Perched on a rocky outcrop that juts into the lake, within the municipality of Dervio, Corenno Plinio is a picturesque medieval village, a place where time seems to have stood still. The village, built around the castle atop the promontory, is undoubtedly one of the most enchanting spots along the Lake Como shoreline.
The first settlements date back to Roman times, although their origins may be even earlier—possibly Celtic or, according to some Renaissance humanists, even Greek. These scholars identified a potential Greek root, Corintum, in the name Corenno. However, recent archaeological excavations have uncovered the remains of a Bronze Age fortification within the current castle walls, pointing to an even older human presence.
From the 13th to the 18th century, the history of the village was closely tied to the noble Andreani family. In 1271, Jacobo Andriani, known as Fossato, was granted lordship over the area by the Archbishop of Milan, Ottone Visconti. Since its origins, Corenno has been closely linked to the territory of Dervio, as mentioned in the Dervio Statute of 1389. However, in 1520, it gained administrative autonomy, but in 1928, it was permanently reintegrated into the municipality of Dervio.
The current name of Corenno Plinio was adopted in 1863, during the newly established Kingdom of Italy, to distinguish it from other towns with the same name. It honours the Roman magistrate Gaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus—better known in English as Pliny the Younger—who is believed to have owned a lakeside villa in the area.
Once surrounded by defensive walls, the village is characterised by a maze of narrow alleys and tightly packed stone houses, clinging to the hillside and cascading down toward the lake via steep steps, known as scalotte, carved directly into the rock. These steps, originally carved into the rock and later restored with stone blocks, are so numerous that Corenno has also earned the nickname the village of a thousand steps. To prevent access to enemies, massive gates once stood at key crossroads that could be shut in times of danger; some of their original hinges are still visible today.
At the bottom of the steps lies the pier, framed by imposing stone walls that stretch out into the lake like a pincer. These structures were rebuilt between the 19th and 20th centuries. Since the Middle Ages, the pier has served as a shelter for fishing boats, with fishing being the primary livelihood of the villagers until the mid-20th century. A little further along the lakeshore, you’ll find an elegant dock commissioned by Gianmaria Andreani between 1809 and 1810. It was designed by his cousin, Luigi Cagnola, one of the leading figures of Lombard Neoclassical architecture.
However, the true heart of the village is the charming cobbled square, framed by the castle enclosure and the Church of St. Thomas of Canterbury. The church, dedicated to St Thomas Becket, Bishop of Canterbury, was built at the end of the 12th century and originally served as the private chapel of the feudal lords. Renovated several times over the centuries, it preserves fragments of ancient frescoes from the 14th to 16th centuries, attributed to the Gothic school of Como. On the façade, flanking the entrance, are two of the three arched tombs of the Andreani Counts, rare and majestic monuments dating back to the 14th century. The third funerary arch is set into the fortress wall.
The castle, built in the 14th century by the Andreani Counts, consists of a curtain wall with two imposing towers: a sail-shaped tower at the southern entrance, designed for surveillance, and a more robust quadrangular tower to the north, added at a later date. The castle served as a defensive stronghold and a refuge for the local population, who would take shelter there with their livestock and provisions during enemy raids. It represented Corenno's final line of defence. Invaders approaching from the lake—the only access point to the village—were met with a single fortified complex made up of steep, narrow streets closed off by gates, with the castle rising at the top.
Access
The site is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with access available upon payment of an entry fee.
Full-price ticket: € 4.00
Reduce-price ticket (kids 10-18 years old, groups of min. 20 people): € 3.00
Children up to 9 years old: free
Info:
Corenno Plinio Infopoint: 10a.m.-6p.m.
www.corenno.it