Viscontea Island
The Viscontea Island is located in Lecco, where the branch of lake Como becomes, again, the river Adda. Its origins are uncertain, but can easily be linked to the fate of the Azzone Visconti bridge. This became a source of discord between Lecco, Como, and the lakeside lands because it was believed that it could be the cause of the flooding of the lake that constantly submerged the main square of Como. It was therefore decided to proceed with t ...
The Viscontea Island is located in Lecco, where the branch of lake Como becomes, again, the river Adda. Its origins are uncertain, but can easily be linked to the fate of the Azzone Visconti bridge. This became a source of discord between Lecco, Como, and the lakeside lands because it was believed that it could be the cause of the flooding of the lake that constantly submerged the main square of Como. It was therefore decided to proceed with the widening of the river bed and a ninth, a tenth and a eleventh arch were added to the Azzoni Visconti bridge around and after 1440.
The material generated by these works was deposited in the area called "The Lazzaretto" and subsequently to ensure that the waters flowed better a canal was created that separated the Viscontea Island from the mainland and it is in this way that the islet was probably formed. Some researchers argue that Leonardo Da Vinci may have played an active role in these operations around the year 1500.
Viscontea island was used as a defense fort and as a military garrison. Later, however, it became a fisherman's house. The island building was inhabited until 1956. It was rented until 1961 before the last owners took possession of it.
The land size of the island is approximately 2150 square meters. The main building has a size of 238 square meters and needs to be completely renovated. As these are historic buildings, they are protected by landscape restrictions. There are also small ancillary buildings in the garden for a size of about 25 square meters.
The island is located in a strategic position: just 50 minutes from the international airports of Milan Malpensa and Milan Linate. Only 30 minutes from Bergamo airport. The city of Lecco has a train station that connects it to Milan in just 45 minutes, and Switzerland is about an hour away.
Years ago a local weekly newspaper had written:
"Hello, tiny, romantic, ancient Isola Viscontea, green almost triangular raft in the galloping waters of the Adda, which is noticed by those who enter in Lecco from Visconti bridge. In a river where everything has changed on the banks, the Island remains unchanged, almost mysterious and impenetrable".
The Viscontea Island is located in Lecco, where the branch of lake Como becomes, again, the river Adda. Its origins are uncertain, but can easily be linked to the fate of the Azzone Visconti bridge. This became a source of discord between Lecco, Como, and the lakeside lands because it was believed that it could be the cause of the flooding of the lake that constantly submerged the main square of Como. It was therefore decided to proceed with the widening of the river bed and a ninth, a tenth and a eleventh arch were added to the Azzoni Visconti bridge around and after 1440.
The material generated by these works was deposited in the area called "The Lazzaretto" and subsequently to ensure that the waters flowed better a canal was created that separated the Viscontea Island from the mainland and it is in this way that the islet was probably formed. Some researchers argue that Leonardo Da Vinci may have played an active role in these operations around the year 1500.
Viscontea island was used as a defense fort and as a military garrison. Later, however, it became a fisherman's house. The island building was inhabited until 1956. It was rented until 1961 before the last owners took possession of it.
The land size of the island is approximately 2150 square meters. The main building has a size of 238 square meters and needs to be completely renovated. As these are historic buildings, they are protected by landscape restrictions. There are also small ancillary buildings in the garden for a size of about 25 square meters.
The island is located in a strategic position: just 50 minutes from the international airports of Milan Malpensa and Milan Linate. Only 30 minutes from Bergamo airport. The city of Lecco has a train station that connects it to Milan in just 45 minutes, and Switzerland is about an hour away.
Years ago a local weekly newspaper had written:
"Hello, tiny, romantic, ancient Isola Viscontea, green almost triangular raft in the galloping waters of the Adda, which is noticed by those who enter in Lecco from Visconti bridge. In a river where everything has changed on the banks, the Island remains unchanged, almost mysterious and impenetrable".
