Mura medievali di Como

Como's medieval walls preserve the outline of a city repeatedly fortified, damaged and rebuilt. Surviving curtain walls and towers separate the historic centre from later urban growth, with Porta Torre forming the principal southern landmark.

Why it matters

The defences express Como's political history as well as its military needs. Their rebuilding after the war with Milan reflects the city's alliance with Frederick Barbarossa. Later rulers adapted the perimeter, leaving successive phases rather than a single unchanged medieval work.

What to notice

Long stretches of masonry, projecting towers and breaks in the enclosure make the former boundary legible. The substantial southern towers contrast with the lower curtain walls. The relationship between this line and the streets and open spaces outside it shows how a defensive edge became part of the modern city.

Context and history

Como's Roman enclosure continued to influence the later defences. The Milanese destroyed the walls at the end of the ten-year war in 1127. Reconstruction followed in the twelfth century with imperial support. Further changes under communal and later governments adapted the fortifications to new military and urban conditions, while eventual demolition of sections opened the centre to its surroundings.