Como

Sister cities

• Fulda
• Tōkamachi-shi
• Nablus
• Netanya
• Jelgava

History

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 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 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 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 the 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…

Geography

Como is strategically located at the southern end of the southwestern arm of Lake Como, approximately north of Milan. The city shares borders with Switzerland, specifically the Swiss communes of Chiasso and Vacallo, and the Italian comune of Blevio, Brunate, and several others. Major nearby cities include Varese, Lecco, and Lugano. According to the Köppen climate classification, Como experiences a humid subtropical climate (Cfa). Historically, winters were colder with average daily temperatures often below freezing. While occasional frosts from the Siberian Anticyclone still occur, global warming has led to a gradual increase in average winter temperatures since the start of the 21st century, with a record high of 21 degrees Celsius (70 °F) recorded on January 27, 2024. Spring and autumn are generally mild and pleasant, while summers can be hot and humid. Strong winds are rare, though sudden foehn winds can occur. Air pollution can be a concern in winter due to cold air trapping pollutants. Rainfall is more frequent in spring, while summers are prone to thunderstorms and occasional violent hailstorms.