Laglio

Laglio (Lài in Comasco-Lecchese dialects, phonetic pronunciation IPA: /ˈlai/), is an Italian commune of 930 habitants in the Province of Como in Lombardy. It is on the western shore of the south-western branch of Lake Como, 14 kilometres (9 mi) from the town of Como. Geography The town is 199 metres (653 ft) above sea level and occupies a strip of land between Mount Colmegnone, 1,383 metres (4,537 ft) high, and the lake. The town itself is made up of several hamlets: Germanello, Ossana, Soldino, Ticée, e Torriggia. On the slopes of Mount Colmegnone above the hamlet of Torriggia is the famous "Bear Hole" cave (which can be visited upon request at the commune offices) within which were found the bones of Ursus spelaeus. The Bear Hole is made up of various rooms with partly unexplored underground lakes, and is rich in spring water. Trivia In 2001, George Clooney purchased a luxurious villa which once was owned by the Heinz family, Villa Oleandra, as a hideaway in which to spend substantial parts of the year. The villa also served as the filming location for some scenes of the movie Ocean’s Twelve. In June 2007, Clooney expressed opposition to a planned council development of the lakefront near his villa, and hosted a meeting of a local protest committee also opposed to the development. Monuments and places of interest Building started on the Church of Saints George and Gaetano da Thiene in 1619 and the church was consecrated in 1630 by the Bishop of Como, Carafino Lazarus. The large stone portal was added later, in the eighteenth century. At the center of the tympanum the niche contains a statue of St George carved in 1937. Inside, the church has a nave with only five side chapels, three on the right, two on the left. The first on the right serves as a baptistry, the second is dedicated to St. Nicholas of Bari, the third to St. Anthony of Padua. On the left, the first chapel is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin of the Rosary and the second to St. Joseph. The high altar is in polychrome marble and was built by Giuseppe Buzzi Viggiù in 1747–1750. It bears the altarpiece depicting the Madonna enthroned, with St. George, by Alessandro Ferretti; an oil on canvas of 1750. The former altarpiece was painted by Giovanni Battista Bianchi of Moltrasio between 1636 and 1638. The vault of the chancel is decorated by a stucco of 1744 by Comparetti (a native of Pigra) depicting John the Baptist. The fresco of the Glory of St. George is by an anonymous painter. The frescoes on the ceiling of the chapel of St. Nicholas were made by Giovani Battista Vallisneri or Valnera, a native of La Verna. The altarpiece depicting the Crucifixion with Saints Nicholas and Apollonia is the work of Michelangelo Buzzi, paid for in 1659. The altar of St. Gaetano Thiene bears the painted wooden statue of the saint as well as the altar of St. Anthony of Padua. The apse was decorated with stucco on the ceiling and side walls by Giovanni Battista Comparetti of Laglio between October 1743 and April 1744, the pane on the left wall frames the frescoes by Alessandro Ferretti with the Torture of St George, while the pane on the left wall frames The Martyrdom of St. George. These two paintings are from the months of May and June 1744. The first chapel on the right (the baptistry) is decorated with stucco work of Francis Hall of Lugano, over the entrance to the chapel is pictured the three theological virtues. The marble balustrade of the chapel of St. Nicholas is the work of John Garlic Arzo, built in October 1735. In the chapel of the Blessed Virgin of the Rosary is some of the remarkable work Stefano Salterio from 1792–1794: the chapel's walls and ceiling are frescoed and the marble altar has an altarpiece with two angels holding up the crown and flanked by two kneeling angels in prayer. Infrastructure and Transport Roads and highways Laglio is easily reached from Como on the SS340 Via Regina. Coming from Milan and Switzerland take the "Lago di Como" (previously "Como Nord") exit off the A9 and from there follow the signs to Menaggio. Public Transport Laglio is served by ASF autolinee buses between Como and Argegno. The bus is numbered the C10/C20 and can be caught at both the bus station (next to Como Lago train station) and the main train station (Como San Giovanni) Administration The mayor of Laglio is Roberto Pozzi, who was elected for his first term on 15/04/2008. References