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71-640: Stefano Ticozzi (1762-1836) was an Italian art historian. He was born in Pasturo, near Como , he wrote the three volumes published in Milan during 1830-1833 of the encyclopedic Dizionario degli architetti, scultori, pittori, intagliatori in rame ed in pietra, coniatori di medaglie, musaicisti, niellatori, intarsiatori d'ogni età e d'ogni nazione (Dictionary of the architects, sculptors, painters, engravers in wood and stone, minters of medallions, mosaicists, jewelers of niello , and makers of intarsio work). The work

142-580: A lordship over the town with varying degrees of success. Loterio Rusca was the first to attempt this goal. He was acclaimed "Lord of the People" in 1276 and, with the trust of the Comaschi, he began his rise to power. However, he faced resistance from the bishop of Como, Giovanni degli Avvocati , who was consequently exiled. Giovanni was hosted by the Visconti of Milan, providing Ottone Visconti with

213-598: A distinct society of their own. In the light of archaeological findings it can be also assumed that it was an oligarchic society , where power was in the hands of a few Lords . The History of the Insubres, like that of other Gauls and of Italic peoples, was written by ancient Roman and Greek writers. Apart from Livy's section on the Gallic Invasion of northern Italy, their writings came in the context of their covering Roman history and concentrated on battles between

284-565: A fish grown in Lake Como, prepared with white wine, onion, butter and wheat. In Como, a medieval festival called Palio del Baradello takes place annually. The first edition took place in 1981. The event is organized every year to narrate to the citizens and tourists the events that happened in 1159 when the town hosted the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa and aided him in his fight against

355-477: A grand parade where all the participants march across the town in medieval costumes, accompanied by animals, wagons, and replicas of siege engines , culminating in a ceremony where the emperor announces to the public which ward won the competition. The heraldic achievement of Como consists of a white cross on a red background. This symbol was used in the Middle Ages to represent the town's political faction,

426-464: A pretext to start a new war against Como. Unexpectedly, Loterio prevailed and signed a favorable peace treaty with Milan in the town of Lomazzo . Milan was forced to recognize Loterio as the ruler of their rival town and return the town of Bellinzona to Como. Thanks to this success, the family secured titles such as Lords of Como, Bellinzona, Chiavenna , and Valtellina , as well as Counts of Locarno , Lugano , and Luino . Following Loterio's death,

497-600: A rebellion against the Milanese, which ended in 1412 when his son, Loterio IV Rusca , gained the title of Lord of Como and drove out the Milanese occupiers. However, this did not end the political unrest, and a period of conflicts and massacres ensued until Como once again fell under the control of Filippo Maria Visconti , becoming part of the Duchy of Milan in 1416. At the Duke's death, Como reclaimed its independence, and in 1447,

568-607: A significant victory that established Milan as the dominant power in Lombardy. This left the Commune of Como as Milan's only remaining rival. Tensions escalated when Emperor Henry IV appointed Landolfo da Carcano, who sympathized with Milan, as the bishop of Como. In response, the people of Como elected Guido Grimoldi as their bishop and exiled Landolfo. Despite his exile, Landolfo continued to interfere in Como's affairs, prompting

639-467: A treaty basis," bound by an oath of adhesion to the commune, which was renewed periodically in front of municipal authorities until the 1200s, and later in the presence of the mayor. Despite resistance from parts of the feudal nobility of the diocese , this pact quickly extended to the entire free male population of the town. This expansion aimed to strengthen the political independence of Como and its diocese, especially from neighboring Milan , and to affirm

710-576: Is a culture that developed at the end of the Late Bronze Age, between the rivers Po , Serio and Sesia , and which has its counterpart in the Central European Hallstatt culture . The Insubres culture followed then what was a slow end of its own evolution. Thanks to the cultural and commercial exchanges with neighboring areas, such as Etruria , Venetia and Transalpine Gaul , the Insubres made some advances and created

