sign in sign up
<<
Home , Agrate Brianza, Aicurzio, Albiate, Angelo Maria Durini, Anspert, Antonio Busca (painter)

Monza Coperta Ita.qxp:Layout 1 20-05-2009 17:07 Pagina 1

MONZA AND ITS PROVINCE MONZA AND ITS PROVINCE MONZA AND ITS PROVINCE

A PROVINCE TO BE EXPLORED A PROVINCE

Four itineraries explore architecture, nature, stately homes and gardens scattered across TO BE EXPLORED the 55 towns and cities in the new Province of Monza & . A journey through The art, nature and culture the history and traditions that have marked the roots and identity of an area at the centre of one of of Brianza Europe’s most highly industrialised zones. Monza Coperta Ita.qxp:Layout 1 20-05-2009 17:07 Pagina 2 Monza 001-035:Layout 1 20-05-2009 17:34 Pagina 1

MONZA AND ITS PROVINCE

A PROVINCE TO BE EXPLORED The art, nature and culture of Brianza

Andrea Spiriti – Laura Facchin Monza 001-035:Layout 1 25/05/09 14:26 Pagina 2

F

DIREZIONE CENTRALE HEAD OFFICE TURISMO E AGRICOLTURA MONZA AND BRIANZA PROJECT Viale Piceno 60 Piazza Diaz 1 20052 Monza P 20129 Milano ot www.visitamilano.it www.provincia.milano.it/monzabrianza [email protected] Ita General Director - Monza and Brianza Pr oject in General Director Giuseppe Valtorta pr Tourism and Agriculture Pia Benci Project director – society and culture a Monza and Brianza pe Tourism Erminia Zoppè Monica Giudici pl Roberto Barelli Cultural and visitor events promotion tin Colette Perna for Monza and Brianza vi Anna Zetti Gianpiero Bocca Elena Gomiero is Carmen La Malfa ve Press Office Giulia Prada Giuseppe Baselice Alex Tonello za Communication and Press Office tio Marta Caratti co za Texts Andrea Spiriti ve Laura Facchin

Editorial production Farms and agriturismo centres provided bl Bolis Edizioni by: Centro di Assistenza Agricola - m via Emilia 25, 24052 Confederazione Italiana Agricoltori te Azzano San Paolo (BG) Mi-Lo, Sede di Zona di , www.bolisedizioni.it 20059 Vimercate - Via Cavour 101, de www.cialombardia.org Editing, pagemaking and photolitho ca Studio editoriale Selmi – Twister, Milano se th Cartography LS International th laz English version Studio Queens, Milano ce ch We would like to thank the municipal administration and officials, P ark managers and Pro Loco organisations of the new province of Monza and Brianza for their help Sa to Cover photos to Front cover: top, Villa Reale in Monza; bottom left, the Basilica of Ss. Pietro e P aolo in Agliate; bottom right, frescoes by the Zavattari brothers in the T heodolinda chapel m in the Duomo in Monza. Back cover: top left, the Formula 1 Grand Prix at the Monza racetrack; top right, the former Casa del Fascio (house of ) by Giuseppe Terragni in ; bottom, Palazzo Arese Borromeo in . Flap: top left, Vimercate town centre; top right, castle; b ottom, Grugnotorto Villoresi Park Monza 001-035:Layout 1 20-05-2009 17:34 Pagina 3

Foreword

ublishing a guidebook today is a challenge that tests our understanding of the degree to which our post-modern times are willing to own up to their P past and the cultural assets that – to the delight of some, the irritation of others and the indifference of many – form the connective tissue of Italian society . rianza has such a wealth of art but is so poor at investing in it. Its immense heritage is za Project in a deplorable state, partly b ecause people do not see it as a collective asset to b e preserved for them and their descendants. Who would b et a penny on the future of a civilisation that has no love for its own past? Publishing a guideb ook to encourage people to visit the cultural heritage is, therefore, a gamble, especially if it does not sim- ply address the monumental dimension but attempts a global approach in which pain- n ting sits alongside gastronomy, architecture alongside botany. One concerns the en- vironment and the other the impact humans have made on it over the centuries, that is to say how it has been shaped to suit our aims and wishes or, at least, how we ha- ve tried to strike a balance with it. If, then, the guidebook is on the province of Mon- za and Brianza, this all also coincides with its recognition as a Province before the na- tional community. It is a new entity that, in order to survive, must show itself to b e competent and to possess distinguishing features: the geographical (southern Brian- za has always b een drawn to ) and historical (fruit of preferential strategic de- velopment to the north) ones are obvious but the artistic one is also crucial. This is a zone of dense but now almost invisible Romanisation and Monza saw remarka- ble Longobard commissions, epitomised in the treasure of the kingdom. In Romanesque ti- mes, the area formed part of the great circuit of basilicas with the striking example of A glia- te, followed in the Middle A ges by the major episode of S. Stefano in L entate and then a ovided - dense array of castles and hunting lodges, right on down to the gem that is Oreno in Vimer- ri cate. The sumptuous Renaissance construction of S. Vittore in Meda marked the start of a e, series that ended with the reconstruction of the s anctuary of S. Pietro Martire in at 1, the height of the 17th century. The core focus of the 17th and 18th centuries was, however, the construction of palaces and villas, with the inescapable European-wide paradigm of Pa- lazzo Arese Borromeo in Ces ano Maderno. T his rich succession continued into the 19th century with the prominent poles of Vimercate and Monza, but also Cavenago, Arcore, Ma- cherio and . The financial opulence of the 19th-century and then the presence of the and Savoy court in Monza translated into an impressive fabric of villas and churches (in addition to the continuity of Monza’s Villa Reale, suffice to mention the neo-Gothic Villa Traversi Tit- toni in , ahead of its times in Europe). N or did the 2 0th century lac k great ac hieve- pel ments, starting with Giuseppe Terragni’s formidable designs in Lissone and Seveso. nza rragni mercate Andrea Spiriti Monza 001-035:Layout 1 20-05-2009 17:34 Pagina 4

Contents

93 95 98 6 From the to the Year 2000 99 10 9 Monza 10 26 The Monza Autodromo 10 28 Parks in Brianza 10 33 10 11 36 Western Brianza its stately homes and its monasteries 11 39 11 41 12 42 13 44 13 45 13 47 13 49 Meda 13 52 Seveso 13 55 Cesano Maderno 14 59 Bovisio Masciago 14 61 14 63 Varedo 14 66 14 69 Desio 14 72 15 15 74 Central Brianza 15 Romanesque and Neoclassical 15 77 15 79 16 81 Renate 16 83 Besana Brianza 16 87 90 16

Monza and its province 4 Monza 001-035:Layout 1 20-05-2009 17:34 Pagina 5

Contents

93 Verano in Brianza 95 98 99 101 103 104 107 Vedano al 109 Lissone 111 Muggiò

114 Eastern Brianza and the noble villas 117 Vimercate 128 130 Concorrezzo 132 134 135 137 138 Bellusco 140 142 144 146 148 149 151 153 154 156 Arcore 159 160 Cornate d’ 163 164

165 Index of places

Monza and its province 5 Monza 001-035:Layout 1 20-05-2009 17:34 Pagina 6

Monza From the Lombards to the Year 2000

A onza is manifestly the barycentre of the area (with its name includ- Med in that of the province) and the urban centre with the most visi- ble and complex development, clearly illustrating the historic successions from the early to contemporary times. This sets it apart from the rest and it is this same continuity, dotted with fine individual accom- plishments, that makes its history and documentary worth so important. The city developed basically in a circle with the Duomo at its core; next comes the part inside the medieval walls and then the area that has grown up outside the walls, dominated to the north by V illa Reale and the adjacent park, so vast that has become a major urban attraction al- so for neighbouring towns. Theodolinda’ s foundation of a royal basilica that would immortalise the Lombard conversion to Catholicism and the passage from an elective to a hereditary monarchy were crucial events in Italian history that were translated into an outstanding architectural and artistic enterprise. Today, the earliest phases of the cathedral complex survive in the legendary Tesoro, dominated by the Iron Crown and con- taining one of the world’ s most important collections of early medieval goldsmithery. The building’s later evolution is almost a resumé of the his- tory of Lombard art from the 14th to the 19th century: Campione’s Goth-

Monza and its province 6 Monza 001-035:Layout 1 20-05-2009 17:34 Pagina 7

Monza

ic church, the silver altar, the Zavattari brothers’ frescoes and then those by Luini, the great mannerist, baroque and rococo painted cycles and Andrea Appiani’s Neoclassical altar mark the passages of a quest last- ing many centuries, always dictated by the highest quality standards. At the same time, the Tesoro was constantly acquiring new pieces. The second section, the old city centre inside the walls, is of com- pact urban design and enriched by the Lambro River and features a de- lightful sequence of building styles ranging from Gothic to eclectic: the civil (Arengario) and religious (S. Maria in Strada, S. Pietro Martire, S. Maria al Carrobiolo) Middle Ages; the century chang es to those same churches; and the major refurbishments and palatial constructions of the 19th and 20th centuries (Palazzo Comunale, Palazzo degli Stu- di, Palazzo di Giustizia) that created a fabric in which even “minor” hous- ing featured a still clearly visible noble continuity. The third section comprises a dense network of villas – older ones, indeed, but most importantly Villa Reale, the three periods of major splen- dour of which are condensed in the names of Ferdinand of Habsburg, I Bonaparte and Humbert I of Savoy , whose assassination in Monza (1900) lay behind the remarkable complex of the Cappella Espia- toria. The V illa, and its perpetuation in the legendary racetrack, altered the whole urban layout of the north of the city, bringing wide avenues and park’s green spaces (the highest green/urban ratio in ).

