In the 20th century - aside from the sad periods of the two World Wars - Como has been a prosperous town thanks mainly to the development of its dyeing and silk industries. These activities started at the turn of the 20th century. And accordingly, at that time new labor force arrived in Como for which lodgings were built. Antonio Sant'Elia, a victim of the First World War, was a joung designer who signed the Futuristic Architecture Manifesto and who, with his lively imagination, planned a futuristic town as we can see in his designs, preserved in the Villa Olmo Museum.
Under Fascism, which imposed its own ideas of culture on the whole of Italy, the most avant-guarde architect was Giuseppe Terragni, who built rationalist and extremely practical structures (Novo Comum, Palazzo del Fascio, Sant'Elia nursery school), in keeping with the coeval Bauhaus school in Germany founded by Walter Gropius. Terragni also adapted the War Memorial which, as the dominatine Fascist culture demanded, was rebuilt in accordance with the modified design of Sant'Elia.
The Obelisk, which because of its position - standing by the Lake - memorializes all those who fought, whether on the land, in the sea or in the air. Its vertical position is intendedto lift the esteemed values of patriotism towards the infinite. In the Thirties, thanks to the efforts of artists like Mario Radice, Carla Badiali, Manlio Rho and Aldo Galli, Como became the most important centre of Italian abstractism.
Those artists, partly following Mondrian and Kandinskij's examples, by means of chromatic additions and substractions, emphasized Terragni's style and transposed it to painting. While this happened in the culture of that period, what remains is the today creativeness of all those who work in the textile and silk field. In the blood of these people flows the harmony conveyed by the calm waters of the Lake and a sense of beauty which emanates from the centuries-old architectures.

The cathedral

Begun in 1396 on the site of the Romanesque Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, the construction of the cathedral lasted four centuries.
Looking at its structure, you will see the succession of styles which occurred throughout the centuries: the late Gothic of the façade, the Renaissance lines of the apse and the 18th century dome. Lorenzo degli Sprazzi from Val d'Intelvi, Pietro da Breggia and Fiorino da Bontà from Como, Tommaso Rodari from Maroggia, were among the numerous artists who took part in the construction of the Cathedral.
The two statues of Pliny the Elder and Pliny the Younger, placed on both sides of the portal, are by Rodari. The great dome finished in 1744 was designed by F. Juvara. Items of interest inside the Cathedral are the two columniferous lions (12th century), a niche, a sarcophagus and a marble altar (14th century), saved from the demolition of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore; altars, altar-pieces and portals by Rodari; 16th century paintings by B. Luini, C. Ferrari and B. Lanino; 17th century frescoes by Morazzone; 16th and 17th century tapestries from Ferrara and Flanders, Baroque stuccoworks by A. and F. Silva and 19th century stained glass windows by G. and P. Bertini.

Broletto

Erected in 1215, flanked by the Civic Tower which was rebuilt in rusticated stone in 1927, this building has a Gothic façade made in polychrome marble and dating from the 15th century, when its southern side was destroyed to make room for the Cathedral, which was then being enlarged. Originally intended as the headquarters of the local council, it was subsequently used as a theatre, a record office and presently as an exhibition hall.

Brunate with the funicular

It only takes a couple of hours to make an excursion and view the village of Brunate on the highest hill overlooking the town of Como. The funicular station is in Piazza de Gasperi and the difference in height is some 500 m with a maximum gradient of 55%. It takes little more than six minutes to reach the village of Brunate,which is positioned 750 m above sea level.
We recommend a visit to this village, known as the "balcony" of the Alps for its enviable position which offers a view of Como, its Lake, the plain of Lombardy, the Appennines, the Alps, Mount Monviso and Mount Rosa. From Brunate you can reach San Maurizio (906 m) and visit the Voltian Beacon, built in 1927, and the magnificent Marenghi Park.
From San Maurizio the asphalted road goes on up to the Capanna Cao and the Sanctuary of Santa Rita (the smallest in Europe). You can walk to the alpine huts ("Baite") located along the tops of the mountains overlooking the Lake: Baita Carla, Baita Bondello, Mount Bolletto (1236 m), Mount Bollettone (1204 m) and Mount Ballanzone (1436 m).
Spring and summer are the best seasons for these walking tours. The luxuriant flora and the fresh, temperate climate make Brunate a pleasant holiday resort even in the summer months.