Tag Archives: History

Como’s Famous Women: The wartime exploits of Ginevra Bedetti Masciadri

This article on Ginevra Bedetti Masciadri in part commemorates International Women’s Day (March 8th), but also is intended to throw light on someone who needs to be counted within the pantheon of Como’s famous women. Continue reading

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Love, War and Death on Lake Como – The Tragic End of Gina Ruberti

It is most unlikely that current guests at Blevio’s Mandarin Oriental are reminded of the tragedy that took place on the night of 3rd May 1946 when a famous resident of the Villa Roccabruna drowned in the lake while attempting to cross back home from Moltrasio. That person was Gina Ruberti, better known as Gina Mussolini – the dictator’s daughter-in-law.  Continue reading

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Como’s City Walls

Como has a lot of ‘history’ and the city’s walls provide visible evidence of the fact. They survive to this day due to the strategic location of the city and its desire to enforce customs duties on all goods passing through its gates. Continue reading

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

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

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Lake Como’s Moltrasio Trunk Murder

Lake Como’s Moltrasio Trunk Murder – a vintage crime of passion during a honeymoon that turned sour. Continue reading

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Tourism on Lake Como – Then and Now

Tourism on Lake Como – Then and Now. A look at current levels of tourism and its growth on Lake Como from Pliny, Stendhal to the Clooneys. Continue reading

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Como’s Pope and other Odescalchi

Como’s Pope and other Odescalchi. Florence has the Medici, Mantua the Gonzagas,  Milan has the Visconti who merged through marriage with the Sforzas.   Como for its part has the Odescalchi, Raimondi, Lambertenghi etc etc. Continue reading

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Murder on the Dance Floor- Italy’s Crime of the 20th Century on Lake Como

Murder on the Dance Floor- Italy’s Crime of the 20th Century on Lake Como; a high society crime of passion at the Hotel Villa D’Este in Cernobbio. Continue reading

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Through Conflict to Collaboration, Achille Grandi, Como and the Birth of the Republic

Through Conflict to Collaboration, Achille Grandi, Como and the Birth of the Republic – in memory of the post-war anti-fascist alliance. Continue reading

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Heroism and Disaster in the Vallassina – Holocaust Memorial Day, January 27th

As a memorial to the millions of victims of the Holocaust I would like to recall the act of a young priest in Sormano who guided a party of 16 Jewish refugees to safety in Switzerland and set an altruistic example to his parishioners. Continue reading

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