45°49N 9°06E, pop (2000e) 96 000. Capital town of Como province, Lombardy, NW Italy, at SW end of L Como; railway; silk, motor cycles, glass, furniture, printing, marble quarrying, food processing, finance and service industries, tourism; marble cathedral (1396), 11th-c twin-towered church of Sant'Abbondio (11th-c), old town largely encircled by mediaeval wall; some Roman remains.
| Comune di Como | |
|---|---|
|
Municipal coat of arms |
|
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Lombardy |
| Province | Como (CO) |
| Mayor | Stefano Bruni (since 2002-05-28) |
| Elevation | 201 m |
| Area | 37 km² |
| Population | |
| - Total (as of December 31, 2004) | 83,016 |
| - Density | 2,117/km² |
| Time zone | CET, UTC+1 |
| Coordinates | 45°49′N 09°05′E |
| Gentilic | Comaschi |
| Dialing code | 031 |
| Postal code | 22100 |
| Frazioni | Ponte Chiasso, Garzola, Sagnino, Monteolimpino, Tavernola, Camnago Volta, Lora, Prestino, Breccia, Rebbio, Civiglio, Muggió, Albate |
| Patron | Saint Abbondio |
| - Day | August 31 |
| Website: www.comune.como.it | |
Como (Comm in the local dialect of Lombard language) is a city in Lombardy, Italy, 45 km north of Milan. Situated on Lake Como, it is the capital of the province of Como.
History
The hills surrounding the current location of Como were inhabited in prehistoric times, at least since the Bronze Age.
In 1127 Como lost the decade-long war against the nearby town of Milan.
From then on the history of Como followed that of the Ducato di Milano, through the French invasion, then the Spanish domination until 1714, when the territory was taken by the Austrians.
At the end of World War II, after passing through Como on his escape towards Switzerland, Mussolini was taken prisoner and then shot by Comaschi partisans in Giulino di Mezzegra, a small town on the north shores of Como Lake. Volta" Villa Olmo (expositions)
Famous people
Famous people associated with Como include:
Pliny the Elder Pliny the Younger Pope Innocent XI Alessandro Volta Giuseppe Terragni Gianluca ZambrottaEconomy
The economy of Como was traditionally based on industry - the city was world famous for its silk manufacturers.
University
Università degli studi dell'Insubria - polo di Como () - Mathematics, Phisics, Chemistry and other courses Politecnico di Milano - polo di Como () - Environmental, Computer and Management Engineering coursesTransportation
Trains
The Servizio Ferroviario Regionale connects Como by train to other major cities in Lombardy (R lines). There is another urban station served by Trenitalia (Albate) and three more urban stations served by LeNORD (Como Borghi-Università, Como Camerlata and Grandate Breccia).
Local transport
The local public transport network counts 10 urban (within city limits) lines and 'extra-urban' (crossing city limits) (C) lines connecting Como with most of its province centers.
Urban Lines
Line 1: Chiasso FS - S.Fermo
Line 3: Lora - Grandate
Line 4: S.Giovanni FS - Camnago V.
Line 5: S.Giovanni FS - Civiglio
Line 6: Maslianico - Albate
Line 7: Sagnino - Lora
Line 8: S.Giovanni FS - Casnate
Line 9: P.za Cavour - Cimitero
Line 10: Albate - Navedano
Line 11: P.Chiasso - Bassone
Line 12: Camerlata-S.Fermo-Tavernola
Urban bus tickets have to be bought before boarding the bus in newstands or bars, a ticket for a single ride costs 1€, while a ticket for 75 minutes costs 1.05€.
Ferrovie Nord Milano also provides other bus lines connecting Como to Varese in substitution of the original railway line that was dismissed in the 1960s.
The funicolare (funicular) connects the center of Como with Brunate, a small village (1800 inhabitants) on a mountain at 715 meters above sea level.
The boats and 'aliscafi' of Navigazione Lago di Como connect the town with most of the villages sitting on the shores of the lake, the former are slower and right for sightseeing, the latter are faster and make less stops.
A taxi service is provided by the Comune di Como.
User Comments Add a comment…