Monza and its province 7 Monza 001-035:Layout 1 20-05-2009 17:34 Pagina 8

Monza

Getting there

By car: from Milan, Viale Fulvio Testi towards Monza, then SS36 towards , Monza Villa Reale exit; from and , A4 Torino-Venezia mo- torway, Cinisello- exit, then SS36 towards Lecco, Mon- za Villa Reale exit. From , A1 Firenze/Bologna-Milano motorway, Tan- genziale Est then Tangenziale Nord towards , Monza Centro exit. V Info: www.autostrade.it tic A By air: from Linate (approx. 20 km from Monza), tel. 0274852200 (call si centre), www.sea-aeroportimilano.it/linate, 73 bus and shuttle to Milan- w Stazione Centrale, info 026690351; from Malpensa (approx. 50 km from an Monza), tel. 0274852200 (call centre), www.sea-aeroportimi- lano.it/malpensa Malpensa Express to Milan. In By train: Monza is on the FS Milano-, Milano-Como/Chiasso and Milano-Lecco railway lines. Info: www.trenitalia.it, tel. 892021 M

By coach: Autobus AGI Brianza Trasporti z223 (Milano-Cinisello-Mon- no za railway station, celere) from M2/M3 Stazione Centrale, Autobus AGI m Brianza Trasporti z221 (Milano-Sesto railway station M1-Monza-Carate- pl Mariano C.) from M1 Sesto metro station. M m L

Th

Monza and its province 8 Monza 001-035:Layout 1 20-05-2009 17:34 Pagina 9

Monza Municipal website: www..monza.mi.it Iat Monza e Brianza: piazza Giosuè Carducci 2 Tel. and fax: 039323222 E-mail: [email protected] Distance from Milan: 17 km. Map reference: E 4 s - - - isits to Monza can be split into four itineraries. . VThe first two are theme tours and explore artis- tic and cultural attractions dating from the Middle Ages to modern times in the section of the city in- ll side the walls; the third takes a look outside the - walls; and the fourth visits Parco Reale (Royal Park) m and the villas. - Inside the city walls: o Medieval and Renaissance times Roman and early medieval Modicia/Modoetia is - now but a distant memory save for the Roman re- I mains of the L eoni bridge and the precious com- - plex of the Duomo of S. Giovanni Battistawith the Museo e Tesoro del Duomo (Duomo treasure and museum), the significance of which dates from its Lombard foundation by Theodolinda to celebrate

The Duomo (top right, aerial photo) and, right, a detail of the

Monza and its province 9 Monza 001-035:Layout 1 20-05-2009 17:34 Pagina 10

D

fa of an co 15 T ta T w the conversion to Catholicism and the beginnings of her dynasty. The priceless collection, recently expanded and rearranged in modern museum spaces, comprises material of the highest level, making it the most im- portant body of early medieval art in the world: the enigmatic Iron Crown, Theodolinda’s possessions (ampullas from the Holy Land , terracotta medallion of the Annunciation, Theodolinda’s Crown, ’s Cross, Adaloald’s Cr oss, Theodolinda’s Evangeliary, Mother hen with chicks), those of Berengario I (the diptychs from late-antiquity known as those of the Poet and Muse, of Stilicone and of and Gre- gory, the Reliquary of ’s tooth and Berengario I’s Cross). The sculpted plutei, tombs and sarcophagus in the basilica and the adjacent tower are the only architectural and sculptural remains of the period. Above, the Mother hen and The basilica was reconstructed by Matteo da chicks and, below, Adaloaldo’s Campione, starting in 1300. Of that period it retains Cross, masterpieces in the Museo e Tesoro of the the basic structure, the Gothic façade with a lunette Duomo in Monza over the doorway, sculptural features (pulpits and the

Monza and its province 10 Monza 001-035:Layout 1 20-05-2009 17:34 Pagina 11

Monza

Details of the interior of the Duomo, showing the organ and frescoes in the presbytery

famous Imperial coronation slab), numerous pieces of goldsmithery (including a sumptuous silver altar and G iangaleazzo Visconti’s c halice). E storre Vis- conti’s mummy is a rare anthropic specimen. T he 15th-century late-Gothic reached a peak in the Theodolinda chapel (1444), frescoed by the Zavat- tari brothers with a famous cycle on the Queen’s life. The Renaissance period commenced with the rose window by Stefano de’ F edeli (recomposed in the gs Corona Ferrea nd The Iron Crown is kept on the altar of the It is because of its religious importance es Theodolinda chapel and is one of the and special link that the Iron Crown is m- most important pieces in the history of conserved on a special altar in the Duo- the Christian W est. Miraculously con- mo, where it can be viewed. Tradition has he served to the present day, it consists of it that this precious diadem was used in ns six gold segments adorned with precious a large number of coronations. As well as on stones, roses and enamels. Inside is a the Lombard ones, in the Middle Ages metal band – which gives the crown its alone, these included the hugely impor- f’s “Iron” name – that according to tradition tant ones of Charlemagne and Frederick ry, is made of one of the nails used in the I, Barbarossa. Crucifixion of Jesus. The relic is thought Information and visits: Museo e Tesoro del he to have been found by St. Helena in 326 Duomo di Monza, tel. 03932638, web- he and she had it inserted into the diadem site: www.museoduomomonza.it e- of her son, the Emperor Constantine. Re- cent historical investigations claim the nd Crown, the present form of which stems nd from alterations made between the 5th er and 9th centuries, is a royal Ostrogoth in- signia passed to the Lombards and even- of tually come down to the Carolingian sov- ereigns, who had it restored and donat- ed it in or around the 11th century to the da Duomo of Monza. Since then, the histo- ns ry of the Crown has been inextricably te linked to that of this city. he

Monza and its province 11 Monza 001-035:Layout 1 20-05-2009 17:34 Pagina 12

Monza

The Arengario porticoes Th

museum) and comprises three millefiori tapestries C and a fresco by ( St. Gerald). di A stone’s throw from the Duomo, a 13th-centu- da Theodolinda ry tower-gate leads to the Leoni bridge. The paral- on ch Theodolinda, daughter of lel S. Gerardo bridge , built in 1215 and repeatedly Bavarian Duke Garibaldo, revamped, takes its name from the nearby hospital tu was the Lombard sovereign of S. Gerardo, the city’s main hospital since 1174 and th and Queen of Ital y fro m linked to the . The oratory of S. Gerardino con- C 589. In that year, she mar- ried King Autari who died serves Luini-style frescoes. T he old Arengario is a suddenly (perhaps poi- rare example of civil architecture with a ground-floor te soned) just over a year af- portico and salon on the first floor; it was erected in in ter t heir m arriage. I n t he st same autumn of 590, she the second half of the 13th century and completed married the Duke of T urin, around 138 0 with a parlera (rostrum for speakers) al Agilulf. A Catholic who ini- and, shortly afterwards, a crenellated tower. On the fr tially supported the schism, tio she later sought a rap- other side of piazza Carducci, Casa Gualtieri retains prochement with the church much of the original 15th-century brick construction. ru of Gregory the great. The city’s north-south axis (now via Italia and via Agilulf died in May 616 leav- ing the title to his son In Adaloald, still a minor , and Theodolinda became re- t gent. She increased her support of the and worked to find si lasting agreement with the tw Emperor. lis She died in 627, a year af- ter her son was dethroned, an and she was buried along- th side her husband in the of Duomo in Monza, which she re had had built. The Theodolinda chapel, the Zavattari frescoes w

Monza and its province 12 Monza 001-035:Layout 1 20-05-2009 17:34 Pagina 13

Monza

The church of S. Pietro Martire, founded in the 14th century es Carlo Alberto) features two major examples of me- dieval architecture: the church of S. Maria in Stra- u- da (constructed by Ambrosolo da Milano from 1348 al- on), with a heavily restored brick façade; and the ly church of S. Pietro Martire, the hub of the 14th-cen- al tury Dominican complex, with , nd the remains of frescoes and a 16th-century wooden n- Crucifixion. a The nearby S. Maria del Carrobiolo alle Umilia- te (indication of the ’s substantial presence or Historical parade in in Monza) has a 14th-century bell tower but the con- ed struction (commenced in 1232) has repeatedly been The bell tower in piazza s) altered. The city’s walled design can b e perceived Duomo and the old Monza from the ring road, divided in two by the aforemen- city centre provide the set- he ting for the historical pa- ns tioned thoroughfare and the L ambro River, whic h rade, a traditional period- n. runs parallel to it. costume event – part of the June celebrations – that ia takes the city back every Inside the walls: Manne rism year t o r elive a m ajor h is- toric moment in which it to the present day played a central part. This return to the past enjoys While remaining true to its medieval urban de- huge public consensus and sign, Monza spent an uninterrupted period b e- the increasingly lively partic- tween the mid-16th and late-18th centuries embel- ipation of numerous groups of characters in period cos- lishing its historic buildings, such that their appear- tume from various parts and ance was radically altered. One glaring example is neighbouring villages in par- the Duomo of S. Giovanni Battista as the layout ticular come together in full collaboration and in the spir- of nave and two aisles and its Gothic façade were it of the new province of retained but the interior was substantially changed Monza and Brianza. with a Mannerist presbytery (to a design by Pelle-

Monza and its province 13 Monza 001-035:Layout 1 20-05-2009 17:34 Pagina 14

Monza

The foundation of the Basilica, a by Th Sebastiano Ricci in the nave of the Duomo al

grino Tibaldi), a large cycle in the transept by D , Giuseppe Meda and Gio- dr vanni Mauro della R overe, baroque c hapels with by Moncalvo and the Nuvolone family, w 17th-century frescoes in the presbytery (the work da of the Montalto family, Ercole Procaccini the th Younger, Carlo Cane), a cycle on the building in the nave (the work, among others, of F ilippo Ab- biati and Sebastiano Ricci) and a grandiose trompe l’oeil programme coordinated by Castellino and completed with figures by Gilardi, Borroni, Bor- toloni, Sassi, Porta and Carloni – all making it the most complete repertoire of the L ombard 18th century. The J ohn the Baptist tapestries in the Tesoro are valuable examples of Mannerism, fol- lowed by many pieces of goldsmithery and a ric h picture gallery. The Neoclassical conclusion to the

The stained-glass rose window in the counterfaçade of the Duomo, (late 19th cent.)