781-795: Is also a stop on the main north–south line between Milan Centrale and Zürich HB and Basel SBB . Intercity and EuroCity trains stop at this station, which makes Como very accessible from the European Express train network. The lakeside funicular connects the centre of Como with Brunate , a small village (1,800 inhabitants) on a mountain at 715 m (2,346 ft) above sea level . The local public transport network comprises 11 urban (within city limits) lines and 'extra-urban' (crossing city limits) (C) lines connecting Como with most of its province centres. They are provided by ASF Autolinee . Insubres The Insubres are mentioned by Caecilius Statius , Cicero , Polybius , Livy , Pliny

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852-400: Is nominated and presided over by a directly elected Mayor ( Sindaco ). The mayor of Como since 27 June 2022, is Alessandro Rapinese, an independent leading an alliance bearing his name (Rapinese Sindaco), unaffiliated with any official political party. Como is divided into these frazioni (roughly equivalent to the anglocentric ward ): The economy of Como, until the end of the 1980s,

923-420: Is one of these. Situated at the southern tip of the south-west arm of Lake Como, the city is located 40 kilometres (25 mi) north of Milan; the city proper borders Switzerland and the communes of Blevio , Brunate , Capiago Intimiano , Casnate con Bernate , Cernobbio , Grandate , Lipomo , Maslianico , Montano Lucino , San Fermo della Battaglia , Senna Comasco , Tavernerio , and Torno , and

994-599: Is subject to thunderstorms and occasionally violent hailstorms . The legislative body of the Italian comuni is the City Council ( Consiglio Comunale ); in Como, it comprises 32 councillors elected every five years with a proportional system, at the same time of the mayoral elections. The executive body is the City Committee ( Giunta Comunale ), composed of 9 assessori each overseeing a specific ministry, that

1065-567: The Broletto or the city's medieval town hall; and the 20th-century Casa del Fascio . Como was the birthplace of many historical figures, including the poet Caecilius mentioned by Catullus in the first century BCE, writers Pliny the Elder and Pliny the Younger , Pope Innocent XI , scientist Alessandro Volta , and Cosima Liszt , second wife of Richard Wagner and long-term director of

1136-703: The Battle of Ticinus , in Insubre territory and the other consul, Tiberius Sempronius Longus , at the Battle of the Trebia , near Placentia. Hannibal wintered near Placentia and then moved on to central and southern Italy. Some Insubres joined him, among them Ducarius who killed Consul Gaius Flaminius at the Battle of Trasimene (217 BC). We next hear of the Gauls during the Second Punic War in relation to

1207-513: The Battle of the Metaurus (207 BC). Hannibal's brother, Hasdrubal Barca , was bringing reinforcements from Spain for his brother who was in southern Italy. He passed through northern Italy and recruited Gallic soldiers. Hasdrubal's forces, including his Gauls were routed at this battle in central Italy. At this point, Hannibal's campaign in Italy came to a dead end. After several other clashes,

1278-745: The Bayreuth Festival , and Antonio Sant'Elia (1888–1916), a futurist architect and a pioneer of the modern movement. The hills surrounding the current location of Como were inhabited, since at least the Iron Age , by a Celtic tribe known as the Orobii , who also, according to Pliny the Elder and modern scholars, had relations with the Ancient Ligurians , a people very similar to the Celts. Remains of settlements are still present on

1349-454: The County of Seprio , as both communes sought control of the area. Meanwhile, Milan acted aggressively against other Lombard towns, leading to the outbreak of the war of Lodi when soldiers from Lodi , Pavia , and Cremona attacked Tortona , an ally of Milan. In this conflict, Milan, supported by Crema and Tortona, fought against the communes of Lodi, Pavia, and Cremona, ultimately achieving

1420-504: The Ghibellines . The first recorded mention of this emblem dates back to the decennial war between Como and Milan (1118–1127). An anonymous poet from Como described the coat of arms in his poem about the war as "rubra signa" (Latin: "red symbol") and "cum cruce alba" (Latin: "with a white cross"). Later, the motto 'LIBERTAS' (Latin: 'Freedom') was added to the town's heraldic achievement. The oldest testament of this symbol comes from

