Coldrerio - History

History

Coldrerio is first mentioned in 852 as Caledrano. In 1170 it was mentioned as Calderario, in 1185 as Caldirera and in 1187 as Coldrario.

Archeological finds in the area provide evidence of a continuous settlement since the Neolithic period. Excavations of the nearby peat bog (Italian: Torbiera) in 1870 and 1915-21 revealed traces of a settlement with stilt houses. Later findings are from the Roman era and Early Middle Ages. Caledrano was first mentioned as a village during the Early Middle Ages, as were most the surrounding settlements. It was mentioned several times in the following centuries in connection with gifts given to religious institutions around Como, including S. Abbondio, S. Fedele and S. Lazzaro Hospital. The gift and property documents mention a castle, the village church and several sharecropping farms. It was part of the County of Seprio and by the late 13th Century was listed as a municipality.

In 1593, it broke away from the parish of Balerna to form an independent parish. The current parish church of St. George was built in the 16th Century and enlarged several times. It stands in the center of the village. In 1287, the first church of St. George was dedicated on a hill overlooking the village. Today, the cemetery church of S. Gregorio, better known as S. Apollonia, stands on the site of the first church.

The fertile soil of the region allowed the village's population to grow. More recently, Coldrerio has grown as a result of the expansion of Chiasso. About 80% of the working population work outside of the Gem, and many are employees of the Swiss Federal Railways.