The city of Lomazzo
Lomazzo is city in the Italian region of Lombardy. It is situated at about
300 metres height, between the big cities of Como and Milan. The ancient
historical centre of the town was founded on the top of a hill placed on the
right bank of Torrent Lura valley. Today, the population of Lomazzo surpasses
8,000 people; the extension of the municipality is about 1,000 hectares and
contains a large portion of Lura regional park.
A CITY UNIQUE IN ITALY
Lomazzo is unique in Italy: for more than one thousand years, the central
street of the town was a political and religious border that cut the town in two
parts, from south to the north. The communal administration was divided, so the
town of Lomazzo was governed separately by two municipalities: Lomazzo Comasco (parish
of Saint Syro, also called "Lomazzo di Sotto" or “Lumazz de Sott”) and Lomazzo
Milanese (parish of Saint Vito, also called "Lomazzo di Sopra" or “Lumazz de
Sura”).
So, the borderline divided two parishes, two municipalities, two pleban
districts, two provinces and two religious dioceses. In the Middle Ages, Como
and Milan were free and sovereign city-states, bordering inside Lomazzo!
Still in the XVI century the custom duties were collected at the passage of
Lomazzo border, for the feudal rights granted to the Carcano family by the
Emperor of Spain.
LOMAZZO, THE NEUTRAL GROUND BETWEEN MILAN AND COMO
Ghibelline Como and Guelph Milan warred bitterly during the medieval period.
This conflict was contemporary with the war between the Lombardy free cities and
the Holy Roman emperor Frederick Barbarossa. The emperor tried to restore the
imperial power and the free cities gathered in the Lombard League, but Como
remained faithful to the emperor. When the Barbarossa was defeated by the League,
the competition between Como and Milan continued for many years.
For its double administration, the town of Lomazzo was always declared
neutral ground by the two factions. After the wars, the ambassadors met here and
here they proclaimed the peaces.
The first peace treaty was signed in 1249, but war renewed and years of
disagreement continued.
THE EXCOMMUNICATION OF THE RUSCAs - LOMAZZO, 1282
In 1282, the city of Como was governed by the despotic members of the Rusca
ghibelline family. When the Bishop Giovanni De Avvogadri attempted to restore
the justice, the ghibelline faction tried to kill the Bishop and committed
profanations and desecrations.
The Bishop flee to Milan. For these crimes against him and against the entire
Church, he came to Lomazzo (the first place of his diocese, at the boundary
between the lands of the two cities) to throw the excommunication. This
terrifying measure caused the fear of Loterio Rusca: to obtain the erasure, he
declared war to the city of Milan that gave hospitality to Giovanni De
Avvogadri. In 1282 burst the last terrible medieval war between Como and Milan.
THE PEACE OF LOMAZZO - 1286
In 1286, after four years of intense war, representatives of the republics of
Lombardy and of northern-Italy free cities, arrived to Lomazzo to subscribe the
definitive treaty (that was called "Peace of Lomazzo"), at the presence of
Loterio Rusca, Lord of Como, and Ottone Visconti, Lord of Milan. A majestic arch
(called "Arch of the Peace") and a stone marker placed in “Brolo Saint Vito”
square, remember to all generations the great Peace of Lomazzo.
THE REUNION OF THE CITY
Today the two parts of Lomazzo are unified and the relationships between the
two parishes of Lomazzo are better than some years ago. The civil union of
Lomazzo was completed in 1816, when the Lombard-Venetian Kingdom unified the two
communities of Lomazzo Comasco and Milanese in the single municipality of
Lomazzo. The religious union started in 1962, when the Archbishop of Milan
Cardinal Montini (who become Pope Paul VI one year later) visited Lomazzo and
decided to give a definitive order to the city. In 1974 the parish of St. Vito
was put under the control of the bishop of Como (together with St. Syro) and in
1981 the change of jurisdiction became definitive, resolving a division kept for
more than one thousand years.