Monza and its province 14 Monza 001-035:Layout 1 20-05-2009 17:34 Pagina 15

Monza

The 18th-century façade of the church of S. Maria al Carrobiolo by Duomo came in the form of a main altar by An- o- drea Appiani (1793-1798). th The Mannerist and baroque refurbishments y, were extended to the churches of S. Maria in Stra- rk da and S. Pietro Martire and, most importantly, he thanks to the presence of the , the in b- Monza Celebrations pe nd After the Sagra di S. Biagio (feast of St. The Sagra di S. Giovanni (feast of St. r- Blaise), on 3 February, the Sunday fol- John) is held over the fortnight preced- lowing 25 March, on the day dedicated ing 24 June, the saint’ s day, and com- he to the Annunciation of the V irgin Mary, prises a number of cultural, sports and th they hold the Sagra della Madonna delle folklore events that end with a breath- he Grazie (feast of the Madonna of Grace) taking fireworks display in the gardens with stalls set up around the Sanctuary of Villa Reale. The festival is of age-old ol- of the Madonna delle Grazie selling lo- origin and commemorates the construc- ch cal handicrafts, a whole array of goods tion of the Duomo dedicated to St. he and firun, a Monza sweetmeat consist- John by Queen Theodolinda. Every ing of baked chestnuts threaded on year, a Historical Parade (see box on p. strings to form chains. 13) and a livestock fair, on the park’s Every 6 June they celebrate the Festa di former race course, are held in conjunc- S. Gerardo (feast of St. Gerard) to re- tion with the festival. member the anniversary of the saint’ s death. This religious festival includes a ceremony that begins the evening be- fore the anniversary with the laying of the statue of the saint at the side of the Lambro River, at San Gerardino, to com- memorate one of his miracles: the saint wanted to take food to families living on the other side of the Lambro River dur- ing the famine; not having a raft or boat, he laid down his mantel loaded with pro- visions and was ferried across the river. Participants in the Historical Parade )

Monza and its province 15 Monza 001-035:Layout 1 20-05-2009 17:34 Pagina 16

Monza

ve so th The Nun e of Monza th Ca Marianna De Leyva (Milan, th 1575-1650) belonged to a prominent family of Spanish Pa origin that held important - ou sitions in the State of Milan ce and was the feudatory of Monza. Her mother, Virginia Palazzo di Giustizia Maria, was the daughter of a powerful Genoese banker, O Tommaso Marino. In 1591, she entered the Monza con- church of S. Maria al Carrobiolo, which conserves s vent of S. Margherita, which a precious series of Mannerist paintings (Ottavio no longer exists (the church Semino, Simone Peterzano, Moncalvo) and 18th- of S. Maurizio stands in its ra century frescoes by Andrea Porta, dating from the place today), with the name ro of Sister V irginia. In 1598 same time as the nearby experience of S. Margheri- M she embarked on a dramat- ta. At the side, the convent is entered through an ic relationship with the no- th 18th-century doorway by Elia Vincenzo Buzzi and bleman G ian P aolo O sio, w whose home adjoined the Giovanni Ruggeri. In or around 1 736, the church ed monastery, which ended in a of S. Maurizio was erected over the 13th-century prominent trial. tr monastery of S. Margherita to a design attributed Sister Virginia was arrested to Giacomo Antonio Quadrio. in Monza on 15 November or 1607 and was transferred The city’s 19th-century (Napoleonic and Aus- tu to Milan, where she was trian) design was marked by the destruction of old sentenced, in 1608, to life- ba complexes such as the R occa Viscontea and nu- long confinement to a ce walled cell in house of the merous interventions: Contrada Ferdinandea (now in Convertite di S. V aleria, via Vittorio Emanuele I I) built for F erdinand of near S. Ambrogio, in Milan. Habsburg in the late 18th century and developed Osio was condemned to st death. In 1622, the nun ob- in the mid-19th century with muc h housing; the tained a pardon but decided conversion of the convent of S. Francesco to a to remain in the S. V aleria Seminary (now Palazzo degli Studi) in 1830-1833 retreat, where she stayed until her death. In The Be- by ; the new Leoni bridge trothed (Promessi Sposi ), (1842); Collegio Bosisio in via Zucchi (1843) and used the coeval Casa Scanzi facing S. Pietro Martire; and the figure of the “nun of Monza” but changed the 19th-century houses with wrought-iron balconies names of the protagonists – in via Carlo Alberto. Virginia became Gertrude Following , the second half and her lover was called Egidio – and moved the sto- of the 19th century brought major restoration ry a few decades forward in works (the refurbishment of S. Pietro Martire, the time (1628-1630). new façade of S. Maria in Strada by Carlo Macia- chini in 1870) and the beginning of the Fascist con- Th Monza and its province 16 Monza 001-035:Layout 1 20-05-2009 17:34 Pagina 17

Monza

version of the Pratum Magnum whic h included Gerardo de’ Tintori some demolitions (the church of S. Michele) and the creation of the large nucleus of piazza San Gerardo de’ T intori (Monza, ca 1134-1207) is e and piazza Carducci, and the work on the patron saint of Monza the City Hall (1928-1938) and the Monumento ai along with St. John the Bap- Caduti (War memorial, Enrico Pancera, 1932). To tist. When his father died, he used his inheritance t o the northeast, the city’s redesign culminated with found a hospital to care for Palazzo di Giustizia (1934). After the war, numer- the sick and destitute. It was ous buildings were restored and the Duomo has re- situated on the left bank of cently been given a new museum. the Lambro River, near the bridge today known as that of S. Gerardino and where there is a small church of Outside the walls: the royal the same name. The hospi- tal remained in operation un- es station and a religious route til the 18th century. In 1946, io the city’s administration de- South of the city, in Borgo di Porta Milano, the cided to commemorate his h- railway station (1884) conserves the royal waiting work by naming the 19th- he century c ity h ospital a fter room built for King Humb ert I and Queen ri- him. He was buried at the Margherita of Savoy, who came to Villa Reale for an church of S. Ambrogio (to- their summer breaks (1884-1900). It is decorated day S. Gerardo al Corpo). nd with stuccowork and eclectic boiseries; the vault- The most famous miracles ch handed down by local tradi- ed ceiling features a painting by Mosè Bianchi por- ry tion include crossing the traying The Savoy Genius (1883-1884). Lambro River on his own ed Not far away, in via Guarienti, stands the mantel after the bridge link- ing his hospital to the city oratory of S. Gregorio, designed in the late 17th cen- s- was destroyed and his gift tury by Gerolamo Quadrio. Inside it conserves of a basket of cherries, of- ld baroque and rococo furnishings. During the 19th ten pictured with the saint, u- in mid-winter to the canons century, the church was incorporated into the build- w of the Duomo in Monza, ing design of the new city cemetery. of who had allowed him to stay To the northeast is Borgo S. Gerardo and, in the and pray after the church’ s ed street of the s ame name, the church of S. Gerardo closing time. he a 33 ge nd nd es alf on he a- n- The royal waiting room in the station Monza and its province 17 Monza 001-035:Layout 1 20-05-2009 17:35 Pagina 18

Monza

al Corpo, reconstructed in Neoclassical style over the previous c hurch of S. Ambrogio ad N emus (10th cent.), the bell tower of which survives. It has a Lat- in-cross structure with a dome. The old 15th-centu- ry apse, today the right-hand chapel of the transept, conserves the remains of St. Gerald (12 07) in a sil- ver urn. Farther north, on the road to Lecco, between via Montecassino and the L ambro River, stands the Aerial view of Villa Reale in Sanctuary of S. Maria delle Grazie . The c hurch Monza and, below, the originally formed part of a 15th-century Franciscan façade convent built over an earlier (1131) c hapel dedicat- ed to the Mary and has a late -Gothic façade to which a porc h was later added. T he bell tower dates from the 15th century. On the polychrome- marble main altar is a muc h venerated painting of the Annunciation. Nearby is a bridge with three spans known as that of the Grazie Vecchie (1683), built for the Duri- ni and Casati families. Outside the walls: Parco Reale and the Villas It N Monza Park is an important European historic an park and the largest of those enclosed within walls. R

Monza and its province 18 Monza 001-035:Layout 1 20-05-2009 17:35 Pagina 19

he th at- u- pt, il- ia he ch an at- de er e- of as ri-

It was created for Eugène de Beauharnais and Napoleon Bonaparte in 18 05-1806, incorporating ic an area north of the city crossed by the L ambro ls. River and comprising the arc hitectural and land-

