”Semm Cumasch”, the Magic Mantra from Como

"Semm Cumasch" was the first word taught by Roberta, who guided her through the narrow alleys of the tiny, rural town of Como. The iconic phrase, meaning "We are from Como," symbolizes the locals' pride in this tiny universe on the shores of Lake Como, with a history stretching back to the Middle Ages. In the modern era, Como has once again been in the world spotlight since the 1907 Como football club shot up like a meteor from the lowest tier of the Italian League, Serie D, to the top tier, Serie A.

However, Como is not just about football, as this small town is also the birthplace of the great figure Alessandro Volta, the inventor of the electric battery. Como also has a long history dating back to the Iron Age and developed into a hub of defense and trade under the Roman Empire. The traces of that civilization are revealed from the remnants of Roman baths discovered during excavations.

However, the strongest attraction of Como at present is football and its natural charm. Como has become increasingly crowded with tourists in line with the soaring popularity of the Como 1907 football club, which has risen from Serie D to Serie A of the Italian League, just five years after the club was purchased by the Hartono family, owners of the Djarum business from Kudus, Central Java, in April 2019.

The spectacular promotion was accompanied by an image of the Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium photographed using a drone. The photo went viral for its spectacular view of the stadium against the backdrop of Lake Como surrounded by the Alps. The panorama piqued curiosity, prompting a visit in early November 2025 after attending the EICMA automotive show in Milan with Astra Honda Motor. On a previous visit to Milan, in late 2019, Como hadn't even appeared on the itinerary, simply because it hadn't yet become a household name.

In fact, Como is very close to Milan, only about a 60-minute journey by car or train. The players of Como 1907 also use land routes when playing away matches at Giuseppe Meazza against Inter Milan or AC Milan.

Upon setting foot in Como, the rural atmosphere is more pronounced compared to the urban environment, contrasting with the metropolitan Milan. The ambiance is more tranquil, devoid of the clamor of vehicles, and transcends time as it presents glimpses of the past through Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque style buildings.

The impressive Baroque church of La Chiesa di Santa Maria di Loreto opens up a stroll through Como's alleys. About a five-minute walk from the old church, the atmosphere of Como's old town is palpable. Ahead, a small square is surrounded by coffee shops and restaurants, and in the center stands a statue of a white-robed figure holding a stack of circular tablets in its right hand.

"That is a statue of a very famous person who was born in Como. I am sure you know him. He is Alessandro Volta, the inventor of the first electric battery," said Roberta proudly.

The statue of Alessandro Volta holds the first electric battery, a pile of zinc and copper separated by a material soaked in electrolyte. This was the first battery, known as a voltaic pile.

After enjoying the atmosphere in Volta Square, my steps began to explore the narrow alleys of Como, which still retain several medieval buildings, with their windows and wooden beams. These ancient buildings have been revitalized into restaurants, coffee shops, and inns. The ancient atmosphere makes the coffee atmosphere even more serene. One of the most comfortable hangouts is in front of Como Cathedral, whose full name is Santa Maria Assunta Cathedral.

The church, with its 75-meter tall tower and a façade made of marble adorned with statues and carvings of saints, serves as a showcase of the great works of ancient Italian artists. The Como Cathedral features a main structure in the Gothic style, but it also incorporates elements of Renaissance and Baroque. This blend of styles is a natural process, as the Duomo Como was constructed over a span of 400 years, from 1396 to 1770.

From the cathedral's grounds, Lake Como is already visible. The small pier at the edge of the glacial lake marks the beginning of the journey to the iconic Village of Bellagio, which offers an unobstructed view of the snow-capped Alps.

However, that afternoon, the crossing schedule was canceled due to the ship experiencing damage. Another ship was available, but not to Bellagio, thus the plan to see the snow-capped mountains was called off.

We are very proud that Como is returning to Serie A. Thank you to the Hartono family and Indonesia.

The footsteps lead directly to the Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium, which is only 10 minutes from the dock. Upon arriving at the stadium gate, the atmosphere was quite empty, and visitors were unable to enter due to routine maintenance. While looking around in front of the gate, someone greeted in Indonesian from behind.

"Are you from Indonesia, sir?" said the man in the thick black jacket in a friendly manner.

The greeting was both surprising and delightful as the meeting opened the way to enter the stadium. The individual was Fikha Hudi, a photographer for Como 1907 who has covered all of Como's matches since their promotion to Serie B of the Italian League in the 2023-2024 season. After Hudi informed the stadium security that there were tourists from Indonesia wanting to see the Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium, the exclusive tour commenced.

