Online Encyclopedia
Make a correction
Your email address will not appear on the site. Note, comments may take some time to be approved.
Back to article:
LAKE OF COMO (the Lacus Larius of the Romans, and so sometimes called LARIO to the present day, though in the 4th century it is already termed Lacus Comacinus)
Your email:
Article name:
Article content:
COMO, LAKE OF (the Lacus Larius of the Romans, and so sometimes called LARIO to the present day, though in the 4th century it is already termed Lacus Comacinus), one of the most celebrated lakes in Lombardy, Northern Italy. It lies due N. of Milan and is formed by the Adda that flows through the Valtelline to the north end of the lake (here falls in the Maira or Mera, coming from the Val Bregaglia) and flows out of it at its south-eastern extremity, on the way to join the Po. Its area is 552 sq. m., it is about 43 M. from end to end (about 302 m. from the north end of Bellagio), it is from 1 to 22 M. in breadth, its surface is 653 ft. above the sea, and its greatest depth is 1365 ft. A railway line now runs along its eastern shore from Colico to Lecco (241 m.), while on its western shore Menaggio is reached by a steam tramway from Porlezza on the Lake of Lugano (8 m.). Colico, at the northern extremity, is by rail 17 M. from Chiavenna and 42 M. from Tirano, while at its southern end Como (on the St Gotthard line) is 32 M. from Milan, and Lecco about the same distance. The lake fills a remarkable depression which