Monza and its province 19 Monza 001-035:Layout 1 20-05-2009 17:35 Pagina 20

Monza

Villa Reale, the grand ballroom V

scape nucleus of Villa Mirabello and Villa Mirabelli- ca no as well as the wooded area known as the “Bosco an Monza in Bello”. The Napoleonic government wanted the in site to serve leisure purposes of relaxation and hunt- Napoleonic Times ing but also be of public utility, promoting the rear- hi After his mother Giuseppina ing of plants and animals. During the 19th centu- is married Bonaparte, Eugéne ry, the architects who succeeded each other, Lui- Beauharnais (1781-1824) gi Canonica and his pupil Giacomo Tazzini first joined the General’s retinue in Italy. With the advent of and then, in the second half of the century, head the Empire, he subsequent- gardener Luigi Villoresi, sought to blend the exist- ly became Prince Français, ing architectural features with the landscape. T he Grand State Chancellor and park was opened to the public in 1919, the year in Viceroy of Italy , residing in Milan. He strove to form an which the park and V illa R eale b ecame state army and reorganise the ad- owned. In 19 20, it was passed to a consortium ministration, promulgated made up of the municipal authorities of Monza the Napoleonic code and had major public works car- and Milan plus the Società Umanitaria. Authorisa- ried out. After the disas- tion to build the Autodromo Nazionale (racetrack) trous expedition to Russia, was granted in 1922. he tried to defend the King- dom of Italy against Austri- Recent major regeneration work on the park an attack, also securing a includes the recovery of the Vedano hill landscape, victory on the Mincio River. the reinstatement of the Villa Reale optical tele- After the insurrection of Mi- scope and the architectural restoration of the 19th- lan, he sought refuge in Mu- nich, with Augustus of century Cascina Fontana, the central s alon in Vil- Bavaria whose daughter , la Mirabello, the neo-Gothic doorway in the Giar- Amalia Augusta, he had dini Reali and the positioning, near Cascina Casalta, married in 1800. of the Lo scrittore (The Writer) sculpture by Gian-

Monza and its province 20 Monza 001-035:Layout 1 20-05-2009 17:35 Pagina 21

Monza

Queen Margherita

Margherita of Savoy (Turin, 1851-Bordighera, 1926) was the first Queen of Italy from 1878 to 1900. Daughter of Fer dinand, Duke of Genoa, the second son of V ictor Emmanuel II, and Elisabeth of Saxony , she married her cousin, the hereditary prince Humbert, later King of Italy (Humbert I) in Turin on 22 April 1868. In 1869, she became the mother of Victor Emmanuel, future King of Italy. Villa Reale in Monza, detail of the main block li- carlo Neri (2005) and, between Cascina Cernuschi co and the Valle dei Sospiri, the La voliera per Umani he installation by Giuliano Mauri (2006). t- The building of the greatest arc hitectural and r- historic portent in the park, preceding its creation, u- is Villa Reale, constructed b etween 1777 and 1780 ui- st ad Humbert I and the Regicide t- he Humbert of Savoy was born in T urin on sovereign was leaving the pavilion where 14 March 1844. He succeeded his father the event had been held in an open car- in with the name of Humbert I in 1878. Af- riage and without the protective steel te ter two failed attempts, the first by Gio- mail he usually wore beneath his waist- m vanni Passannante in in 1878 and coat because of the heat, to the ap- the second by Pietro Acciarito in plause of the crowd and with the band za in 1897, he was assassinated in Monza playing the royal march. a- on 29 by the anarchist Gae- leapt forward holding a pistol and fired tano Bresci, who wanted three shots in rapid suc- k) to avenge the repression cession. Humbert was hit of the popular uprisings in in a shoulder, lung and rk 1898. The king and queen heart and died soon after- had arrived in Monza for a wards. He was buried in e, holiday on 21 July. On 29, the Pantheon (Rome). e- Humbert was asked to Bresci was tried on 29 Au- h- honour the closing cere- gust and sentenced to life mony of the athletic com- imprisonment. He was il- petition organised by the closed in the prison of r - Forti e Liberi sports asso- Santo Stefano where he a, ciation with his presence. was found hanged in his Around 10.30pm, the cell in May 1901. n-

Monza and its province 21 Monza 001-035:Layout 1 20-05-2009 17:35 Pagina 22

Monza

The Villa to a project by as a holiday home for Archduke Ferdinand, son of the Empress Reale Roseto and Governor of Habsburg L om- The V illa Reale Rose Gar- bardy. The structure, in monumental Neoclassical den was created in 1963 in style, has the traditional horseshoe layout ending a space in front of the villa in avant-corps which flank a ceremonial courtyard. originally g iven o ver t o t he cultivation of citrus fruit at The avant-corps on the left houses a c hapel dedi- the wishes of the industrial- cated to the Virgin Mary, decorated with works by ist after whom it is now and Giuliano T raballesi; the named, Niso Fumagalli. Th Every year in May, the Rose- one on the right contains the riding sc hool. Neo- to is the venue for a leading classical alterations most notably include the dec- international competition oration of the Rotonda, frescoed by Andrea Appi- that has since 1965 award- ed prizes to the best roses, ani with a cycle on Cupid and Psyche. The complex (r divided into several cate- retained its function during the French occupation, by gories. The Roseto is open housing first Napoleon himself and then V iceroy in to visitors and boasts impor- Eugène Beauharnais. F urther additions were the tant specimens of old roses de including the famous “Bella work of Luigi Canonica, designer of the Teatrino to di Monza ” created in the di Corte, constructed in the outhouses, originally si early 19th century, the “Chi- intended to house the sta bles and kitc hens and nensis” rose, introduced in- ne to Europe from China and which also contained the Serrone, now an exhibi- that gave roses the previ- tion space. Adjacent to these is the Roseto, named of ously unseen orangey-red after Niso Fumagalli, created in the old citrus gar- tr colour, and the first Tea ros- es, thus named because tra- den in 1963. After Italian Unification, the Villa be- er ditionally said to have been came King Humbert I’s favourite residence. sp brought to Europe on board The interiors conserve the apartments of the ar ships transporting tea. King and his consort Margherita and ref lect the Info: Associazione italiana of della Rosa – Roseto “Niso neo-baroque taste favoured by the sovereigns, who ro Fumagalli”, tel. 039320994; requested refurbishments entrusted to the arc hi- is www.airosa.it; e-mail: tects Luigi Mainoni, Achille Tarantola and Villama- [email protected] rina. After the king’s assassination (1900), the roy- pa al family abandoned the building, which is now the to focus of a regeneration plan. sa

The Niso Fumagalli Roseto and the Villa Reale courtyard, where the entrance is situated R

Monza and its province 22 Monza 001-035:Layout 1 20-05-2009 17:35 Pagina 23

Monza ay Open Day in the ss m- Villas of Brianza al Villas in Brianza open their ng doors to visitors for an ex- traordinary day spent ex- d. ploring this area’s artistic di- and architectural treas- by ures. The local villas, gar- dens, churches and castles he provide Brianza with an at- o- The façade of Villa Mirabello tractive and sometimes still c- little-known heritage that lays bare the innermost pi- The villa complex includes the Giardini R eali soul of what is today one ex (royal gardens), separated from the rest of the park of the most developed in- n, by a wall built with material salvaged from the ru- dustrial zones in Italy. In re- oy ins of the . Based on the “English gar- cent years, “Ville Aperte” has become quite an he den” model, the gardens were enriched with grot- event, an unmissable date no tos, small watercourses, a Doric-style templet b e- that takes people back to ly side a small lake, an artificial hill with paths and a the roots of the new Province’s identity. Every nd neo-Gothic Visconti tower. year, thousands of attend- bi- Leaving Villa Reale behind you, on the left side ing visitors confirm the ed of the large avenue that forms its monumental en- success of this event, a prestigious cultural event r- trance you will see theCappella Espiatoria (1910), for the new Province that e- erected to a design by Giuseppe Sacconi on the also benefits from the High spot where Humbert I was assassinated by the an- Patronage of the President he archist Gaetano Bresci on 29 July 1900. On the top of the Italian Republic. Info: www.villeaperte.info he of the structure is a tall stele embellished with the ho royal symbols. Above the entrance to the c hapel hi- is a Pietà by Ludovico Pogliaghi. a- Leave the gardens and proceed along the y- paved road in front of the gate and you will come he to Viale Mirabello, which leads to the villa of the same name.

ed Relaxing in Monza Park, the great ‘green lung’ of the province

Monza and its province 23 Monza 001-035:Layout 1 20-05-2009 17:35 Pagina 24

Monza

M

The wooded banks of the Lambro River in the Parco Reale di Monza in na Villa Mirabello was constructed by the Durini on family, on what is thought to have b een the site si of the De Leyva castle, to a design by Gerolamo w Quadrio b etween 1656 and 16 75. In or around 1768, Cardinal Angelo Maria Durini asked for the R building – with horseshoe plan and two square la towers – to be redesigned and enriched with fres- tin coes, with the aim of creating a place of refined vi entertainment for prominent figures and men of C letters. Guests included Giuseppe P arini (who th dedicated an ode, La gratitudine, to the cardinal) la and Metastasio. In Napoleonic times, his govern- (f ment incorporated it into the park. It now con- tu tains some habitation. en th Out of interest M Farming in the park The Società Agricola Colosio Giuseppe Lu- special point of sale open from 8.30am ciano e Sergio , situated in Monza Park to 12.30pm. It also organises courses (via Molino S. Giorgio 17, tel. 039 on e nvironmental s ubjects, g ardening 302480) produces milk and organic and ornamental plant management. cheeses. There is a milk booth for direct sales to the public and school students can visit the animals by appointment. The Scuola Agraria del Parco di Monza (Viale Cavriga 3, tel. 0392302979, fax 039325309, [email protected], www.monzaflora.it, d irector A ntonella Pacilli) is within the park boundaries and focuses on fruit and vegetables, bee- keeping, nursery gardening and com- posting. Barley, honey and ornamental plants can be purchased directly at the The Neoclassical Mulino del Cantone V