On July 11 2006, in consideration of the important history of Lomazzo, and
considering its actual role as one of the main centres of the “Bassa Comasca”
area, the President of the Italian Republic gave to Lomazzo the honorific title
of “City”.
THE HISTORICAL REEVOCATION “PEACE OF LOMAZZO 1286”
The history of Lomazzo continues to live: on the first weekend of May the
Municipality of Lomazzo and the association “Pro Loco Lomazzo” organize the
Historical Reevocation “Peace of Lomazzo - 1286”. For two days, the population
dresses the medieval costumes: on Saturday evening, the people perform the
episode of the “Excommunication of the Ruscas” (1282); on Sunday afternoon the
solemn proclamation of the “Peace of Lomazzo” (1286), with the meeting of the
procession of Milan and the procession of Como. After the reconciliation, the
event continues with medieval entertainments and terminates with the sumptuous
Medieval Dinner.
Main sights and interesting places in the city of Lomazzo
THE ARCH OF THE PEACE (1875).
On the road that carries from Saronno to Como, Lomazzo receives visitors with
the impressive structure of the Arch of Peace, which rises at the entrance of
the town from immemorial times. This building gives testimony of the importance
obtained from Lomazzo during past. In the Middle Ages, Lomazzo was fortified
with walls and moats: in correspondence of the accesses to the town, some gates
were opened. The biggest arch was built at the main access. During the centuries,
all the fortifications were destroyed, but the main arch remained: in 1875 it
was replaced by a new majestic arch, characterized by elegant shapes and Lombard
style. The monument is often called “Arch of the Peace” because the solemn
publication of the “Peace of Lomazzo” between Como and Milan (1286) happened out
of the town walls, on the road that carries to Saronno
THE CHURCH OF SAINT SYRO.
Actual church date 1732. It has a plan of a Latin cross, with five lateral
chapels, surmounted by a high dome. The façade was built in baroque style, with
three entrances made with white Saltrio stone. The high bell tower (1776) shows
unusual lines. Internally, the frescos were painted by Carlo Ferrario, professor
at the Royal Academy of Milan and famed artist for Theatre La Scala of Milan.
Other walls were painted in 1919 by the most famous Turinese artist of the
century, Luigi Morgari. The church holds also a panel of the XVI century made by
the esteemed painter Morazzone (the “Adoration of the Magi”). Other good
canvasses embellish the little lateral church of Saint Joseph, built in 1629;
all decorations were made in this age.
THE MEDIEVAL TOWER (1904).
It is one of the greater buildings of the town and it is one of the symbols
of Lomazzo. The tower has a very slim look; on two opposite sides are mullioned
windows (“bifore” and “trifore”) and it is entirely built with tiles. The
building shows the Romanesque style of the famous Lombard “Magistri Cumacini”
builders, but it isn't ancient like it seems: it was built in 1904 to contain
the drinkable water cistern.
THE “SAINT VITO BROLO”.
The square in front of Saint Vito church, also called Saint Vito Brolo, is
associated with two episodes occurred in 1249 and in 1286 during the Renaissance period: the
stipulation of the peace treaties between the cities of Como and Milan (the
“Peace of Lomazzo”). The facts are remembered on a commemorative stone.
THE SAINT VITO CHURCH.
Saint Vito church project was planned in 1800 by the famous Swiss architect
Simone Cantoni in a perfect neoclassical style. The church keeps a mosaic, a
marble altar and a baptistery made by the great contemporary sculptor Francesco
Somaini.
CARCANO-RAIMONDI VILLA.
The rooms of Carcano-Raimondi villa are believed the best examples of Lombard
Renaissance architecture in Italy. Also the ancient gardens are very interesting:
in 1939 they were declared "national monument" by the Italian State. The house
is a private residence, so it isn't visible internally.
THE ANCIENT SOMAINI FACTORY.
