Pinacoteca Civica

Como


Despite its inadequate labelling, Como’s art gallery has a sizeable collection with some rich pickings. Most interesting are the frescoes and sculpture from the convent of Santa Margherita, the collection of Renaissance portraits donated by Paolo Giovio, and the surprising 19th-century galleries on the top floor. The latter are dedicated to the work of Rationalist architect Antonio Sant’Elia and the Como Group, including Manlio Rho who is widely considered one of the best abstract artists in Italy.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Como attractions

1. Porta Torre

0.1 MILES

The southern gate in Como's defensive walls, bordered by a 40m 12th-century tower.

2. Basilica di San Fedele

0.16 MILES

Hemmed in by houses these days and enclosing one side of what was once a medieval grain market, this Lombard Romanesque basilica dates back to the 7th…

3. Duomo

0.31 MILES

Como’s awesome marble-clad cathedral is one of the most important buildings on the lake, incorporating a variety of styles – Romanesque, Renaissance and…

4. Broletto

0.32 MILES

The polychromatic Broletto, or medieval town hall, sits right beside Como's towering duomo. Unusually, it butts right up against the cathedral and is very…

5. Basilica di Sant'Abbondio

0.37 MILES

About 500m south of Como’s city walls is this austere 11th-century Romanesque church, once the seat of a bishopric built on the orders of St Amantius of…

6. Museo della Seta

0.63 MILES

Far from being a flashy collection of silk scarves, this highly educational study of Como’s long-standing textile industry explains the full silk-making…

7. Tempio Voltiano

0.64 MILES

The photogenic lakeside Tempio Voltiano was built in 1927. This neoclassical temple is now a museum devoted to Como-born ­electric-­battery inventor…

8. Monumento ai Caduti

0.7 MILES

This monument to Italy's WWI war dead is a classic example of fascist-era architecture and dates to 1931.