Monza and its province 24 Monza 001-035:Layout 1 20-05-2009 17:35 Pagina 25

Monza

The Park: numbers and info Park ID Surface area: Villa Reale: 35 ha Park: 685 ha Grassy areas: 137 ha Monza Park, Cascina Mulini Asciutti Woods: 295 ha

Points of entry: 5 On the left side of the central block is the Rid- Surrounding walls: 13 km Date of birth: ing Centre. To complete the Villa Mirabello sce- 14 September 1805 nario, Cardinal Durini had a second structure built ni on a natural terrace in 1776, Villa Mirabellino, de- Forest trees: 110,000 signed by Giulio Galliori and linked by a hornbeam Bridges: 4 te Stately villas: 3 mo walk, of which some specimens have survived. Farms: 13 nd Along Viale Mirabellino you will encounter the Mills: 3 Rationalist RAI TV broadcasting complex, with its Visitors/day: 60,000 he (source P.I.M. May 1996) re large aerial, designed by Gio P onti in 195 2. Con- s- tinue along this avenue past Cascina S. Fedele , Info Point For any information regard- ed visible to the right on high; built to a design by ing your location or the Canonica in 1805, it incorporated sculptures from of park’s history, you can visit ho the destroyed c hurch of S. Maria in Brera in Mi- the Cascina Bastia (Porta di al) lan. The building is one of a large number of cascine Monza entrance, V iale Bri- (farm complexes) built between the late 18th cen- anza), open every day from n- 10am to 5.30pm. Info-line: n- tury and the early decades of the 19th century that 0392300009 enrich the park’s heritage, along with some mills, the only one still in operation being that of Cascina Mulini Asciutti.

Villa Reale seen from the Giardini Reali

Monza and its province 25 Monza 001-035:Layout 1 20-05-2009 17:35 Pagina 26

G The Monza Autodromo za

m da of dr ci he Autodromo, owned by the cities of Mon- hi za and Milan, was constructed in just 110 is Tdays in the year 19 22 by a team of 3,5 00 ly workers at the request of the Automobile Club di Milano for the 25th anniversary of its founda- tiv tion (1897). SIAS SpA (Società Incremento Au- nu tomobilismo e Sport), federated to the Automo- as bile Club d’Italia, was founded for the purpose It and still manages the trac k. The architect Alfre- ev do Rosselli and engineer Piero Purricelli’s design th was for a structure that could serve both compet- cy itive races and car and motorcycle testing. Sa The Autodromo was officially opened on 3 to September 1922; it hosted the Gran Premio Mo- tociclistico delle Nazioni on the following 8 Sep- co tember and the second on 10 sw September. Since then, except during the war pe- hu Bird’s eye view of the riod and in a few other years ( 1937; Mi- ce racetrack and the Formula 1 lan 1 947; Turin 1 948; I mola 1 980), the I talian at racing cars

luoghiMonza and da its vivereprovince 26 Monza 001-035:Layout 1 20-05-2009 17:35 Pagina 27

The Monza Autodromo

Grand Prix has always b een raced on the Mon- Monza Plus za circuit. The whole structure has b een repeatedly As everyone awaits the Formula 1 Grand Prix, nu- modernised, mostly from WWI I to the present merous side events ani- day, to make sure it is at the cutting edge and one mate the city centre, al- of the most demanding but also s afest tracks for ways attracting thousands drivers. The Autodromo comprises a Grand Prix of visitors and spectators. Motors are the core focus circuit (5793 m), a Junior circuit (2 405 m) and a throughout the week in n- high-speed circuit (4 250 m). Its crowd capacity the Area Cambiaghi and 10 is approx. 135,000 spectators, with approximate- piazza Castello with quad shows, safe-driving cours- 00 ly 75,000 seats. es and the Go Kart, Mini ub It also comprises a large centre for leisure ac- Auto and Mini Moto a- tivities and non-motor sports. Every year it holds tracks. The programme includes much music and u- numerous track, cycling and other sports events dancing and caters for a o- as well as art and automobile/motorcycle fairs. mixed public in piazza se It also offers spaces for meetings and music Duomo and piazza Carro- e- events. When not being used for testing or races, biolo. Concerts by Italian and foreign artists and gn the track is open to visitors in cars or on motor- cabaret and theatrical per- t- cycles, bicycles (for hire), foot and roller-skates. formances brighten up Safe-driving courses run by professional instruc- the evenings in the city centre. 3 tors are of special social importance. Ample space is given over o- Existing amenities include an 18-hole golf to sport with 15 disciplines p- course, a riding school and an indoor Olympionic represented and numer- ous events held in the Vil- 10 swimming pool. The racetrack’s camping site is laggio dello Sport in piaz- e- hugely popular and situated in a clearing in the za Cambiaghi, with the i- centre of the north section of P arco Reale. Info participation of the sports an at: www.monzanet.it associations from the sur- rounding area. Art, history and culture lovers can join guided tours to Monza attrac- tions and attend the nu- merous book and photo- graph exhibitions with sports themes. Info: www.monzapiueventi.it

Spectators watching the start of the Italian Grand Prix

Monza and its province 27 Monza 001-035:Layout 1 20-05-2009 17:35 Pagina 28

Parks in Brianza

n the 19th century, the abundance of green A Ispaces in Brianza and the printed pictures illus- trating its scenery earned the region the name co “the garden of Lombardy”. Despite the very dense br industrialisation and urbanis ation th at affected R the area in the 20th century, it conserves remark- ot able nature areas, now organised into the Parchi ni di Monza e Brianza system. T his is a “network” along the lines of those already created in other parts of Europe in which several bodies work to- R gether to promote nature, culture and tourism in G protected areas. T he system offers all potential ge users a map of the environmental resources and va numerous initiatives promoted by the governing te bodies, a single ticket to all the parks and an easy fu guide for nature -loving visitors. T he “system” ha fu st fo

Va im th riv m ta by w al ta ce (t ha cl Monza Park, the largest walled park in Europe L

Monza and its province 28 Monza 001-035:Layout 1 20-05-2009 17:35 Pagina 29

Parks in Brianza

The Oasi Lipu in Cesano Maderno

The Lipu (Ital- ian league for the birds pro- tection) Oa- sis was established in 1997 thanks to the joint collabo- en ration of Lipu, the city of A cycle path in the Groane Park Cesano Maderno and the s- Consorzio Parco delle me Groane and extends over a comprises two regional parks, the Valle del Lam- se surface area comprising ap- bro Park, which includes Monza’s famous Parco proximately 100 ha of ed Reale (Royal Park), and the Groane Park, plus woods, moorland and wet- k- other important spaces of municipal and intermu- lands set close to a highly hi urbanised and industri- nicipal importance. k” alised area. A network of paths indicated by stones er and Lipu signs and a o- Regional Parks pedestrian-cycle path take in Groane Park. The Groane is a zone of enormous visitors through the three areas that constitute the al geological and botanical interest with woods and Oasis. A raised observa- nd vast heathlands as its main features. T he clayey tion point and specially con- ng terrain favoured the establishment of quarries and structed hides along the routes allow birdwatching. sy furnaces and some vie del mattone theme routes Since 2003 it has featured m” have b een signposted to b oth quarries and old the Centro di Formazione furnaces. The huge area is home to numerous ed Educazione Ambientale, stately homes (17th-19th cent.). See p. 38 for in- an educational centre ded- icated to the ecologist Alex formation. Langer and an example of sustainable architecture all Valle del Lambro Park. This stretches for approx- in timber and with solar and photovoltaic panels for imately 25 kilometres from Monza to Erba along heating. The centre offers the Lambro River. The crucial role played by the disabled access and con- river is demonstrated by the presence of 31 old tains a conference room, educational workshops mills. The park area features hugely different habi- and a space set aside for tats that do, however, share a strong imprint left an environmental library. by humans and their work. T here are important The centre organises nu- woods of false acacia, hornb eam, common oak, merous activities, from training courses for lectur- alder and ash trees. Thanks to the variety of habi- ers and environmental op- tats, fauna is highly diversified, especially as con- erators to educational cerns birds. The park also comprises Monza Park routes for school visits and recreational pastimes for (the largest walled park in Europe, spread over 685 young children. For further ha), which embraces several Brianza centres in- details visit: www.oasice cluding, as well as Monza, Biassono, Vedano al sanomaderno.it Lambro, Villasanta and Lesmo.

Monza and its province 29 Monza 001-035:Layout 1 20-05-2009 17:35 Pagina 30

Monza

ag na an ut no at

M go Children and animals in the Grugnotorto Villoresi Park ly gi Established in 1805-1806 by Napoleon Bonaparte go for his stepson, Viceroy Eugène de Beauharnais, it ar comprises valuable landscapes, V illa Reale, Villa co Mirabello and V illa Mirab ellino, an important A body of farm complexes and mills and the famous th Autodromo. See pp. 25 and 76 for information. its

Extramunicipal parks R fa Brughiera Briantea Park. This lies between Me- te da and Como and has one of the largest forests ri on the L ombard plain. Its clayey ground led to m the development of an industry to extract and ve process the clay . The abandoned quarries now contain several small lakes. Gr tw Brianza Centrale Park. A city park that runs L around the city of Seregno and is nearly all farm- w land. The park has several green spaces, the sp largest being the Meredo Farming Park and the 2 Giugno alla P orada Park, covering 7 0 and 5 0 hectares respectively.

