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Lake Como

Lake Como (''Lago di Como'' in Italian language|Italian, also known as '''Lario'''; ''Lach de Comm'' in Western Lombard|Insubric; Latin: '''Larius Lacus''') is a lake of Glacier|glacial origin in Lombardy, Italy. It has an area of 146 km², making it the third largest lake in Italy, after Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore. At over 400 m (1320 ft) deep it is one of the deepest lakes in Europe and the bottom of the lake is more than below sea-level. Lake Como has been a popular retreat for aristocrats and wealthy people since Roman times, and a very popular tourist attraction, which boasts many artistic and cultural gems. It is famous for its numerous villas and palaces (such as Villa Olmo, Villa Serbelloni and Villa Carlotta). Currently, many celebrities have or had homes on the shores of Lake Como, such as Matthew Bellamy, Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna, George Clooney,http://www.lifeinitaly.com/italian-movies/clooney.asp Gianni Versace, Ronaldinho Gaucho|Ronaldinho and Sylvester Stallone. Lake Como is widely regarded as being one of the most beautiful lakes in the world.http://www.highonadventure.com/Hoa98apr/Lakecomo/lakecomo.htm

Geography

The lake is shaped much like the character Y|"Y". The northern branch begins at the town of Colico, while the towns of Como and Lecco sit at the ends of the southwestern and southeastern branches respectively. The small towns of Bellagio, Menaggio and Varenna are situated at the intersection of the three branches of the lake: a triangular boat service operates between them. Lake Como is fed in large part by the Adda River, which enters the lake near Colico and flows out at Lecco. This geological conformation makes the southwestern branch a dead end, and so Como, unlike Lecco, is often flooded. The mountainous pre-alpine territory between the two southern arms of the lake—between Como, Bellagio and Lecco—is known as the Larian Triangle, or ''Triangolo lariano''. The source of the river Lambro is here. At the centre of the triangle, the town of Canzo is the seat of the ''Comunità montana del Triangolo Lariano'', an association of the 31 comune|municipalities which represent the 71,000 inhabitants of the area.

Name

The lake's name in Latin is ''Larius'', Italianized as ''Lario'', but this name is rarely used; it is usually called ''Lago di Como'' (literally "Lake of Como"). In guidebooks the lake may be variously described as "Lake Como", "Lake of Como", or "Como Lake." The lake's name comes from the town of Como, known to the Romans as ''Comum''. While the town of Como is referred to as "Como", the lake itself is never referred to solely by this name. (This is not true of another lake in Italy, Lake Garda, where "Garda" may refer to either a town on its shores, or the lake).

