Category Archives: Art

Federico Frigerio: The Face of Como

Posted on October 14, 2025 by comocompanion

There is one architect in particular we should credit for influencing the way Como looks today. He is Federico Frigerio (1873-1959). He worked incessantly from 1897 until 1945 producing or renovating many of the most significant buildings in the city’s historical centre. Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Art, Culture, History, Itineraries, People, Places of interest, Uncategorized | Tagged europe, italy, travel | 2 Comments

Como’s Twin-Tailed Mermaids

Posted on June 23, 2025 by comocompanion

The Melusina – a twin-tailed mermaid – can be seen in a variety of locations around Como. We explore the myth of the Melusina and why her symbol adorns both religious and secular buildings in the city. Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Culture, Folklore, History, Places of interest, Uncategorized | Tagged carving, crests, Duomo, fiction, France, History, keystones, legends, Melusina, mermaids, Moltrasio, mythology, myths, Porta della Rana, Renaissance, Richard I, Rodari, travel | 1 Comment

Saint Barbara at Como

Posted on December 17, 2024 by comocompanion

Why is there a third window at the top of the Porta Torre? Why was a painting of Saint Barbara commissioned for Como at the end of the war? Why do firefighters still celebrate her on 4th December? Answers lie in the legend of this saint. Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Culture, Folklore, History, Uncategorized | Tagged Baradello, bombs, Byzantium, christianity, Como, Duomo, faith, History, iconography, Martyrs, Porta Torre, Raphael, Saint Barbara, saints, travel | Leave a comment

Como’s Hidden Gems – Palazzo Rusca, Palazzo Olginati Rovelli and Palazzo Vietti Rovelli

Posted on November 20, 2024 by comocompanion

Como has many hidden artistic gems. Here we uncover what is to be found in the Palazzo Rusca, Palazzzo Viettti Rovelli and Palazzo Olginati Rovelli. Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Culture, History, People, Places of interest, Uncategorized | Tagged Art, baroque, Como, Culture, drawing, Frescoes, Garibaldi, Lake Como, Odescalchi, Olginati, painting, Pietro Bianchi, Plague, poetry, rococo, Rovelli, Rusca, writing | 2 Comments

Lake Como and Leonardo’s ‘Mona Lisa’

Posted on October 5, 2024 by comocompanion

Experts now claim that Leonardo Da Vinci set two of his best known paintings amongst the landmarks on Lake Como’s eastern leg by identifying the landscape depicted in the background of the ‘Mona Lisa’ and his ‘Virgin of the Rocks’. Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Culture, History, Itineraries, Lake, People, Uncategorized | Tagged Adda, Art, Azzone Visconti, canals, Como, Garlate, History, Le Grigne, lecco, Leonardo, leonardo-da-vinci, Mandello, milan, mona-lisa, Paris, Resegone, Vaprio D'Adda | Leave a comment

Como 1907: The Mouse and the Lake

Posted on June 1, 2024 by comocompanion

In May this year ‘Como 1907’ was promoted into the top league of Italian football – Serie A. This change is due to ‘the most interesting football project in Europe’ – a project inspired by Disney and starring the lake. What is that project and how did it come about? Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Lake, Sport, Uncategorized | Tagged Como, Como 1907, Dennis Wise, Essien, Fabregas, football, Lake Como, merchandise, premier-league, Serie A, soccer, Sport, sports | Leave a comment

An American in Venice (via Como)

Posted on May 7, 2024 by comocompanion

On April 18th Sonja Christoph and husband Alessandro left Como to travel by train to Venice for the day. This was just one of the many, and one of the shortest of journeys undertaken by Sonja in her moves from her native Florida USA to Como via Heidelberg, Munich and London. But perhaps, for all that, this was one of the more personally significant journeys taken until now – she was delivering her artwork entitled ‘Frames of Reference’ for display in the Venetian Biennale. Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Culture, Events, People, Uncategorized | Tagged Art, Biennale, Cameroon, Como, Culture, illustration, migrants, storytelling, Venice | Leave a comment

Como and Henry’s ‘Turbulent Priest’

Posted on February 28, 2024 by comocompanion

Thomas a Becket was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury by King Henry II of England in 1162 and then executed on his orders in 1170. His martyrdom and beatification gave birth to a cult celebrated across Europe including here in Como. Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Culture, History, People, Places of interest, Uncategorized | Tagged Basilica, england, Henry II, History, Monreale, Palermo, relics, reliquary, San Giorgio, Sicily, Thomas Becket, travel | Leave a comment

Twenty English Artists on Lake Como

Posted on November 11, 2023 by comocompanion

Twenty English Artists on Lake Como is the name of the exhibition running from the 13th to 17th November in London featuring all of the output from the art project set up to raise funds for the preservation of the Anglican Church in Cadenabbia. Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Culture, Events, Lake, People, Uncategorized | Tagged Anglican Church, Cadenabbia, Gurr Johns, Museo del Paessaggio | 3 Comments

An Expatriate’s Life on Lake Como

Posted on October 25, 2023 by comocompanion

Paul Wright and his wife Nicola moved from England to Lake Como over thirty years ago. They have faced various challenges and tribulations over this time but have never regretted making that move. Paul has recorded the couple’s experiences in a trilogy of books available on Amazon. Continue reading →