New woods in the Brianza Colli Briantei Park. This lies b etween the Valle Centrale Park del L ambro and Molgora parks and comprises the first hilly reliefs (pianalti) in eastern Brianza. It is a major link in the provincial eco network.

Valletta Park. Lying between the Montevecchia and Valle del Lambro parks, this features charm- ing scenery peculiar to the upper Lombard plain, notably morainic hills dating from the Quaternary A

Monza and its province 30 Monza 001-035:Layout 1 20-05-2009 17:35 Pagina 31

Parks in Brianza

age f ormed b y t he A dda g lacier. The p ark i s named after both the feature of its lowlying area and an irrigation ditch of the same name (a trib- utary of the Bevera) that runs through it from north to west. T he presence of several habitats attracts quite a variety of animal species.

Molgora Park. The protected areas in the Mol- gora Park, which now extends over approximate- rk ly 1,000 ha, have a steeply vertical development given its close relationship with the River Mol- te gora that f lows through the northeast Milanese it area from north to south. T he park is run by a la consortium of all the concerned . nt As well as safeguarding and promoting nature, us the park also fosters knowledge of the area and its historical, cultural and scenic value.

Rio Vallone Park. This is spread over a total sur- face area of 480 ha along the river it is named af- e- ter, the Rio Vallone. The vegetation is extremely ts rich and the fauna diversified, with 13 species of to micromammals, including the dormouse and har- nd vest mouse. Top, a rabbit in the Groane w Park; above, a woodpecker Grugnotorto Villoresi Park. This acts as a link be- in the Oasi Lipu of Cesano tween the N ord Milano, Groane and V alle del Maderno ns Lambro parks and alternates cultivated fields and m- working farms with green spaces. It has a lake, he split in two with one half used for angling and he 50

le es a. k. ia m- n, ry A bike outing in the Grugnotorto Villoresi Park

Monza and its province 31 Monza 001-035:Layout 1 20-05-2009 17:35 Pagina 32

Monza

the other as a habitat for moorhens, ducks, geese, wild swans and herons.

Cavallera Park (in preparation). Established by Arcore, , Monza, V illasanta and Vimercate, this occupies an area of 65 0 ha and takes its name from the old Cascina Cavallera, in the park. It features a strong farming vocation and the presence of numerous evenly distributed ru- ral cascine (farms) of very old origin. T The Valletta Park tr Media Valle del Lambro Park. Established in an 2002, this has a surface area of 114 ha and is on go the territory of Brugherio and . rio ra Parco Est delle Cave (in preparation). This ex- th tends over a surface area of 573 ha, predominant- (3 ly farmland, and is spread over the Milanese mu- m nicipalities of , , th Cologno Monzese and Vimodrone, and Brianza’s ry Brugherio. There is a large presence of quarries, at one of which, that of the Increa Park, has been O regenerated for leisure purposes. an to Park details en Brianza Centrale Park www.parcomolgora.it; e-mail: info Headquarters c/o Seregno mu nicipal- @parcomolgora.it ity ity, via Umberto I 78; tel. 0362263308, Rio Vallone Park ed 0362263332; website: www .parcobri Headquarters c/o Cavenago Brianza, al anzacentrale.it; e-mail: info.parcobrian Cascina S. Sofia 1 (open Mondays and [email protected], info.urbanis Thursdays 4-6pm); tel. 0295335235; di [email protected] website: www.parcoriovallone.it; e-mail: ly Brughiera Briantea Park [email protected] of Headquarters c/o Lentate sul Seveso mu- Valletta Park nicipality, via Matteotti 8; tel. 036251 Associazione Amici della Valletta, web- m 5203; website: www .parcobrughiera.it; site: www.lavalletta.org; e-mail: ami e-mail: [email protected] [email protected] Grugnotorto Villoresi Park Colli Briantei Park Headquarters c/o Town Hall, via Gran- Headquarters c/o Camparada municipal- di 15, ; tel. 02 ity, piazza Municipio 1, tel. 039698541; 91004369; website:www .comune. website: www.parcocollibriantei.it; e-mail: paderno-dugnano.mi.it/grugnotorto/; [email protected] e-mail:[email protected] Cavallera Park dugnano.mi.it Headquarters not yet established. Molgora Park Website: www .parchivimercatese. Headquarters c/o via Roma 5, Burago brianzaest.it; e-mail: parchivimercatese Molgora; tel. 0396612944; website: @brianzaest.it Th

Monza and its province 32 Monza 001-035:Layout 1 20-05-2009 17:35 Pagina 33

e, Brugherio Website: www.comune.brugherio.mi.it by Pro Loco Brugherio: via Vittorio 13 Distance from Monza: 5 km. Distance from Milan: 16 km nd Map reference: E 4 nd in nd u- his town lies southeast of Monza, to the left of Tthe road to Vimercate, and is now a major indus- trial settlement known thanks to its electrical-appli- in ance production. The place name stems from “ bru- on go”, a heather-like shrub that appears in the Brughe- e. rio coat-of-arms and adapts well to the clayey ter- rain typical of the area. The oldest written record on x- the area is found in St. ’s “Martiriologio” t- (374 AD). T he seat of a prominent Benedictine u- monastery of early medieval foundation and made The Relics of o, the fief of the Seccoborella family in the 15th centu- the Three Kings a’s ry, it became a in 1866 with the annex- The relics were initially tak- ation of the Bindellera, Casecca, Gelos a, Increa and es, en to Constantinople by St. en Occhiate farm complexes and the villages of S. Dami- Helena. Constantine later ano, Cascina Baraggia and , previously au- gave them to Archbishop tonomous territorial bodies and with partially differ- Eustorgio of Milan and they were conserved in a city ent histories. basilica named after him. Old places of worship abound in the municipal- Removed by Frederick I ity. The parish church of S. Bartolomeo, consecrat- Barbarossa in 1164 and tak- en to Cologne, only in the ed by St. in 15 78 and repeatedly 20th century were some of altered, conserves relics of the Three Kings that are the relics returned. Accord- displayed on the Epiphany every year. It was strong- ing to tradition, St. Ambrose gave the relics of three pha- ly remoulded in the 18th century and in the middle lanxes belonging to the of the next century with the intervention of Giaco- Wisemen to his sister Mar- mo Moraglia, who designed its dome. cellina who owned property in the Brugherio area. On her death, they were given to the Milanese diocese. A Benedictine convent was founded on this site, named after St. Ambrose, and con- served the holy remains, which were then moved to the parish church of S. Bar- tolomeo at the request of Archbishop Federico Bor- romeo in 1613. The parish church of S. Bartolomeo

Monza and its province 33 Monza 001-035:Layout 1 20-05-2009 17:35 Pagina 34

Monza

Brugherio to so Celebrates tu The Festa Paesana di S. Dami- ano (town fête of St. Dami- tu an) is organised in June by 18 the traders’ association with the backing of the local li, council office for t rade. It ar features jugglers, a band de concert and markets offer- ing opportunities to taste lo- no cal dishes and have fun at ta the evening dances. st The second or third Sunday in September brings the tra- ditional Festa delle Occhiate The chapel of S. Lucio, beside pr (Occhiate Festival) at the in Cascina di Occhiate with as- The internal decoration dates from the final tu sorted entertainment for the public and a chance to taste decades of the 19th century and the first half of the Fi wholesome culinary special- 20th century and is the work of Giovanni Valtorta of an ities in keeping with the tra- Milan, E nrico M ariola o f P iedmont a nd Vittorio dition of the Cascina (farm) and the mill it serves. Granchi of Milan. The Cascina S. Ambrogio, linked an On t he s econd S unday i n traditionally to St. Marcellina, sister of St. Ambrose, cy October the Festa Patronale became a monastery of Benedictine nuns after the ba della Madonna del SS. Rosario e di S. Bartolomeo (Feast of 10th century, flanked by a church that is still stand- th the Patron Saint of the ing. Despite some alterations, the structure of the 10 Madonna of the Holy Cascina was never radically altered. T he present te and St. Barthole- church of S. Ambrogio was restored in 18 86. The mew) comprises religious celebrations, local cu linary brick façade is in L ombard Romanesque style and specialities, markets and a the building contains fine works of art and two 14th- fun fair sponsored by the century frescoes. Brugherio office for trade. The church of S. Anna , in the hamlet of San Damiano, formed part of the now lost Villa Viganoni- Benaglia, and dates from 853 AD. The present build- ing is an 18th-century construction. The church of S. Margherita, in the hamlet of Baraggia, is also of old foundation but baroque in appearance, like the oratory of the Beata Vergine of Cascina Guzzina and the church of Cascina Increa. Noteworthy civil buildings include Palazzo Ghirlanda Silva, now the home of the town library and an example of 18th-century N eoclassical archi- tecture. A stately residence owned by Count Scotti, it has been in existence since the 16th century. After Inside S. Ambrogio coming into the ownership of Marquis Silva, it passed V

