Griante
Griante: the jewel on Lake Como
Hello everyone! Today we are talking about Griante, a municipality with only 590 inhabitants located in the province of Como, in Lombardy. The city is located within the Lario Intelvese Mountain Community and is known for its beauty and its history.
Origins of the name
The name Griante may derive from the French word "riant", which means smiling. This suggests a happy and peaceful place, surrounded by nature and surrounded by the mountains that overlook Lake Como.
History
Griante has an ancient history dating back to 1335, when it was included in the Menaggio parish and was tasked with maintaining the Regina road, from the Carono stream to the Pozollo field. In the sixteenth century, the municipality constituted a real fortified village, but did not survive the wars conducted by the French and Spanish for the conquest of Lake Como.
With the advent of Napoleon Bonaparte, the municipality was affected by administrative reorganizations and aggregated to Menaggio. However, with the fall of Napoleon, the municipality was reconstituted and began to become a tourist destination.
In the nineteenth century, the Cadenabbia hamlet captured the interest of travelers and aristocrats, including Stendhal, who set some passages of "The Charterhouse of Parma" there, Longfellow, who dedicated some poems to it, and Verdi, who composed some arias of "La Traviata" in the Margherita villa owned by music publishers Ricordi.
Today, Griante Cadenabbia is an internationally renowned tourist center, hosting prestigious villas and hotels. Among the monarchs who stayed there were Queen Victoria of England, Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, and Prince Umberto of Savoy.
Symbols
The coat of arms and the flag of the municipality of Griante were granted by decree of the President of the Republic on February 4, 1993.
Monuments and places of interest
Religious architecture
The Ascension Anglican Church was built in Cadenabbia between 1890 and 1891 and is a beautiful example of religious architecture. It is located along the SS 340 Regina and is an ideal destination for tourists and travelers who want to admire the beauty and charm of Griante.
In conclusion, Griante is a true jewel on Lake Como. Its natural beauty and ancient and interesting history attract visitors from all over the world. If you have the opportunity to visit Lombardy, don't miss the chance to discover this beautiful municipality.