1491-470: The service industry sector. A significant number of residents are employed in the nearby Swiss towns Lugano and Mendrisio , primarily in the industrial sector , health care services and in the hospitality industry ; the 30 km (19 mi) commute is beneficial as wages in Switzerland are notably higher. For these reasons, tourism has become increasingly important for the city's economy since

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1562-652: The "Republic of Saint Abundius" was founded. In January 1449, Francesco Sforza , who claimed the title of Duke of Milan (though the city was under the control of the Ambrosian Republic ), sent Giuseppe Ventimiglia to attack Como. He was repelled by the citizens led by Giovanni della Noce , forcing him to retreat to Cantù , in Brianza . Monzone assisted the Rusca against the Vitani, who were Guelphs allied with

1633-541: The 15th Century. It was restored when the town proclaimed its independence from the Lordship of Milan , but censored again as Milan regained control over Como. The motto was restored one last time after the unification of Italy , as otherwise the town's coat of arms would have been too similar to the arms of the House of Savoy , which were included in the heraldic achievement of the newly born Kingdom of Italy . Curiously,

1704-815: The Ambrosian Republic, due to exhaustion and lack of resources. Como was definitively subjected to the reconstituted Duchy of Milan under Francesco Sforza, who in 1458 profoundly reformed the Statutes of Como. Subsequently, the history of Como followed that of the Duchy of Milan , through the French invasion and the Spanish domination, until 1714, when the territory was taken by the Austrians. Napoleon descended into Lombardy in 1796 and ruled it until 1815, when

1775-735: The Austrian rule was resumed after the Congress of Vienna . By 1848, the population had reached 16,000. In 1859, with the arrival of Giuseppe Garibaldi , the town became part of the newly formed Kingdom of Italy under the House of Savoy . The Rockefeller fountain that today stands in the Bronx Zoo in New York City was once in the main square (Piazza Cavour ) by the lakeside. It was bought by William Rockefeller in 1902 for Lire  3,500 (the estimated equivalent then of $ 637). At

1846-406: The Commune of Como dates back to 1109. Initially, the deliberative assembly of the commune was likely the plenary assembly . In the early 12th century , the role of this assembly was assumed by the council (or "Credenza"), known after 1213 as the "General council" or "Bell council". From the second half of the 13th century, this assembly was divided into a large and a small council. Starting in 1109,

1917-527: The Commune of Como with an imperial diploma in 1175 ( Concession of Frederick I 1175 ), allowing the town to elect the mayors of the county. This was a reward for Como's defection from the Lombard League and its shared anti-Milan policy. Subsequent agreements in 1191 and 1216 saw Emperors Henry VI and Frederick II extend additional concessions to Como, similar to those made in the Peace of Constance to

1988-552: The Elder , and Strabo . Polybius called the Insubres the most important Celtic tribe of the Italian peninsula , while according to Livy they were the first to inhabit Cisalpine Gaul , from the 7th century BC. The Insubres were part of the Golasecca culture, which takes its name from a town near Varese , where Abbot Giovanni Battista Giani made the first findings of about fifty Celtic graves with pottery and metal objects. It

2059-667: The Etruscans in a rebellion. Their combined force was defeated at the Battle of Lake Vadimo in the same year. What prompted the Insubres to join the Boii in another rebellion was a law passed in Rome that provided for the subdivision of the ager gallicus into Roman administrative units. This created fears among the Boii and Insubres that the Romans were now fighting wars to exterminate and expel

2130-403: The Insubres made an alliance with Rome in 194 BC, maintaining some autonomy. In 89 BC, they obtained Latin citizenship and, in 49 BC, Roman citizenship. The Romanisation of the Insubres was probably quick owing to the presence of Roman colonies and to Julius Caesar using Mediolanum as a staging post for his conquest of Gaul (58–50 BC). Caecilius Statius (c. 220 BC – c. 166 BC), a Roman comic poet,