Monza and its province 34 Monza 001-035:Layout 1 20-05-2009 17:35 Pagina 35

Brugherio

to the Ghirlanda family in Milan, members of which The Mulino sold it in 18 72 to the town of Brugherio, which turned it into a school and municipal offices. di Occhiate The hamlet of Moncucco features the 18th-cen- This structure is one of the tury Villa Bolognos Sormani Andreani . A round oldest in the and was built in or 1820, at the recommendation of Giocondo Albertol- around the year One thou- li, Count Gianmario Andreani had some Renaissance sand. It is a cereal mill with architectural structures of an oratory threatened with two wheels, one wood and the other metal. It employs demolition transported from and these are water from the Molinara or now the c hapel of S. Lucio. A considerable under- Mornera irrigation ditch, taking for the times, Alb ertolli completed the con- generated by the Lambro struction with a pronaos and a f light of steps. River and then returned to it, which just touches the Villa Fiorita was founded in the 18th-century on Cologno Monzese area. pre-existing outbuildings by Count Scotti and passed, Today, it serves education- in 1778, to Gaspare Ghirlanda b efore later b eing al purposes. al turned into a clinic for nervous disorders. The painter he lived there, using the conservatory of annexed to the complex as his studio. io The Museo Galbiati is spread over three f loors ed and conserves a collection of approximately 150 bi- e, cycles dating from 1790 to 1950; a collection of 250 he barrel organs and accordions; a collection of more d- than 250 phonographs and gramophones; more than he 10,000 records in a vast array of types; and 400 “mys- nt terious objects” and work tools. The Villa Fiorita Park he nd h- an ni- d- of of he nd zo ry hi- ti, er ed Villa Bolognos Sormani Andreani viewed from the garden

Monza and its province 35 Monza 036_073:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:43 Pagina 36

Western Brianza its stately homes and its monasteries

ntil the mid-17th century the western section of what is today’s provin- Uce presented features typical of many parts of Lombardy: a dense me- dieval network of religious buildings; early 16th-century embellishments; a systematic restyling commenced in the late 16th century; and the gra- dual conversion of medieval fortresses and houses to 16th-century man- sions. The most salient moments in this long history are the amazing 14th- century frescoes in S. Stefano in Lentate sul Seveso and the remains of those (now in Brera) of the nearby and coeval Mocchirolo; the 15th-cen- tury Crucifixion in Villa Clerici, also in Lentate; the Renaissance frescoes in S. Damiano in Cogliate; the large 15th-16th century complex of S. Vit- tore in Meda, with a Pietà by Andrea da Milano, the huge frescoed cycle and the 17th-century altarpiece by Cerano; the Luini-style fresco in Bar- lassina; the 16th-century cycle of Ss. Rocco e Sebastiano in Seregno; and the 16th-17th century reconstruction of the sanctuary of Lazzate. The reconstruction of Palazzo Arese (later Borromeo) in Cesano Ma- derno commenced in 1652 was a crucial achievement in Lombard art: the huge palazzo belonging to Bartolomeo III Arese, president of the Senate in Milan and of the Consejo de Italia in , constitutes a microcosm in which political needs, cultural development trends and the latest artistic fashions came together in the name of a strong scientific and naturalistic

Monza and its province 36 Monza 036_073:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:43 Pagina 37

Western Brianza

interest and close links with the Roman classicism mediated by the Ambro- siana Academy in Milan. The organisation of the mansion regenerated the whole city with its garden and wide driveway marked by buildings. A model capital, Cesano became a paradigm for dozens of other buildings in the Sta- te of Milan, built for the members of the Arese guild, and specific spaces such as the Sala dei Fasti Romani, the Galleria Sapienziale and the nymphaeum remained models for decades. The religious world of this mo- ment saw the reconstruction, at the request of Arese, of the sanctuary of S. Pietro Martire al Faro in Seveso: this place of worship on the site of the martyrdom of the Dominican inquisitor became a classicist church After Cesano, the culture of the villa characterised the area: the 18th- century examples of Villa Volta Sannazzaro in Lentate (with frescoes by the Tiepolo-style artist M. Bortoloni) and Villa Crivelli al Mombello in Lim- biate; the Functionalism of V illa Agnesi in Varedo, home of the scientist M. Gaetana and under renovation; the Neoclassical episodes of Villa An- tona Traversi in Meda and V illa Traversi Tittoni in Desio, later converted to one of the very first neo-Gothic complexes in Europe; the Italian Liberty style of Villa Bagatti Valsecchi in Varedo and Villa Ponticelli in Nova Mi- lanese; the Rationalism of Villa Bianca in Seregno, by G. Terragni. On the religious front came significant episodes: the neo-Romanesque Benedic- tine complex in Seregno; the neo-Renaissance solemnity of the basilica in Desio; and Spirito Maria Chiappetta’s passage from the neo-Gothic sty- le seen in S. Stefano Nuovo in Cesano Maderno to the Rationalism of S. Valeria in Seregno.

Monza and its province 37 Monza 036_073:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:43 Pagina 38

Western Brianza

To learn more Parco delle Groane The Groane Park extends over a surface area of approximately 3,400 ha and cuts vertically across 16 municipalities, northwest of the city of Milan. The area is served by a dense network of foot and cycle paths (running to more than 35 km), picnic areas and nature trails. Headquarters: Solaro, via C della Polveriera 2 (open Mondays and Wednesday-Friday 9am-noon; Tues- an days 2.30-4.30pm); tel. 029698141; website: www .parcogroane.it; to e-mail: [email protected] R tio Istituto per la Storia dell’Arte Lombarda (ISAL) tia Established in 1967, this is a non-profit free cultural association that pro- motes, furthers and backs research into the Lombard figurative and archi- w tectural production, circulating the results with conferences and publica- Lo tions. The operational base of the institute is in the Neoclassical wing of in Palazzo Arese Jacini, also the Town Hall: piazza Arese 12, tel. 0362528118; lig website: www.istitutoartelombarda.org th m Università San Raffaele Following an agreement drawn up between the Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele and the town of Cesano Maderno, Palazzo Arese Borromeo now houses the teaching activities of the Faculty of Philosophy, including a de- gree course in philosophy and a specialist degree course in philosophy of the mind and person, city and history. Info: www.unisr.it

Th

Monza and its province 38 Monza 036_073:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:43 Pagina 39

Lazzate Municipal website: www.lazzate.com Pro Loco Lazzate: via Volta 8. Website: www.prolocolazzate.it E-mail: [email protected] Distance from Monza: 21 km Distance from Milan: 29 km. Map reference: C 2 ha n. to rossed by the Guisa River, this town lies on the via Cwesternmost edge of the province of Monza s- and adjoins Lentate sul Seveso. The site is thought it; to have b een a holiday area of the patricians in Roman times. T he first written document men- tioning it is, however, the 13th-century Liber noti- tiae Sanctorum Mediolani by Goffredo da Bussero, o- hi- which records the existence of the church of S. a- Lorenzo, rebuilt in 1758 and then extended again of in the 2 0th century, like the other important re- 8; ligious construction in Lazzate, the Sanctuary of the Beata Vergine di Caravaggio. Modern docu- ments record the successive passages of the feud an ow e- Lazzate celebrates of The third week in Septem- ber brings the Sagra della Patata e Mercatino d’Autunno (Potato Festival and Au- tumn Fair), an event organ- ised by the local council and the “Borgo in Festa” association and based on a respect for and promotion of traditions and a passion for the fruits of the earth. It is held in the streets of the old town centre and the central piazza Giovan- ni XXIII; the Sagra della Patata restaurant is set up beneath a tensile structure and welcomes guests for tastings of an array of po- tato-based dishes. The fine food i s a ccompanied b y music performances and cabaret. The church of S. Lorenzo

Monza and its province 39 Monza 036_073:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:43 Pagina 40

Western Brianza

from the Missaglia to the Biraghi families, the lat- ter having, in the late 15th century, constructed a residence that is still standing (private property) but radically restyled in the 18th century . It was then passed on to the Carcassola family whic h, from 16 26, shared the seigniory with the Arese family, whose presence is commemorated in the municipal coat-of-arms, featuring the bird’s right wing that comes from the arms of this leading no- ble family. T A painting in vicolo Madonna commemorates de Alessandro Volta, a brutal cholera epidemic in the 19th century. Af- th ter Italian Unification, L azzate was incorporated an an illustrious guest into the district of Monza and lost its municipal C autonomy when it was annexed to Misinto. It be- tio came an autonomous municipality once more in tim 1905. It recently embarked on a major regenera- th tion project in the via Volta and piazza Giovanni (1 XXIII area that supplements aesthetic improve- V ments such as the construction of a fountain fea- of turing plays of water and an artificial lake and riv- th er along the perimeter of the square evoking the st old irrigation ditch, with technological ones. Part ta of the municipal territory falls within the P arco so Not far from the parish church in Lazzate stands Naturale Regionale delle Groane (Groane park) G the house that Alessandro and this green space can be explored on foot, cy- no Volta (1745-1827) inherit- cle and equestrian paths. T he itineraries include pu ed from his relatives of the E Stampa family. A plaque one to the so-called Roccolo di Lazzate, an old commemorates the scien- bird hunting spot now a wood of oak, hornbeam cl tist’s sojourns and the tra- trees and extensive moorland. sib dition that says it was here w that he invented the elec- tric battery (1800), which fr appears in the centre of A the municipal coat-of- th arms. Documents state that Volta conducted ex- of periments in the presence th of the local country peo- a ple. The aforementioned plaque also says that the scientist introduced the la cultivation of a certain va- m riety of potato on his re- in turn from a stay in . S. Lazzate, the house where Alessandro Volta stayed ab