This cotton factory was opened in 1883 by the industrialist Francesco Somaini
(the grandfather of the contemporary sculptor Francesco Somaini). It is a
perfect example of textile industry of the 19th century. All buildings are
maintained in the original aspect, and their exterior parts were never modified.
It is worth of a bit of attention also the interesting workers-village near the
factory.
Notable people
The most notable person from Lomazzo was the BLESSED MICHELE CARCANO (1427 -
1484), a Franciscan monk who founded a modern banking system called "Monti di
Pietà" (Montes Pietatis or Mounts of Mercy). The first one was created in
Perugia (1462) with Bernardine of Feltre. The oldest extant bank in the world,
the “Monte dei Paschi di Siena” (1472) followed their example. The institutes
lend money without fees or with low interest, saving poor people from usury.
Michele Carcano also realized the first modern hospitals, in Italy. During the
Middle Ages, in every city there were a lot of hospices characterized by the
exclusive presence of volunteers: Michele Carcano instituted central hospitals
with at least one professional doctor, insuring a qualified medical treatment.
Pope Sixtus IV gave him the title of "Universal Preacher of the Church", sending
him in Austria, Poland and Bohemia to oversee the Franciscan convents there. He
died on March 20, 1484 and is remembered in the Catholic liturgy in the diocese
of Como.
The painter GIOVANNI PAOLO LOMAZZO (1538 - 1600; also called Giovan Paolo
Lomazzo or Gian Paolo Lomazzo), was born in Milan from a family emigrated from
Lomazzo. When he became blind, he turned his activity to writing treatises of
art criticism. His most famous works, "Trattato dell'arte della pittura,
scultura et architettura" and "Idea del tempio della pittura" ("The ideal temple
of painting"), are considered milestones in the development of art criticism.
The sculptor FRANCESCO SOMAINI (1926 - 2005) won in 1959 the International
Prize of sculpture at the Fifth Biennial exhibition in St. Paul of Brazil. After
this prize he won other competitions, (Paris, Venice, Florence, Sulmona) and he
organized international exhibitions in New York, Lubjana, and Belgrad. The fame
of Somaini is due to the elaboration of a new innovative technique: the digging
of the blocks of wax, chalk or clay with the abrasive action of a pressured sand
jet; the dug blocks were used for the bronze castings. His creations are exposed
all over the world. In Lomazzo, he created a giant "Anthropomorphic Cross" at
the cemetery, and some other creations in the St. Vito church: the baptistery,
the tabernacle, the mosaic of the altar.
Happenings program:
- Every Monday morning - weekly fair in the centre of town - since XVI
century
- Sunday before Lent - Carnival of Lomazzo
- First weekend of May - Historical Reevocation “Peace of Lomazzo - 1286”
- June/July, every weekend - Villager fairs and parties organized by the
Associations of Lomazzo
- Second Sunday of September - September Party: villager fair, ancient jobs
exhibitions, typical dishes, local music happenings (by Pro Loco Lomazzo)
How to reach Lomazzo:
The best way to reach Lomazzo is using the highway A9 “Milano - Como -
Chiasso”, (junction of "Lomazzo").
Lomazzo is also an important railway station along the line
Milano-Saronno-Como of the "Ferrovie Nord Milano" railway company. The station
is placed near the centre of the town; there are trains toward the two
directions every 30 minutes (during the weekdays) or 60 minutes (on weekend
days).
Lomazzo is connected with all towns around by bus services (S.P.T. buses: bus
line C64/C66 Lomazzo - Appiano - Olgiate; bus line C84 Lomazzo - Cantù; F.N.M.A.
buses: bus line Lomazzo - Cislago).
The distance between Lomazzo and Como is about 15 kilometres; The distance
between Lomazzo and Milan is about 35 kilometres.
Information & useful numbers:
Tourist association Pro Loco Lomazzo tel/fax: +39/02/96779951
Municipality of Lomazzo tel: +39/02/9694121
Saint Syro church tel: +39/02/96370326
Saint Vito church tel: +39/02/96370527
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