Viewed from the lake, the gorge opens like a secret. This watercolour captures the Orrido di Nesso from the water's perspective looking up at the inlet where the Ponte della Civera spans the mouth of the gorge. From this vantage point, the bridge appears as a delicate stone ribbon against the towering rock walls, with the twin torrents of Tuf and Nosè cascading behind it into the calm lake below.
Interesting facts...
The inlet is formed where two valleys, Val di Tuf and Val di Nosè, converge and plunge directly into Lake Como, creating a rare fjord-like gorge on the lake's eastern shore. The bridge's arch, when viewed from the lake, creates a perfect circle that appears to float above the water. The gorge walls rise approximately 200 metres above lake level, carved by water over thousands of years. From the lake, visitors can see the terraced stone steps (roughly 340) that descend from Piazza Castello to the water's edge. This was the traditional route for fishermen and villagers before roads were built.
The waterfall is most dramatic in spring (March–June) when snowmelt swells the torrents. The waters once powered numerous mills and factories built along the gorge walls their converted buildings are visible from the lake as colourful apartments clinging to the rock. Leonardo da Vinci sketched this exact view in his Codex Atlanticus, fascinated by how the water "falls with great impetus" into the lake. The inlet's microclimate supports unusual vegetation, including oleanders and Mediterranean plants that thrive in the humid, sheltered environment.
Nesso's name may derive from the Latin "nexus" (junction) referring to this meeting of waters or Greek "nessos" (island). The village was a strategic point for controlling lake traffic, conquered by Romans in 196 BC. The bridge connects two hamlets, Coatesa on one side, Riva del Castello on the other. The inlet appears in 18th and 19th-century vedute paintings by artists who travelled the lake by boat. The waters here are deep close to shore, allowing boats to approach the gorge mouth. The gorge was a filming location for Alfred Hitchcock's The Pleasure Garden (1925), with scenes shot from boats on the lake. Local legend says the gorge was created by a giant's axe blow, splitting the mountain to release the trapped waters.
Location: Nesso, Lake Como, Italy
