The Territory
Moltrasio stone, known in the local dialect as Sass de Multràas, is a geological feature of the Insubrian area. Along the shores of Lake Como, it extends from Cernobbio to the border with the Intelvi Valley and from Blevio to Nesso.
The identity of these places, the economy and the history of their communities have been strongly shaped by the geological features of the environment, between stone, lake and mountain areas. Over the centuries, Moltrasio stone was the most widely used material for building homes, churches, roads and bridges. It was often transported by water aboard a gondola or comballo to construction sites farther away from the quarrying areas.
Why is it called Moltrasio stone even though it is found well beyond the municipality of the same name? There are no documents explaining this. It is said that quarrying began in Moltrasio; more probably, the name came to represent the area or remained in use through popular attribution.
It is a dark grey siliceous limestone. It is schistose, meaning that it can easily be split along parallel planes, and has natural fractures perpendicular to its layers, known as lithoclases. It is therefore suitable for work requiring different thicknesses, from roofing slabs to paving.
Source: Associazione Pro Moltrasio, Il Grigio di Moltrasio. Il Calcare di Moltrasio: lavoro, società e arte in mille anni di storia, Editoriale Lombarda, 2025.