Lakeside villas

The lake is well-known for the attractive villas which have been built here since Pliny the Younger constructed the ''Comedia'' and the ''Tragedia''. Many have admirable gardens which benefit from the mild climate induced by the stabilising presence of 22.5 km³ of lake water and are able to include tropical as well as temperate plants. The Villa Carlotta was built for the Milanese marchese Giorgio Clerici in 1690 and occupies a site of over 70,000 m² at Tremezzo, facing the Bellagio peninsula. An Italian garden, with steps, fountains and sculpture was laid out at the same time. The villa was later sold to the banker and Napoleonic politician Giambattista Sommariva. Stendhal was his guest in 1818, and his visit is recalled at the start of ''La Chartreuse de Parme''. In 1843 it was purchased by Princess Marianne of Nassau as a wedding present for her daughter Carlotta, after whom the villa is now named. The latter, together with her husband, Georg II of Saxen-Meiningen laid out the woodland landscape park in Romanticism|Romantic style. The villa today includes a museum of agricultural implements as well as important works of sculpture by Sommariva’s friend Antonio Canova and by Luigi Acquisti.See Infoparchi, ''Villa Carlotta''; Villacarlotta.it, ''Villa Carlotta''; Macadam, Alta The Villa d'Este (Cernobbio)|Villa d'Este, at Cernobbio, was built in 1568 by Cardinal Tolomeo Gallio, a native of the town. In 1816–17 the villa was home to Caroline of Brunswick, estranged wife of the Prince of Wales and shortly to become Queen consort|Queen Consort of George IV of the United Kingdom|King George IV of the United Kingdom. The landscaped gardens in the English style are a product of this period. Later in the century it was turned into a luxury hotel. Today the Villa d’Este is known for attracting celebrity guests. The Villa del Balbianello, famous for its elaborate terraced gardens, lies on a promontory of the western shore of the lake near Isola Comacina. Built in 1787 on the site of a Franciscan monastery, it was the final home of the explorer Guido Monzino and today houses a museum devoted to his work. The Villa Melzi, at Bellagio was built in the neo-classical style by the architect Giocondo Albertolli in 1808–10 as the summer residence of Francesco Melzi who had been vice-president of the Napoleonic Italian Republic (Napoleonic)|Italian Republic. The park includes an orangery, a chapel, statues and a Japanese garden, and is planted, as often on lake Como, with huge rhododendrons. Nineteenth-century guests at the Villa included Stendhal and Franz Liszt.See Infoparchi, ''Villa Melzi''. The Villa Serbelloni, also at Bellagio, houses the Bellagio Study and Conference Center, a residential center set up and managed by the Rockefeller Foundation since 1959, which operates a 'scholar-in-residence' program for scholars from around the world. This is believed to have been the site of Pliny the Younger’s villa ‘Tragedia’. Its well-known park was created at the end of the eighteenth century by Alessandro Serbellon.

Climate

Lake Como weather is generally mild. It is known for its Mediterranean-like climate where tropical and sub-tropical plants can grow year-round. In the winter, the lake helps to maintain a higher temperature in the surrounding region (since water releases heat energy more slowly than air). Average daily maxima range from about 13 °C (55 °F) in December to 30 °C (85 °F) in July. Water temperatures can reach an average of 24°C (75°F) during the month of July. Snowfall is erratic and primarily affects the higher elevations. Rainfall is heaviest in May and lowest during the winter months.

Ferries

The Lake Como ferry service is a highly developed public transport system linking the dozens of small towns and villages dotted around the perimeter of the Lake. A motorized service began in 1826 when a steamship with sails, the “Lario”, was launched by the newly established ''Società privilegiata per l'impresa dei battelli a vapore nel Regno Lombardo Veneto''. Since 1952 the system has been run under the auspices of a government organisation called first the ''Gestione Commissariale Governativa'' and subsequently the ''Gestione Governativa Navigazione Laghi'', which is also responsible for services on Lake Maggiore and Lake Garda.Massimo Gozzi, ‘History of Navigation on Lake Como’, Gestione Governativa Navigazione Laghi, 2007, pp 1–2.‘General Management’, Gestione Governativa Navigazione Laghi, 2007. Today there are three main services:
- ‘Motorship’ services up and down the western branch and northern end of the Lake (between Colico or Piona and Como town), with additional shuttles to the mid-lake area.
- ‘Fast services’ that follow broadly the same route but use quicker hydrofoils, stop less frequently and cost extra.
- ‘Ferries’ that run only between the hugely popular mid-lake villages of Menaggio, Bellagio and Varenna, plus Cadenabbia. Some of these boats carry vehicles as well as passengers.‘Autumn Timetable 2009’, Gestione Governativa Navigazione Laghi.

Sacro Monte di Ossuccio

The Sacro Monte di Ossuccio ("Sacred Mount of Ossuccio") is located on a hillside slope between olive groves and woods along the western edge of Lake Como facing Isola Comacina. Fifteen Baroque inspired chapels, built between 1635 and 1710, and dedicated to the Rosary| Mysteries of the Rosary are dotted along the way that leads to the Monastery. This building is the last in the chain and is dedicated to the Coronation of the Virgin. In 2003, the Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy, including that of Ossuccio, were inserted by UNESCO in the World Heritage List.

