Giuseppe Casartelli’s final Art Nouveau masterpiece, completed in 1893 on the heights above Lake Como, now converted to private residences.
At a glance
A landmark Art Nouveau hotel crowning the village of Brunate, designed by architect Giuseppe Casartelli as his last work in the style. Finished in 1893, it preceded the opening of the Como–Brunate funicular by one year. Today it functions as private apartments following renovation.
History
The Grand Hotel Brunate was completed in 1893, representing the culmination of Casartelli’s career in the Art Nouveau idiom. Its construction concluded just one year before the inauguration of the Como–Brunate funicular, which transformed access to this mountain village above the lake. The hotel was later subdivided into private apartments after modernization work.
What you see
The building embodies the Art Nouveau style characteristic of Casartelli’s practice. Its architectural features reflect the aesthetic principles of that movement during the 1890s. Following renovation, the original hotel structure now contains residential units.
Cultural significance
As Casartelli’s final work in Art Nouveau, the Grand Hotel Brunate marks an important moment in turn-of-the-century Italian architecture. Its location in Brunate—a destination made increasingly accessible by the new funicular—connected it to the region’s emerging tourism infrastructure and leisure culture.
Key facts
- Country: Italy
- City: Brunate, province of Como
- Completed: 1893
- Architect: Giuseppe Casartelli
- Style: Art Nouveau
- Coordinates: 45.8177, 9.095
Practical information & getting there
Brunate is accessible by the Como–Brunate funicular railway from Como. The Grand Hotel Brunate is now private residential property and not open to public tours.
Sources & resources
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