2201-735: The Milanese, ultimately defeating them with Ghibelline forces. In April 1449, Ventimiglia attacked Como again, and in January 1450, he unsuccessfully attacked the Ambrosian garrisons in Monza , intended to reunite with the Venetians of Colleoni to support Milan against Sforza. These events, known as the Battles of Cantù and Asso , culminated in March 1450 when Como was defeated following the fall of

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2272-517: The Palio del Baradello, the town is divided into its historical wards called "Borghi" (in Lombard : "Burgh" ) Tavernola, Quarcino, Rebbio, Camerlata, Cernobbio , Cortesella and Sant'Agostino. The first day hosts the opening ceremony while in the following days the factions compete in different races to determine which district will win the year's edition. The final day of the festival consists of

2343-516: The Romans and the Insubres and other Gallic tribes in northern Italy. In 225 BC, the Insubres and the Boii, their Gallic neighbours to the south of the River Po, rebelled against Rome. This was prompted by developments that started in 283 BC, when unspecified Celts besieged Arretium ( Arezzo in Tuscany) and defeated a Roman force that came to the aid of the city. The Romans sent envoys to negotiate

2414-399: The Romans at the Battle of Faesulae (225 BC) . They were routed by the combined forces of the two Roman consuls, Lucius Aemilius Papus and Gaius Atilius Regulus , at the Battle of Telamon . After the Battle of Telamon, the Romans attacked and defeated the Boii and forced them to submit to Rome. In 224 BC, the Romans attacked Insubre territory. In 223 BC, the Insubres sued for peace, but

2485-562: The Romans controlled all the strategic points around it. Therefore, they hired 30,000 Gaesatae mercenaries and, led by Viridomarus (or Britomartus), they besieged Clastidium , an important and strategically well placed town of the Marici, a Ligurian people who were Roman allies, hoping that this would force the Romans to lift their siege. Instead, the Romans split their forces. The consul Marcus Claudius Marcellus headed for Clastidium and his colleague Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Calvus continued

2556-566: The Romans turned this down and attacked them. The Romans were now determined to be in control of Gallia Cisalpina , the Roman name for the area where the Gallic tribes of northern Italy lived. In 222 BC, the Romans besieged Acerrae , an Insubre fortification on the right bank of the River Adda between Cremona and Laus Pompeia ( Lodi Vecchio ). The Insubres could not relieve Acerrae because

2627-472: The Second Punic War (218-201 BC). They attacked Cremona and Placentia, forcing the settlers to flee to Mutina, which was besieged. The praetor Lucius Manlius Vulso set off from Ariminum with 20,000 infantry and 1,600 cavalry. He was ambushed twice on the way. He relieved the siege of Mutina, but was in turn besieged nearby. The consul Publius Cornelius Scipio was sent to support him with fresh troops. Meanwhile, Hannibal reached Italy. He defeated Publius Scipio at

2698-669: The Swiss towns of Chiasso and Vacallo . Nearby major cities are Varese , Lecco , and Lugano . According to the Köppen climate classification , Como has a humid subtropical climate ( Cfa ); until the late 20th century winters used to be quite cold, with average daily temperatures well below freezing; recently, occasional periods of frost from the Siberian Anticyclone have been recorded; however, due to global warming average temperatures in winter have gradually risen since

2769-856: The administrative capital of the Province of Como . Its proximity to Lake Como and to the Alps has made Como a tourist destination, and the city contains numerous works of art, churches, gardens, museums, theatres, parks, and palaces: the Duomo , seat of the Diocese of Como ; the Basilica of Sant'Abbondio ; the Villa Olmo ; the public gardens with the Tempio Voltiano ; the Teatro Sociale;

2840-456: The artists for which Ticozzi graphically reproduces the monograms are the following: Como Como ( Italian: [ˈkɔːmo] , locally [ˈkoːmo] ; Comasco : Còmm [ˈkɔm] , Cómm [ˈkom] or Cùmm [ˈkum] ; Latin : Novum Comum ) is a city and comune (municipality) in Lombardy , Italy. It is

