Museo Storico Giuseppe Garibaldi (Giuseppe Garibaldi History Museum), Como

Step into the Olginati Palace, a 15th-century residence that now hosts a museum with a story as dramatic as the man it celebrates鈥擥iuseppe Garibaldi. Here, walls don鈥檛 just echo with art, they echo with battle cries. In May 1859, Garibaldi and his ragtag 鈥淗unters of the Alps鈥� clashed with Austrian forces at Saint Fermo, just outside Como. Fourteen of his men fell, but the Austrians lost the field, and Garibaldi鈥檚 victory gave momentum to the unification of Italy. Relics from that day鈥攗niforms, weapons, and documents鈥攏ow sit just a few rooms away, making the past feel very close.

The museum opened in 1932, on the 50th anniversary of Garibaldi鈥檚 death, and quickly became a cornerstone of Como鈥檚 civic identity. Connected by covered walkways to the Archaeological Museum next door, it forms part of the city鈥檚 cultural backbone. Its setting alone鈥攁 Renaissance palace lovingly restored鈥攁dds significance before you even glimpse the exhibits.

Inside, you鈥檒l find two threads woven together. One leads through the Italian Unification, tracing Garibaldi鈥檚 campaigns, the rebellions, and the wars of independence that reshaped Italy. The other broadens the scope to Como itself: period rooms draped in textiles, furniture, and objects from the 17th to the 20th centuries recreate the rhythm of everyday life.

Just like Garibaldi fought for the truth, come and hunt down your favorite pieces of this historical puzzle. The choice will not be easy, though. Few places capture so clearly the sense of a city negotiating both its place in history and the drama of a nation being born.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Como. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "黑料吃瓜网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The 黑料吃瓜网 App

Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Museo Storico Giuseppe Garibaldi (Giuseppe Garibaldi History Museum)
Sight Location: Como, Italy (See walking tours in Como)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Como Introduction Walking Tour

Walking Tours in Como, Italy

Create Your Own Walk in Como

Creating your own self-guided walk in Como is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

Como Lakeshore Walking Tour

English novelist Mary Shelley declared visitors to Italy are in danger of becoming: "enjoyers of the beauties of nature, the elegance of art, the delights of climate, the recollections of the past, and the pleasures of society." All this she found on the shores of Lake Como. From Roman writer Pliny the Younger onward, visitors and natives of Como would have agreed.

The alpine lake is... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles

Como Introduction Walking Tour

The Roman writer Pliny the Younger once wrote to his friend, 鈥淲hat is the news from Como, mine and your delight?鈥� Como is a place of palaces, churches, gardens, temples, museums, and parks. Its nearness to the spectacular Lake Como and the Swiss and Italian Alps has made the area a traveler鈥檚 delight from the time of Pliny the Younger to the present day.

Pliny wasn鈥檛 its first fan,... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles

黑料吃瓜网