History guides Cadenabbia and Griante

Griante is one of the most famous tourist areas of Lake Como. It has always been a popular tourist destination.
This graceful place- on the slopes of Monte Crocione- is a place rich in history, art and nature.
Some assume that it is Name comes from the Celtic & ldquo; Griant tir & rdquo ;, earth of the sun, but others believe that it comes from the French & ldquo; riant & rdquo; (smiling) comes from.
Over the years, many famous people have stayed in this town. So did Stendhal, who wrote some chapters of his novel & ldquo; La Certosa di Parma & rdquo; settled in this ambience, Verdi, the American poet Longfellow, Queen Victoria of England, Kaiser Wilhelm II, the Archduke Nicola II of Russia.

Recently it was the Federal Chancellor Konrad Adenauer who from 1957 until 1966 spent his summer holidays here in Villa La Collina.

The place is divided into two districts. Cadenabbia is located on the lake, the historic district of Griante in the upper part, which can be reached via a panoramic stairway.

ANGLICAN CHURCH
For a long time Cadenabbia was one of the favorite places of the English. They settled here and founded an important society that led to the building of the Anglican Church. It was the first in Italy to be consecrated in 1891.
The project was realized by the architect Giuseppe Brentano, whose neo-Gothic style found its greatest expression in the project for the facade of the Mail Cathedral. However, this was never realized. Particularly noteworthy are the mosaics made by the Englishman Murchinson, which adorn the facade.

VILLA LA COLLINA  
The villa is built on one spot , on which an ancient medieval tower previously rose, a straight-line building of two storeys and an archway. The large, terraced park that surrounds the garden expands to 27,600 m 2. It is rich in selected flowers and plants.
It was built in 1899 by the Suardi family. At that time she was the owner of the Hotel Cavour in Milan. The villa was later acquired by the French Count Gallifer, who rented the villa to the Federal Chancellor Konrad Adenauer.
He considered Cadenabbia his second home and from 1957 to 1966 he stayed up to 3 times a year up here. In 1977, 10 years after his death, the villa was bought by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. The foundation is an institution dedicated to & ldquo; resurrection & rdquo; emerged from the rubble and ashes of two world wars in a divided Germany.

Today it is an important meeting center that hosts international congresses with famous people from the world of politics, business and religion.

CHURCH OF SS. NABORE AND FELICE
The parish church rises in a panoramic position next to the most famous historical ancient part of the village.
Built in first part of the 7th century it took the place of a temple, which was consecrated by the Bishop of Como St. Fedele. On the outside, it appears simple and simple.
Inside, it is a single nave with boundaries and two side chapels dedicated to the Virgin. Outstanding works of art are the Virgin Mary of Magonza, pupil of Tiziano, a large, very beautiful painting of the Last Supper (& ldquo; Ultima cena & rdquo;) by an unknown master, a very ancient fresco of the admiration of the magicians, as well as two Paintings by the painter Bellotti from the 7th century depicting the martyrdom of Saints Nabore and Felice.
In this church, the mass of Achille Ratti, before he was elected Pope Pius the 11th, was repeated times.

HOUSE OF POPE PIUS XI  
The house is just before the arch on the left through which you get to the historical part of Griante , where Achille Ratti spent his summer vacation for many years.
This Pope is noteworthy for his important religious and political initiatives. Among other things, he is remembered as the Pope of & ldquo; Patti Lateranensi & rdquo; (the independence of the Vatican State from the Italian state). He is also remembered as an alpinist. He was involved in important climbs and the first crossing of Monte Rosa, an ascent to the Matterhorn and Monte Bianco. Driven by his passion for the mountains, the ascent to prayer in San Martino was one of his favorite habits.

CHURCH OF ST. MARTINO
On the edge of the historical center, before the climb to the pilgrimage chapel begins, is the oratory of St. Rocco. On the facade the fresco of the saint is reproduced.
On the paths to St. Martino, which are paved with small stones, there are various chapels decorated with mosaics depicting episodes from the life of Christ.
Halfway there is the Alpini chapel dedicated to St. Carlo. Inside, above the altar, one can see a painting of the saint, while on the walls there are portraits of the Alpini during the war.
The church of St. Martino was built in the 16th century .Century built. It became a venerated Marian shrine, after which a 400 year old wooden statue of the Madonna and Child was found. In fact, the legend tells that in the 6th century the statue of a girl from the village was found in a grotto in the mountains. Here it had been brought to safety by a resident of Menaggio 100 years earlier, when the village was destroyed by the Graubuenden.
When the news reached the village, the believers rushed over and brought the image to the church of SS. Nabore and Felice.
From here, however, it miraculously disappeared and was found again on the stone of St. Martino. This event was interpreted as Maria's wish to be venerated at this place.
Therefore, first a niche was created for the figure and then the current building. Even today it is the target of numerous believers. The church rises to a height of 475 m at one of the most beautiful panoramic points in the area.
The UN secretary Kofi Annan had the habit of going there every day during his stay in 2004.

VILLA MARIA
Surrounded by a wonderful public park in the center of the village, the villa was built between 1889 and 1892 according to a design by Giacomo Mantegazza from Menaggio. It was completed by Martin Clerk and an heir Josephine May. The central part of the facade, which consists of a double row of pillars and arches, has a great effect. A widely crossed salon connects the villa with the park and the private boathouse.

VILLA MARGHERITA  
This glamorous seat was built in the middle of the 8th century
built by the Ricordi family & ndash; famous publishers of music & ndash; and he hosted Giuseppe Verdi, who here parts of the opera & ldquo; La Traviata & rdquo; composed.

VILLA ROSA
This villa was built in 1904 by the Deutsche Heck. K. Adenauer lived here for the first time in 1956.

VILLA RONCONI
This villa was built on the medieval remains of a castle at the request of Mr. Maresi and is still from Walls surrounded by battlements. It was the last work by Mantegazza