THE ORIGINS (X/XVII century)
It's acknowledged that the first settlements in Calco date back to the Longobard Era before 1000 A.C. The fact there are recurrent names in the records and people trusted by powerful people (Alcherio, lord of Airuno and Attone count of Lecco) who were both clients and suppliers, lead us to the conclusion that these people belong to a noble family. They were most probably forefathers of the Calchi's family or from Calco.
The Calchi's were devoted to powerful people in Milan and this devotion would allow them to get honors and wealth. They owned lands in this part of Brianza and at the beginning they were living in a fortified mansion, in that part of the village that is now called Vescogna.
The Castellaccio (now Villa Calchi), this how they name the first part of the mansion located near the courtyard in the eastern side of Villa La Vescogna, was later replaced by a bigger yet more exclusive mansion: the residential complex including those houses that later become the residences of Calco Superiore, Vescogna, Moriggia and Torre. Becouse those houses were located on a plateu overlooking the valley of Calco, the lake and the lands of Sartirana and a bigger portion of the actual area of Meratese, it was easy from there to control the border of the region Brivio with the venetian shores of the river Adda. The complex was defended from the military invasions of the Venetian county in 1499 by Giovanni Calco, who was Francesco Sforza's trustworthy vassal.
Beside these residences, the Calchi's built additional ones among which Paolo Emilio Calco's property of the top of the hill of Buttero in Olgiate Molgora, whose ownership later passed over to the Dugnani's and it is now called Gola.
Most of the family was residing in Milan where few family members were also public officiers. Bartolomeo Calco (1434-1508) became the first ducal secretary under Gian Galeazzo e Lodovico Sforza; Tristano Calco (?-1515?) was the historian to write about Milan commissioned by Lodovico il Moro; Polidoro Calco (1539-?) was the first governor of the state of Milan.
This family had been dominating the scene for a few centuries, butthey reached the top of their prestige only during the Renaissance Era when they used to host in Vescogna highly-influential personalities such as Leonardo da Vinci (see page 5 - Historical Characters) and the entire ducal court.
(ref."Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani - edizioni Treccani" Historic research by Anselmo Brambilla)
(ill. "Falconry and hunting treatise for Francesco Sforza - Condé Museum")