In June 2016 Esino Lario hosted the twelfth edition of Wikimania, the annual international gathering of Wikipedia and Wikimedia Foundation volunteers. Over 1,200 people from 70 countries made their way to this mountain village of 800 inhabitants — at 914m above sea level, 30 minutes above Varenna — to discuss free knowledge, open software and the future of the world's largest encyclopaedia.
It was the first time in Wikimania's history that the gathering had been hosted not by a major metropolis or prestigious university, but by a small Alpine municipality. For one week the population of Esino Lario doubled. The village rose to this challenge with extraordinary enthusiasm, becoming a global example of how local communities can embrace digital culture.
From candidacy to global success
Esino Lario's candidacy as Wikimania host was submitted by the Italian Wikipedia community in 2014, supported by Wikimedia Italia. The idea seemed bold: to bring the global Wikipedia gathering to a mountain village of 800 inhabitants, with no large hotel facilities, but with a strong community spirit and a setting of rare beauty above Lake Como.
The candidacy won thanks to an innovative approach: instead of competing with large cities on the logistical front, Esino Lario bet on the authenticity of the experience — hikes on the Grigna, community evenings, hospitality distributed across all the accommodation in the village and surroundings. The mountain became the ideal stage for reflecting on the values of shared knowledge.
Esino Lario after legendary cities
Wikimania had been held in some of the most famous cities in the world. Esino Lario entered this list as the smallest venue and the highest altitude venue ever:
How Wikimania changed Esino
Hosting Wikimania left a tangible legacy for Esino Lario. The village developed digital skills, built a network of volunteers, improved its hospitality infrastructure and — above all — gained international visibility that still brings visitors from across the world today.
The Esino Lario community became a point of reference for Italian-language Wikimedia projects. Numerous Wikipedia articles were enriched and corrected thanks to the collaboration between participating Wikimedians and the local community, with particular attention to the history and natural heritage of the Valsassina and Lake Como.
The Museo delle Grigne, already active, benefited from fresh international attention thanks to Wikipedia articles created and expanded during the event. The Triassic fossils of Esino Lario — the "Calcare di Esino" that gives its name to a geological formation — are today cited in multiple languages on the free encyclopaedia.
Wikimania 2016 in Esino Lario
In June 2016, the small Alpine village of Esino Lario (914m above Lake Como) hosted Wikimania — the annual international gathering of Wikipedia and Wikimedia Foundation volunteers. Over 1,200 participants from 70 countries traveled to this mountain community of just 800 residents for a week of discussions about free knowledge, open source software, and the future of collaborative encyclopedias.
It was the first time Wikimania had ever been held in a small mountain village, following previous editions in major cities like London, Washington, Hong Kong, and Buenos Aires. Esino Lario's candidacy was chosen for its unique character: authentic mountain community, spectacular location above Lake Como, and the symbolic resonance of choosing a remote village to celebrate the ideal of knowledge without borders.
The event doubled the village's population for a week and left a lasting legacy of international visibility, digital skills, and community pride. If you visit Esino Lario today, you are following in the footsteps of Wikimedians from across the globe.
Wikimania 2016 in Esino Lario
Im Juni 2016 war das kleine Bergdorf Esino Lario (914m über dem Comer See) Gastgeber von Wikimania — dem jährlichen internationalen Treffen der Wikipedia- und Wikimedia-Freiwilligen. Über 1.200 Teilnehmer aus 70 Ländern kamen in diese 800-Einwohner-Gemeinde. Es war das erste Mal in der Geschichte von Wikimania, dass eine kleine Berggemeinschaft die Konferenz ausrichtete — ein Symbol dafür, dass freies Wissen keine Grenzen kennt.