2911-431: The beginning of the 21st century, when the city saw its population grow again by more than six thousand units, generally due to increasing immigration from Asia, Eastern Europe and North Africa. As of January 2023, the population was 83,700 people of which 12,000 were resident aliens, that is, 14% of the total; the population distribution by origin was as follows: Top 20 nationalities of resident aliens: In Como there are

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2982-533: The cities participating in the League. In 1281, Como adopted its first written legislative code, the "Statuta Consulum Iustitie et Negotiatorum", followed by a second code in 1296. In the second half of the 12th century, the Rusca family (also known as Rusconi) began to gain prominence in the town of Como. The Rusca were a noble family originating in Como in the 10th century. They led the Ghibelline faction in

3053-442: The city's attractiveness and given a further boost to international tourism; since the early 2000s the city has become a popular "must-see" tourist destination in Italy. The city of Como has seen its population increase until it peaked at almost 100,000 inhabitants in the 1970s, when manufacturing, especially the silk industry, was in its boom years. As production began to decline, the population tally decreased by almost 20,000 until

3124-493: The coat of arms of Como is often represented with a curvature and surrounded by floral elements. The crown is another important element of the heraldic achievement. A crown appeared in the coats of arms of Como reported on some municipal posters in 1796. On 9 November 1819, Francis I of Austria , Emperor of the Austria , recognized Como as a "Royal Town": that is when the crown (five-pointed and studded with gems) officially entered

3195-514: The coat of arms. In the version that came in 1859, the crown is topped with six gold fleurs-de-lis (only the front three visible). Throughout history, Como has used the Cross of Saint John as its flag: a white cross over a red field. Around the 12th Century, the city started to fly a version of this banner that included the word "LIBERTAS" in the bottom right corner, as represented in the town's heraldic achievement . This flag can be seen displayed at

3266-428: The communal organization included an executive body called the "collegial magistracy of the consuls". Before 1172, this body was divided into two institutions: the consuls of justice and the consuls of the municipality. In the early 13th century, the latter were replaced by the podestà , who had broader special powers in criminal matters. The territory of the Commune extended beyond the town of Como itself, encompassing

3337-642: The construction of several defensive towers and small castles around the town's limits, of which only the Baradello remains. He also assisted the town in rebuilding its defensive walls, most of which still survive today. When the Guelph communes organized the Lombard League to oppose the Holy Roman Emperor, Como maintained its Ghibelline alignment. Frederick I Barbarossa formally recognized

3408-418: The death of Guido Grimoldi, the tide turned, and Como lost the war in 1127. Milanese soldiers destroyed every building in Como, sparing only the churches. After the war, the Commune was forced to pay tribute to Milan. However, this changed when Frederick Barbarossa came to power and restored Como's independence from Milan. The Comaschi avenged their defeat when Milan was destroyed in 1162. Frederick promoted

3479-567: The end of World War II, after passing through Como on his escape towards Switzerland, Benito Mussolini was taken prisoner and then shot by partisans in Giulino di Mezzegra , a small town on the north shores of Lake Como . In 2010, a motion by members of the nationalist Swiss People's Party was submitted to the Swiss parliament requesting the admission of adjacent territories to the Swiss Confederation ; Como (and its province)

3550-455: The enemy and annex their territory. In 225 BC, the Boii and Insubres paid large sums of money to Gaesatae mercenaries led by Aneroëstes and Concolitanus . The Gaesatae were Gauls from Gallia Transalpina , the Roman name for what is now southern France. A force of up to 70,000 men ravaged Etruria. The Gauls encountered Roman forces near Clusium ( Chiusi ); instead of engaging, they withdrew to Feasulae ( Fiesole ) at night. They then defeated

3621-699: The entire diocese, which included most of present-day Province of Como , modern-day Canton of Ticino , Valtellina , Valchiavenna , and Colico . Thanks to its strategic position on Lake Como and the important Road of Queen Theudelind , which linked the Italian Peninsula with Germany : the heart of the Holy Roman Empire , Como quickly became a wealthy and powerful town. During this period of growth, Como and Milan quickly became rivals. The Commune of Milan experienced significant population growth but lacked strategic communication routes. Consequently, Milan planned to conquer neighboring territories to gain access to their strategic positions. Tensions first arose over

