Remi Hall

Rowers for competition, leisure, and… smuggling

In this room, in addition to the traditional “Inglesine” boats, we have on display the old rowboats used for tourism, sports, and… smuggling on Lake Como in the early 1900s.

In the early 1800s, more and more aristocratic families chose the shores of Lake Como for their vacations. Attracted by the mild climate, the scenery, and the luxurious silks of Como, the first English businessmen also arrived.
It was the English who introduced their pleasure canoes—known as “Inglesine”—to the lake; these were characterized by remarkable elegance and innovative construction techniques.
The trend immediately took off among the owners of the luxurious villas in Como, so much so that the boatyards along Lake Como shifted part of their production to building “Inglesine.” First and foremost among them are the Cranchi and Taroni shipyards.

An Original English Girl

This completely original English-style clock is extremely valuable; it was likely built between 1800 and 1900 in England and came to the Lake Como area with a well-to-do English family.

A century ago, on the lakes of Maloja…

The boatmen of Lake Como, who were also highly regarded in Switzerland, were called upon to manage navigation on the enchanting Alpine lakes of Maloja… Stories from the Ortelli Family.

We rowed in silence on moonless nights…

The stories of the old smugglers of Lake Como, their hopes and fears, and the accounts of the shipwrights—skilled builders of fast, silent boats.