Banca Popolare di Lecco

It was founded in 1872 as the Società Cooperativa di Credito Banca Popolare, and eventually expanded to 20 branches.

Between 1873 and 1881 the Society faced great difficulties due to a serious local economic depression; of the 600 and more factories engaged in the silk trade, fewer than 100 survived.

In 1912 two other local banks failed, but Banca Popolare survived and converted from a cooperative society to a corporation.

World War II again created a period of great difficulties, including the German occupation forces requisitioning of its headquarters from 1944 to 1945.

Banca Popolare di Novara (BPN) acquired a substantial stake in Banca Popolare di Lecco and seats on the board of directors.