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3692-507: The following museums and exhibition centres: Polenta is a popular dish in Como, and was traditionally eaten for meals in wintertime. It is obtained by mixing and cooking corn flour and buckwheat . It is usually served with meat, game, cheese and sometimes fish; in fact, Polenta e Misultin ( Alosa agone ) is served in the restaurants in the Lake Como area. A traditional dish is the Risotto con Filetti di Pesce Persico or simply Risotto al Pesce Persico ( European perch filet risotto ),

3763-457: The late 1990s, when local small businesses have gradually been replaced by bars, restaurants and hotels. With about 400 thousand overnight guests in 2023, Como was one of the most visited cities in Lombardy. The city and the lake have been chosen as the filming location for various recent popular feature films, and this, together with the increasing presence of celebrities such as Matt Bellamy who have bought lakeside properties, has heightened

3834-561: The next notable family member was Franchino I Rusca , who established a personal lordship over Como and its territories and became an imperial vicar . In 1335, a new war between Como and Milan broke out due to the expiration of conditions established in Lomazzo. This time, under the leadership of Azzone Visconti , Milan won the war and Como was annexed to the Duchy of Milan . The people of Como sought to regain their administrative freedom, and an opportunity arose in 1402 when Gian Galeazzo Visconti , Duke of Milan, died. Franchino II Rusca led

3905-463: The rebel communes in Lombardy . The Emperor restored Como's former freedom, which was lost in a ten-year-long war against Milan. Together, the Ghibelline communes and the emperor defeated Milan . These pivotal moments for the town are celebrated by the medieval festival, where actors portray the main characters: Frederick Barbarossa , Henry the Lion , Beatrice of Burgundy , and Bishop Ardizzone , while citizens dress up in medieval attire. During

3976-399: The reconstruction of Queen Theudelind's road , which connected Germany and the Italian Peninsula , providing the town with strategic access to commerce . In 774, Como surrendered to the invading Franks led by Charlemagne and subsequently became a center of commercial exchange. The Commune of Como likely originated in the 11th century as an "association of prestigious families on

4047-411: The release of Roman prisoners, but the envoys were killed. A Roman army was sent to the ager Gallicus , the name the Romans gave to an area on the Adriatic coast that had been conquered by the Senone Gauls. This army routed a Senone force, occupied their territory, killed most of the Senones and drove the rest out of their land. Afraid that the same fate might occur to them, the neighbouring Boii joined

4118-484: The siege of Acerrae. At the Battle of Clastidium , Marcus Claudius defeated the Gallic forces and killed Viridomarus in single combat. Meanwhile, Gnaeus Cornelius took Acerrae. With the fortress taken and the Insubre king dead, the Romans then easily took the capital of the Insubres, which they named Mediolanum (Milan). The Insubres surrendered and were forced to become Roman allies. The Romans founded garrisoned colonies at Cremona and Placentia ( Piacenza ). The former

4189-619: The so-called " fall of the Western Roman Empire ", the history of Como followed that of the rest of Lombardy , being occupied by the Goths , the Byzantines , and later the Langobards . The Langobards were a significant people in the region. Originating in Scandinavia , this Germanic group arrived in the Po Valley in 568, led by King Alboin . The Langobards established the Lombard Kingdom , which initially encompassed only modern-day Northern Italy , but later expanded to include Tuscany , Umbria , and portions of Southern Italy . Under Lombard rule, Como continued to flourish, particularly due to

4260-521: The sovereignty of the bishop of Como. The bishop soon became the de facto " head of state ", while an assembly of citizens convened in the "Broletto" (Town Hall), called "Brolo". This assembly consisted of representatives of the local nobility, known as consuls, and later included representatives of the guilds . The Commune had a set of laws and conventions that regulated urban activities, commerce , agriculture , fishing , hunting , law enforcement , and taxation . The first explicit written mention of

