1930 Trub Map of Lakes Maggiore, Lugano, and Como, Switzerland, Italy

A charming c. 1930 folding relief map or view of, from west to east, Lakes Maggiore, Lugano, and Como, along the border of Switzerland and Italy. It was produced by A. Trub and Co., a local printer of such foldout maps and brochures catering to tourists.

A Closer Look

This view is oriented towards the north with Milan in the foreground and the Alps in the background. The three largest lakes in the region referred to in the title, as well as several smaller neighboring lakes, are all glacial lakes. Aside from lakes and rivers, cities, towns, major roads, minor roads, and mountains with their heights in meters are illustrated.

The border between Italy and Switzerland, represented by a red line, runs through the region, though historically this line mattered little to daily social, economic, and cultural interactions. The Swiss side of the border is part of the canton of Ticino, distinctive for the prevalence of Italian-speakers there.

Publication History and Census

This map was printed by A. Trub and Co, with the signature of an artist surnamed Ruep appearing at bottom-right. It is undated and could have been produced anywhere from the 1920s - 1950s. The inclusion of what is now the A8 between Milan and Varese and the A9 between Lainate (Milan) and Como, among the first automobile expressways in Europe, suggests a date no earlier than the mid-1920s. It is notable that the title of the brochure is in French, implying that it was intended for French-speaking tourists from other parts of Switzerland or France itself.