Chiavenna

Chiavenna lies at the junction of important Alpine routes north of Lake Como. The Romans knew it as Clavenna; two important roads led from here over the Splügen and Septimer passes toward the Rhine valley and Chur. Its castle guarded the approaches to these mountain crossings, whose importance made the town a frequent object of contention.

In 1335 the Visconti of Milan acquired Chiavenna and the neighbouring Valtellina from the bishops of Chur. The town later passed to the Three Leagues of Graubünden after the fall of Sforza rule. Its position continued to attract armies during the conflicts over the Alpine routes, including the fighting for Chiavenna in 1524. The old pass roads remained central to the town's connections with the north.