4331-405: The town hall ( Palazzo Cernezzi ). The Servizio Ferroviario Regionale (Regional Railway Service) connects Como by train to other major cities in Lombardy. Services are provided by Trenord through two main stations: Como San Giovanni and Como Nord Lago . There are five more urban stations ( Albate-Camerlata , Albate-Trecallo, Como Borghi, Como Camerlata and Grandate-Breccia). Como San Giovanni

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4402-515: The town to besiege his castle under the leadership of consul Adamo del Pero . Landolfo was captured and imprisoned, igniting a crisis between Como and Milan, as Milanese soldiers had defended Landolfo's castle. This conflict led to the Decennial War between Como and Milan in 1118. The war is well-documented thanks to an anonymous poet who recorded the events in a poem titled "Liber Cumanus, sive de bello Mediolanensium adversus Comenses". Initially, Como seemed to prevail due to smart tactics, but after

4473-475: The town, with their principal rivals being the members of the Vitani family . In 1182, Giovanni Rusca became a consul of the commune and was later appointed podestà of Milan in 1199, thanks to his abilities during a peace treaty with the rival city. Between 1194 and 1198, he was joined by two other relatives, Adamo and Loterio, who also became consuls of Como. The Rusca quickly became the most influential family in Como, with several members attempting to establish

4544-403: The tribe of the Insubres . Around the first century BC, the territory became subject to the Romans . The town centre was situated on the nearby hills, but it was then moved to its current location by order of Julius Caesar , who had the swamp near the southern tip of the lake drained and laid the plan of the walled city in the typical Roman grid of perpendicular streets. The newly founded town

4615-421: The turn of the 21st century, reaching a record high of 21 degrees Celsius (70 °F) on 27 January 2024; spring and autumn are well marked and pleasant, while summer can be quite hot and sultry. Wind is uncommon although sudden bursts of foehn have been registered in different occasions. Pollution levels rise significantly in winter when cold air clings to the soil . Rain is more frequent during spring; summer

4686-404: The wood-covered hills to the southwest of town, around the area of the modern town's district of Rebbio. In the areas of the districts of Breccia, Prestino and the neighbouring towns of San Fermo della Battaglia and Cavallasca there were also settlements of the Golasecca Culture , built in the Iron Age. Later, a second Celtic migration brought the Gaulish peoples in the area of Como, especially

4757-408: The year 1619 when the historian Francesco Ballarini wrote that the people of Como at the time were already using the motto in the town's coat of arms. It is thought that this motto emerged when the town of Como was liberated from the Milanese occupation with the help of the Holy Roman emperor Frederick I Barbarossa . The motto was later censored when the town was conquered by the Visconti family in

4828-443: Was a then up-to-date assembly of biographical data and works of artists from Europe of the prior four centuries to the contemporary time, who were known to the author through exposure or the work of previous authors. Ticozzi was an honorary member of the Accademia Carrara and the Atheneum of Venice . Ticozzi also published Giovanni Battista Armenini's sixteenth century treatise on painting: De veri precetti della pittura . Among

4899-417: Was named Novum Comum and had the status of municipium . In September 2018, Culture Minister Alberto Bonisoli announced the discovery of several hundred gold coins in the basement of the former Cressoni Theater (Teatro Cressoni) in a two-handled soapstone amphora , coins struck by emperors Honorius , Valentinian III , Leo I the Thracian , Antonio and Libius Severus dating to 474 AD. After

4970-399: Was on the north bank of the River Po and the latter was close to its south bank (in Insubre and Boii territory respectively). This was done to secure the crossing of the river and the gateway to Liguria. They also established a garrison at Mutina ( Modena ), which was to become a colony in 182 BC. In 218 BC, the Insubres and the Boii rebelled in anticipation of Hannibal's invasion of Italy in

5041-494: Was traditionally based on industry; in particular, the city was world-famous for its silk manufacturers, and in 1972 its production exceeded that of China and Japan, but since the mid-1990s increasing competition from Asia has significantly reduced profit margins and many small and mid-sized firms have gone out of business. As a consequence, manufacturing is no longer the economic driver, and the city has been absorbed into Milan's metropolitan area where it mainly provides workers to

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