The Abbey of Piona

The Abbey of Piona is Colico's flagship even though it is situated in the hamlet of Olgiasca, on the rocky point which leads down to the half-closed lakelet formed by a natural blockage.

It was founded by the Cluniacensi friars around the Church of St. Nicholas. Is was built on the ruins of a chapel built by Bishop Agrippino of Como in the VII century. It was transformed during a secular commendam abolished in the 1700s and then reinstated at the beginning of the 20th century. Today the Abbey belongs to the Cistercensi friars of the Latuim abbey of Casamari.

The church dated XI century is not evenly built, it has one sole nave with a wood ceiling and is has two marble lions of the antique porch and fragments of 13th century frescoes tied to the Byzantine tradition. It is side by side with a bell tower which was rebuilt in the 1700s and with a beautiful cloister dated 1257 in which Roman architectural motifs overlap with gothic and other styles of art from beyond the Alps. The frescoes on the walls recall the figurative Byzantine art of the paintings inside the Abbey.

A typical example is the unique subject of a frescoed representational calendar, in early gothic style, with images of saints and episodes of country life tied to the months of the year. The 40 small columns and the 4 supporting pillars end in capitals each one sculptured in a different way.


	Gravedona Gravedona is set in a splendid position along the graceful bay at the foot of the Liro Valley opposite the Piona peninsular and Mount Legnone. Its name has Ligurian roots which indicates a headland or stony shoreline. It has a mild climate and ... More »

	Villa Balbianello The Villa del Balbianello is a villa in the town of Lenno, overlooking Lake Como. It is located on the tip of a small wooded peninsula on the western shore of the south-west limb of Lake Como, not far from the Isola Comacina;it is famous for i ... More »

	Montecchio Fortress - Fuentes Fortress Montecchio Fortress The only fort of World War I still intact with the 4 largest Italian cannons. The fort was built in the characteristic style of early 20th century buildings and designed by General Enrico Rocchi considered an expert in ... More »

	Varenna Varenna is built upon a rock at the foot of a mountain which rises almost vertically above it, leaving the skeleton of a ruined ancient castle exposed to the sky. Its community dates back to the Roman age. In this century Varenna has reached ... More »

	Villa Carlotta Villa Carlotta is a marvellous high-class residence on the western shore of Lake Como constructed in 1690 by the Milanese banker Giorgio Clerici and donate by the princess Marianna of Nassau, wife of Albert of Prussia, to her daughter Carlotta ... More »

	Villa Melzi Villa Melzi was born as a summer residence in Bellagio of Francesco Melzi d’Eril, vice-president of the Italian republic at the time of Napoleon (1801 – 1803). The project, commissioned to the famous architect Giocondo Albertolli, was executed betwee ... More »

	Bellagio Few places are as romantic as Lake Como, and even fewer resorts as beautiful as Bellagio. Called the “Pearl of the Lake”, Bellagio's world class hotels and restaurants provide the perfect place to soak up the lake's famous panorama. The village is ch ... More »

	The Abbey of Piona The Abbey of Piona is Colico's flagship even though it is situated in the hamlet of Olgiasca, on the rocky point which leads down to the half-closed lakelet formed by a natural blockage. It was founded by the Cluniacensi friars ar ... More »

	Comacina Island The Comacina Island is the only island of the lake Como. Today half-deserted, it was inhabited since the times roman. It had monuments in paeolocristiana age already (V sec.) and it grew of importance until becoming, in the sec.XII one of i Co ... More »

	Menaggio Menaggio is situated on a small cape where the Lake Como reveals in all its awfulness. Optimal its receptive and sport equipment, graceful the dock often full of boats multicolors. Menaggio during the war of the ten years was opposed to ... More »

Vedi anche:

« History

« Monuments and Churches

« The Lake Como

« Nearby

« Art in northern Lake Como

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The Abbey of Piona

Gravedona

Villa Balbianello

Montecchio Fortress - Fuentes Fortress

Montecchio Fortress

Varenna

Villa Carlotta

Villa Melzi

Bellagio