"If Indonesians in Como are respected, that's great," said Hudi with a smile.

This is not a mere rumor, as the tour guide Roberta, who parted ways after lunch, acknowledged that the residents of Como are grateful to Indonesia and the Hartono family for bringing Como 1907 to Serie A.

"We are very proud that Como is returning to Serie A. Thank you to the Hartono family and Indonesia," said Roberta.

During a visit to the Como 1907 store in the city center, Roberta enthusiastically introduced us to the shopkeeper as the tourists she was guiding from Indonesia. A friendly smile and warm greetings welcomed us.

The staff at the stadium were also friendly and allowed us to explore the stadium freely. This stadium, completed in 1927, is not as grand as Camp Nou and San Siro, which we visited a few days earlier. It is small, reminiscent of Manahan Stadium in Solo, with a modest capacity but a warm atmosphere. However, the stadium's grass is very well maintained and is equipped with heating and ultraviolet lights to keep the grass healthy during the winter season.

Hudi guided us to the main stand, which is covered and referred to as the Tribuna Coperta. In this stand, there is a special section for the families of Como 1907 players. The stand for the militant supporters of Como 1907 is located on the left wing and is called Curva Como. Meanwhile, the seats for the away team supporters are white and located on the right wing. The seating capacity in the Ospiti stand is smaller. For the general audience and families, the average seating is in the more relaxed Distinti stand, located across from the main stand. The view from the top seats of the Curva is the best, as it overlooks the stadium, the lake, and the lighthouse on the hill in the background.

"It can be said that this is the most beautiful stadium in Italy, although it is small. Its current capacity is nearly 11,000 seats, while the Serie A requirement is a minimum of 12,000 seats," said Hudi in early November.

The Como 1907 Stadium has indeed been continuously increasing its spectator capacity, from initially around 5,000 spectators in the early 2000s. Development has continued after the Hartono family purchased Como 1907, resulting in an increase in capacity to 7,498 spectators during Serie B. Following promotion to Serie A, the stadium underwent further development to meet Serie A standards, raising the spectator capacity to 10,584 seats.

In 2026, Como 1907, in collaboration with the local government, will modernize the Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium, which is expected to have a capacity of 15,000-20,000 seats.

The development stages begin with design, feasibility studies, and the approval process in May 2026. The first phase of construction is scheduled to be completed in October 2027 and the second phase in August 2028.

"Our goal is to ensure that the Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium remains an important part of the community. This new project must honor the legacy of the Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium while also making it an active and accessible space for all residents and visitors—not just for football, but for everyone to enjoy, 365 days a year," said Como 1907 President Mirwan Suwarso on the club's official website in February 2025.

Along with the stadium construction process, Como 1907 is also gradually strengthening its squad with significant investment in player recruitment. According to data compiled by Swiss Ramble, in the summer of 2025, Como 1907 will spend 107 million euros (Rp 2.1 trillion) to bring in several players, including Jesus Rodriguez from Real Betis, Nicolas Khun from Celtic, Martin Baturina from Dinamo Zagreb, and Jayen Addai from AZ Alkmaar. Manchester City loanee Maximo Perrone will also be signed permanently. Alvaro Morata will be on loan from AC Milan.

The investment from the Hartono family to strengthen Como 1907, according to Transfermarkt data, is the fifth highest in Serie A, only behind AC Milan (157 million euros/Rp 3.1 trillion), Juventus (137 million euros/Rp 2.7 trillion), Atalanta (126 million euros/Rp 2.5 trillion), and Napoli (115 million euros/Rp 2.3 trillion).

In terms of net spending calculations, Como 1907 ranked first last summer, with 94 million euros—approximately 1.8 trillion rupiah—surpassing Juventus with 53 million euros (1 trillion rupiah) and Inter Milan with 42 million euros (840 billion rupiah).

This significant investment has borne fruit, as Como currently occupies the sixth position in the Serie A standings this season. This is a proud achievement for the people of Como, considering it is only their second season in the top tier. In their first season in Serie A after a 21-year absence, the team coached by Cesc Fabregas finished in 10th place in the final standings.

The performance of Como 1907 under the ownership of the promising Hartono family from Indonesia made the people of Como even more proud when they uttered their sacred mantra, Semm Cumasch, pronounced sem ko-mask, We are from Como.