Recreation and tourism

Lake Como is a popular tourist destination. It is a venue for sailing, windsurfing and kitesurfing.2006 Kiteboard Pro World Tour event, Lake Como, ''Italiaspeed.com'', June 6, 2006 In 1818 Percy Bysshe Shelley wrote to Thomas Love Peacock: "This lake exceeds anything I ever beheld in beauty, with the exception of the arbutus islands of Killarney. It is long and narrow, and has the appearance of a mighty river winding among the mountains and the forests".

Pollution

In 2007 it was reported that Lake Como is too polluted to swim in, with colony-forming units of bacteria at 68 times the safe limit for bathing. This pollution presents a risk of skin infections, dermatitis and even salmonella to bathers. In 2008 was reported that the upper lake is suitable for swimming.Italy's posh resort lakes so beautiful, so polluted, ''TheSpec.com'', July 27, 2006

Places on the lake

Cities and villages on Lake Como
Western shore from North to South	South shore from West to East	Eastern shore from North to South
- Domaso - Gravedona - Dongo - Musso (CO)\|Musso - Menaggio - Cadenabbia - Tremezzo - Mezzegra - Lenno - Ossuccio - Argegno - Brienno - Moltrasio - Cernobbio - Como	- ''Como'' - Blevio - Bellagio - Malgrate - ''Lecco''	- Colico - Dorio - Dervio - Bellano - Varenna - Lecco

References in literature

- Alessandro Manzoni chose to start his "Promessi Sposi" with a great description of Como Lake.
- Fabrice del Dongo, the protagonist of The Charterhouse of Parma by Stendhal, is born and raised near Lake Como.
- Mark Twain visited Lake Como in the summer of 1867. He describes the lake and its environs at length in ''The Innocents Abroad'', which recounts a lengthy pleasure excursion to Jerusalem.
- Paul the Deacon, a Lombard grammarian and poet of the 8th century, wrote one of his better known poems in praise of Lake Como.M.G.H. Poetae Karolini Aevi, I, pp. 42-43: http://mdzx.bib-bvb.de/dmgh_new/app/web?action=loadBook&bookId=00000831
- The character of Victor Frankenstein marries Elizabeth in the vicinity of Lake Como in the Frankenstein|novel by Mary Shelley.
- The lake is referenced by Jean in August Strindberg's magnum opus play'' Miss Julie.''
- Ernest Hemingway's character Lieutenant Henry in ''Farewell to Arms'' talks about taking a vacation to Lake Como
- Nassim Nicholas Taleb references the lake in his book "The Black Swan", regarding a meeting he was to have for a brainstorming session for the Department of Defense. He refers to it at "fake Como".
- Fyodor Dostoevsky mentions Lake Como in his novel: Notes from Underground

Depictions in popular culture

- ''Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones'' (2002 film): Some of the scenes that take place on planet Naboo were shot at Villa del Balbianello including the clandestine marriage of Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala|Padme.
- Ocean's Twelve (2004 film): The infamous thief named Francois Toulour, a.k.a. The Night Fox, resides in the Villa Erba estate in Lake Como. Here, he has several encounters with Daniel Ocean, his rival thief, in which Ocean reveals how he stole the real Coronation Egg.
- Casino Royale (2006 film)|Casino Royale (2006 film): James Bond recuperates at a hospital in Lake Como after he had been tortured by Le Chiffre. This is also where Bond starts a short love relationship with Vesper Lynd, the treasury agent. In the end scene, Bond hunts down Mr. White (James_Bond)|Mr. White at his estate on the lake.
- Gwen Stefani|Gwen Stefani's music video "Cool (Gwen Stefani song)|Cool" was filmed around Lake Como. Nagg and Nell recollect rowing out onto the lake the day after their engagement in Samuel Beckett's play 'Endgame'.

Gallery

Notes

References

- Macadam, Alta (1997). ''Blue Guide. Northern Italy: from the Alps to Bologna''. London: A & C Black. ISBN 0-7136-4294-7.
- Infoparchi, ''Villa Carlotta''
- Infoparchi, ''Villa Melzi''
- Villacarlotta.it, ''Villa Carlotta''
- Srdjan Valjarevic, ''Komo'', 2008, Samizdat B92