Italian region Lombardy. It is located on the western shore of Lake Como some 20 km northeast of Como...
- ArgegnoArgegnoArgegno is a comune in the Province of Como in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 50 km north of Milan and about 15 km north of Como...
- BriennoBriennoBrienno is a comune in the Province of Como in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 50 km north of Milan and about 10 km northeast of Como...
- MoltrasioMoltrasioMoltrasio is a comune in the Province of Como in the Italian region Lombardy, located about north of Milan and about north of Como, near the border with Switzerland...
- CernobbioCernobbioCernobbio is a comune in the Province of Como in the Italian region of Lombardy, located about north of Milan and about northwest of Como, on the border with Switzerland...
- ComoComoComo is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy.It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como....
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- ComoComoComo is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy.It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como....
- BlevioBlevioBlevio is a comune in the Province of Como in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 40 km north of Milan and about 2 km northeast of Como...
- BrunateBrunateBrunate is an Italian town and comune, part of the province of Como, near Lake Como . It has 1,770 residents, but is much more populated in summer, when tourists rent houses and apartments...
- BellagioBellagioBellagio is a comune in the Province of Como in the Italian region Lombardy, located on Lake Como. It has long been famous for its setting at the intersection of the three branches of the Y-shaped lake, which is also known as Lario....
- MalgrateMalgrateMalgrate is a comune in the Province of Lecco, in the Italian region Lombardy. Malgrate is located in the front of Lecco, from which is geographically divided by the Lake Como. According to 31 December 2004 demographic data, has a population of 4,233 in an area of 2.0 km²...
- LeccoLeccoLecco is a town of c. 47,760 inhabitants in Lombardy, northern Italy, north of Milan, the capital of the province of Lecco. It lies at the end of the south-eastern branch of Lake Como...
Colico
Colico is a comune in the province of Lecco, Lombardy, Italy. It is situated near the tip of the northern arm of Lake Como, where the river Adda enters the lake...
Dorio
Dorio is a village and a former municipality in Messenia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Oichalia, of which it is a municipal unit. The population of the municipal unit is 4,069, and of the village alone 1,416 . Dorio is 170 m above...
Dervio
Dervio is a comune in the Province of Lecco in the Italian region Lombardy, located on the eastern shore of Lake Como, about north of Milan and about northwest of Lecco...
Bellano
Bellano is a comune and small town on the eastern shore of Lake Como in the Province of Lecco in the Italian region Lombardy, located at northern outlet of the Valsassina where the Pioverna forms a gorge before entering the lake....
Varenna
Varenna is a comune on Lake Como in the Province of Lecco in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 60 km north of Milan and about 20 km northwest of Lecco...
Lierna
Lierna is a comune on Lake Como in the Province of Lecco in the Italian region Lombardy, located about north of Milan and about northwest of Lecco. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 2,088 and an area of 11.3 km²....
Mandello del Lario
Mandello del Lario is an Italian town and comune in the province of Lecco, in Lombardy, on the Como Lake.Since 1921, Mandello del Lario has been home to Moto Guzzi -- the Italian motorcycle manufacturer, now a subsidiary of Piaggio & Co. SpA...
Lecco
Lecco is a town of c. 47,760 inhabitants in Lombardy, northern Italy, north of Milan, the capital of the province of Lecco. It lies at the end of the south-eastern branch of Lake Como...
Depictions in popular culture
- The 1995 movie A Month by the LakeA Month by the LakeA Month by the Lake is a 1995 romantic comedy starring Vanessa Redgrave, Edward Fox and Uma Thurman. It is directed by John Irvin and is based on the novel by H.E. Bates.-Plot:...
was filmed in various locations around Lake Como. - Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the ClonesStar Wars Episode II: Attack of the ClonesStar Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones is a 2002 American epic space opera film directed by George Lucas and written by Lucas and Jonathan Hales. It is the fifth film to be released in the Star Wars saga and the second in terms of the series' internal chronology...
(2002 film): Some of the scenes that take place on planet Naboo were shot at Villa del BalbianelloVilla del BalbianelloThe Villa del Balbianello is a villa in the comune of Lenno , Italy, overlooking Lake Como.It is located on the tip of a small wooded peninsula on the western shore of the south-west branch of Lake Como, not far from the Isola Comacina and is famous for its elaborate terraced gardens.The villa was...
including the clandestine marriage of Anakin Skywalker and PadméPadmé AmidalaPadmé Amidala is a fictional character in the Star Wars science fiction franchise. She first appeared on film in the 1999 feature film, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, as the young queen of the planet Naboo. In subsequent prequel trilogy films, Padmé represents Naboo in the Galactic Senate...
. - In the film Ocean's TwelveOcean's TwelveOcean's Twelve is a 2004 American crime comedy film, the sequel to 2001's Ocean's Eleven. Like its predecessor, which was a remake of the 1960 film Ocean's 11, the film used a celebrity ensemble cast. It was released in the United States on December 10, 2004. A third film, Ocean's Thirteen, was...
, the infamous thief Francois Toulour, a.k.a. The Night Fox, resides in the Villa Erba estate in Lake Como, where he has several encounters with Daniel Ocean, his rival thief. - Locations around Lake Como appear several times in the James Bond movie Casino RoyaleCasino Royale (2006 film)Casino Royale is the twenty-first film in the James Bond film series and the first to star Daniel Craig as fictional MI6 agent James Bond...
: Villa del Balbianello plays the hospital where James Bond recuperates, and in the final scene, Bond hunts down Mr. WhiteMr. White (James Bond)Mr. White is a fictional character and antagonist played by Jesper Christensen in the James Bond films Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace....
at his Lake Como estate, Villa La Gaeta. - Gwen Stefani'sGwen StefaniGwen Renée Stefani is an American singer-songwriter and fashion designer. Stefani is the lead vocalist for the rock and ska band No Doubt. Stefani recorded her first solo album Love. Angel. Music. Baby. in 2004. The album was inspired by music of the 1980s, and was a success with sales of over...
music video "Cool" was filmed around Lake Como. - In the episode "Chuck Versus the HoneymoonersChuck Versus the Honeymooners"Chuck Versus the Honeymooners" is the 14th episode of the third season of Chuck. It originally aired on April 26, 2010. When Chuck and Sarah go AWOL after the death of Daniel Shaw, Beckman sends the newly-reinstated Casey and Morgan to bring them back...
" of the television series ChuckChuck (TV series)Chuck is an action-comedy/spy-drama television program from the United States created by Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak. The series is about an "average computer-whiz-next-door" named Chuck, played by Zachary Levi, who receives an encoded e-mail from an old college friend now working for the Central...
, Morgan GrimesMorgan GrimesMorgan Guillermo Grimes is a major character on the television series Chuck. He is portrayed by actor Joshua Gomez, and is the best friend of Chuck Bartowski....
casually chats with InterpolInterpolInterpol, whose full name is the International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL, is an organization facilitating international police cooperation...
agents about Lake Como, which he studied extensively on his flight to Europe, and realizes they are not from Interpol when one of the agents makes a mistake by identifying an annual boating festival as "palaces" instead.
Gallery
External links
- Ferry Services on Italian Lakes - Lake Como, official site of the Gestione Governativa Navigazione Laghi
- Ferry-Go-Round Lake Como - VIDEO