Category Archives: History

Como’s Lost ‘La Ruota’ Wheel

Posted on October 13, 2020 by comocompanion

Como’s Lost Wheel – the ‘la Ruota’ studio of Ico and Luisa Parisi which conquered the world with its iconic furniture designs for companies like MIM and Cassina. Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Culture, History, People, Places of interest, Uncategorized | Tagged alberto sartoris, astrattisti comaschi, Cassina, design, Egg Chair, furniture, Gio Ponti, Poltrona Uova, Terragni, Via Diaz | Leave a comment

Anomalous Waves on Lake Como

Posted on August 27, 2020 by comocompanion

Anomalous Waves on Lake Como. Alpine lakes can experience tsunami-like anomalous waves. These and other extreme weather events have massive destructive power and demand that we treat our natural environment with respect. Continue reading →

Posted in Events, History, Lake, Uncategorized | Tagged Adda, Anomalous waves, Bellagio, Como, ecology, floods, Lake leman, landslides, Lenno, Piazza Cavour, Pliny the Younger, prealps, sediment, tsunami, Vajont, Val Pola, Valtellina, Villa Commedia | Leave a comment

Como’s Train Station, Witches and the Inquisition

Posted on August 3, 2020 by comocompanion

Como’s Train Station, Witches and the Inquisition. Few travellers arriving at Como’s San Giovanni Station know they are on top of the remains of a monastery where innocent victims faced torture and being burnt at the stake. Continue reading →

Posted in Art, crime, Culture, Folklore, History, Uncategorized | Tagged Art, churches, Folklore, Giubiana, Grissons, Inquisition, Odescalchi, religion, San Giovanni, Valtellina, witchcraft, witches | 1 Comment

Como’s Star-Crossed Lovers: 2 – ‘Gianna’ and ‘Neri’

Posted on June 16, 2020 by comocompanion

Como’s Star-Crossed Lovers: 2 – ‘Gianna’ and ‘Neri’ On 6th January 1945 two lovers were arrested by fascists. 3 months later, they were murdered by their own colleagues on the orders of Communist leaders in Milan. An awful tragedy. Continue reading →

Posted in crime, History, People, Politics, Uncategorized | Tagged Canali, casa del fascio, Dongo, Fabio, Gamburota, Gianna, Gold, Gorrieri, Lezzeno, lovers, Lugano, Neri, OSS, Paolo Porta, partisans, PCI, spies, Tucci | Leave a comment

Como and Early Lombardy Baroque

Posted on June 4, 2020 by comocompanion

Como and Early Lombardy Baroque. Morazzoni (Como’s Caravaggio) and the Morazzoniani. Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Culture, History, People, Uncategorized | Tagged baroque, Caravaggio, Fratelli Recchi, Frescoes, mannerists, Morazzone, Odescalchi, Perseus, putti, Rusca, sacro monte, Saint George, Sala Recchi, Tirano, Valtellina, Varese | Leave a comment

Lake Como’s Star Crossed Lovers: 1) Osvaldo and Louisa

Posted on May 14, 2020 by comocompanion

Lake Como’s Star Crossed Lovers: 1) Osvaldo and Louisa – the story of two film stars from the fascist era. He was ‘addicted to morphine and she was addicted to him’ and this led to their tragic end on April 30th 1945. Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Events, History, People, Politics, Uncategorized | Tagged Banda Koch, Cinecitta, cinema, cinevillaggio, Decima MAS, fascists, History, Junio Valerio Borghese, Lano D'Intelvi, Louisa Ferida, Marozin, Osvaldo Valenti, partisans, Pietro Koch, RSI, Smuggling, telefoni bianchi, Vega, Villa Fossati, Villa Triste | Leave a comment

Como’s Lake Montorfano: Commandos, Contraband and the CIA

Posted on April 27, 2020 by comocompanion

Como’s Lake Montorfano: Commandos, Contraband and the CIA. How a commando group trained on Lake Montorfano became the model after April 25th 1945 for post war covert anti-communist action across Western Europe. Continue reading →

Posted in crime, History, People, Politics, Uncategorized | Tagged Allen Dulles, Angleton, CIA, Decima MAS, Gladio, Liberation Day, Mario Rossi, Montorfano, nazifascism, OSS, P2, partisans, Piazza Fontana, Politics, Porlezza, Prince Julio Valerio Borghese, RSI, spallone, spies, Ugo Ricci, Vega | 1 Comment

Holidaying on Lake Como: In the Footsteps of Mary Shelley

Posted on April 9, 2020 by comocompanion

Holidaying on Lake Como: In the Footsteps of Mary Shelley, author of ‘Frankenstein’ who in June 1840 set out with friends and her son to spend the summer on the lake. We trace her route. Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Culture, Gardens, History, Itineraries, Lake, People, Places of interest, Uncategorized | Tagged Bellagio, Cadenabbia, Canova, Diligence, giuditta pasta, Rhine, travel, Villa Melzi, Villa Pliniana, Villa Serbelloni, Voiturier | 2 Comments

Como’s History of Plague and Pandemics

Posted on March 30, 2020 by comocompanion

Como’s History of Plague and Pandemics. It will end and a fitting way to commemorate it would be to restore our lazzaretto – the ex-Chiesa di San Lazzaro as a monument to all local victims of plagues and pandemics throughout the ages. Continue reading →

Posted in History, Uncategorized, Wellness | Tagged 1630, Cholera, Coronavirus, Covid-19, health, I Promessi Sposi, Lazzaretto, Madonna del Bisbino, Manzoni, milan, pandemic, Plague, Rifugio Bugone, San Lazzaro, San Rocco, Vetta Bisbino, Villa Geno | 2 Comments

Lake Como: The 19th Century Super Highway

Posted on March 5, 2020 by comocompanion

Lake Como: The 19th Century Super Highway. From even before Julius Caesar established Como and right until the mid 20th century, the lake formed a vital section of a transalpine communications network populated with stately sailboats. Continue reading →