Monza and its province 40 Monza 036_073:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:43 Pagina 41

t- a Misinto y) Municipal website: www.misinto.info as Pro Loco Misinto: via 2. E-mail: [email protected] Distance from Monza: 22 km. Distance from Milan: 29 km h, Map reference: C 2 se he ht o- he R oman origins of this municipality, part of Twhich falls within the P arco Naturale R egionale es delle Groane (Groane park), have been confirmed by Af- the discovery of Roman coins at Fornace and vases ed and amphoras dating from the first centuries after al Christ at Cascina Nuova (1961). The centre is men- e- tioned in a document dated 926 AD. In modern in times, it was the feud of the Carcassola family, which a- then shared the seigniory with the Arese family ni (1626). Local nobles include the Birago, Solaro and e- Vimercati families. The 17th-century parish church a- of S. Siro (1610-1640) was extended in 1894, when v- the crypt dedicated to the Crucifix was also con- he structed. Inside, it conserves a Neoclassical marble al- rt tar (1796) sculpted by Nazaro F ossati di Ar zo and co some 17th-18th century paintings from the Brera k) Gallery. In the old town centre, see Palazzo Maggi, y- now the Town Hall, of 14th-15th century origin and de purchased by Carlo Ambrogio Maggi in 1810 from ld Ermenegildo Vimercati, who sold all his property, in- m cluding large estates. The Maggi family was respon- sible for the decorations in the building. Villa Riva Palazzo Maggi was probably built by the Solaro family, recorded from the 16th century. In 1793, ownership passed to Antonia Francesconi, wife of Zaccaria Riva. In 1947, the complex was purc hased by the L anzani family of Seveso and the park was subsequently opened to the public. The Parco delle Rimembranze features a splendid Pietà by Mauro Conconi. The hamlet of Cascina Nuova is home to the late-16th century church of S. Bernardo . The nu- merous foot and cycle paths in the park area notably include those between Cascina Nuova and Cascina S. Andrea, where the so-calledBoschi di S. Andrea, d abounding with Scots pine trees, are situated. The dome of S. Siro

Monza and its province 41 Monza 036_073:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:43 Pagina 42

Cogliate Municipal website: www.comunedicogliate.it Distance from Monza: 20 km. Distance from Milan: 27 km Map reference: D 2

ogliate lies in the west of the province of Mon- C za. Unlike other towns in the area, no archaeo- logical artefacts from Roman times or previous ti- mes have b een discovered here. T he first written document recording its existence dates from 9 96 AD. At the time, “Colliate” was a settlement of Be- nedictine nuns named after St. Dalmazio. F arming S was its primary activity and a document dated 1184 states that the tithes were paid in fruits of the earth br such as pulses, wine, linen, turnips, walnuts, c hest- fu nuts and lupins. In the second half of the 15th cen- bu tury, the c hurch of the Benedictine convent, by m then in decline, was rebuilt, named after St. John the to Baptist and conferred with the title of parish chur- ch. From 1538 to 1734, Cogliate was the feud of the da Carcassola family. Subsequently, like Ceriano, it was fr inherited by the Castellani-Varzi family. The Bene- th dictine convent was suppressed during the Napo- M leonic occupation and the complex was purchased pe by a certain Isimbaldi of Ceriano, who turned it in- tu to a farm estate, although a small chapel was retai- T ned on the site. Subsequently, the assets passed to si S. Damiano, detail of the the Fatebenefratelli charitable institution. In the la- M frescoes in the apse te 18th century, the mulb erry growing silkworm th po

gi ex no to m (c th no Inside the church of S. Damiano ed

Monza and its province 42 Monza 036_073:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:43 Pagina 43

Cogliate

n- o- ti- en 96 e- ng S. Damiano, frescoes in the chapel of the Madonna 84 th breeding, already recorded in Sfor za times, were t- further augmented and became distinguishing local n- businesses. In 186 9, Cogliate was united with the by municipalities of Solaro and Ceriano, becoming au- he tonomous again in 1919. r- The church of S. Damiano, south of the town, he dates from at least the 14th century. It conserves as frescoes dated to the 15th and 16th centuries in e- the apse and the decoration of the c hapel of the o- Madonna dates from the 16th century. The cha- ed pel of the Sacra Famiglia has a 17th-century struc- n- ture and stuccowork from the following century. ai- The figures of St. Anthony and St. Sebastian at the to sides of the main altar, painted by the artist De a- Micheli of , date from 1832. Not far from m the building is the Foppa di S. Damiano , a small pool of rainwater. The area forms part of the P arco Naturale Re- gionale delle Groane and this green space can b e explored on foot, cycle and equestrian paths. T he northeast features oak woods and southeast of the town there are pine groves and farmland. T he moorland landscape extends towards Barlassina (centre-north). Inside the park, along via Piave, is the Fornace Pizzi, active from 19 24 to 19 71 and now an industrial archaeology complex serving for educational purposes.

Monza and its province 43 Monza 036_073:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:43 Pagina 44

Ceriano Laghetto Municipal website: www.comune.cerianolaghetto.mi.it Pro Loco Ceriano Laghetto: via Cadorna 10. Tel.: 0296469011 Website: www.prolococerianolaghetto.it E-mail: [email protected] Distance from Monza: 18 km. Distance from Milan: 25 km. Map reference: D 2

he town centre is crossed by the Guisa River and Tlies west of the P arco Naturale R egionale delle B Groane. The presence of a village with the names pa of Cerollianum and Cerellianum is recorded in the til area at least from 1033. In the 13th century, the Hu- po miliati order founded a convent here. In 15 38 the co Patron ’ town was given in feud to the Carcassola family fic celebrations who built their home here. During the 1 7th centu- 19 ry, feudal rights were shared with the Arese family te and the local lords in the 18th century included fu Marchese Fagniano and the Pusterla family. In 1869, it was united with the towns of Solaro and Cogli- ly ate, not becoming autonomous again until 1919. In 16 the second half of the 19th century factories produc- tu ing paints, bric ks, wheels and artificial silk devel- co oped in the area. In 19 44, Ceriano’s railway and The last week in August m brings the St. Victor’s Day, powder magazine were subjected to heavy machine- kn packed with events, reli- gun fire. The Tur is one of the oldest buildings in Ce- B gious celebrations, a fire- riano and its entrance bears the date 1570. Villa Car- St works display and evening dancing. cassola, the Town Hall, also dates from the 16th zo The second week in Sep- century. The parish church of S. Vittore was rebuilt of tember is the turn of theSt. in the early 2 0th century and consecrated in 19 09; be ’s Day, in the hamlet of Dal Pozzo. On the first the old c hurch, dating from the 13th century, was Sunday in May they hold demolished in 1914. The aisles were added in 1934. the Straceriano non-com- North of the lake that gives its name to the town, petitive foot race. on a clayey plateau, is an oak wood that surrounds a large orc hard of pear trees. T his is home to im- portant bird species such as the honey buzzard and the ordinary buzzard. The area south of the lake is dotted with pools and continues to feature oak trees and a pine grove. F arther south it b ecomes moor- land where the former powder magazine stands, now the park headquarters. The area is crossed by foot and cycle trails and an equestrian path. The Ceriano lake Th

Monza and its province 44 Monza 036_073:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:43 Pagina 45

Barlassina Municipal website: www.comunebarlassina.it Distance from Monza: 17 km. Distance from Milan: 25 km Map reference: C 3

nd arlassina stands on the right bank of the Seveso le B River. A former feud of the Arese family, it then es passed to Count Rezzonico and the Porro family. Un- he til the mid-19th century the town kept gaining im- u- portance and becoming the main town in a district he comprising also Desio and Seregno. After Italian Uni- ly fication it lost its autonomy, whic h was regained in u- 1901. For more than a century now, it has b een in- ly ternationally renowned for its craft production in the ed furniture sector. Cursa di Asnitt 9, The parish church of S. Giulio d’Orta, original- li- ly dating from the 12th century, was rebuilt between Every year in September (week before the third In 1613 and 16 23 and then extended in the 19th cen- Sunday in the month) they c- tury. The chapel of the Madonna dell’ Aiuto (1527) organise the Cursa di el- conserves a fresco linked to Bernardino Luini but Asnitt, a sort of donkey nd more probably by his sc hool (Madonna and Child , palio race between the lo- cal districts of Monteu, e- known as the Madonna dell’Aiuto, with St. John the L’aqua colda, Fameta, Pu- e- Baptist and St. Antonio Abate, left, and St. Martin and lenta and Parieu, Lo uett, r- St. Lawrence, right), and baroque stuccowork.Palaz- Cascina Santa Maria, Fabricun, Burghett. Each th zo Rezzonico, now the Town Hall, has a central block district races a donkey ilt of 16th-century foundation. Several rooms are em- and jockey. 9; bellished with frescoed coffered ceilings; it conserves as 4. n, ds m- nd is es r- ds, by

The exterior and a detail of the interior of Palazzo Rezzonico, now the Town Hall

Monza and its province 45 Monza 036_073:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:43 Pagina 46

Western Brianza

busts and a bas-relief depicting P ope Clement X III, previously known as Carlo Rezzonico. The 20th-century architecture notably includes the buildings of the primary and junior high schools in via Colombo. Constructed in 1934 and 1960 by Mario Asnago and Claudio Vender, respec- tively, these mark the passage from the early to late Rationalism. They also built the nearby Casa Ve - gni in via Trento 12. Palazzo della Cassa Rurale e Artigiana, the work of Franco Asnaghi and Dario S Caini, dates from of 1978. ra The Luini-style fresco in the parish church of S. Giulio The entire west section of the municipality C forms part of the P arco Naturale R egionale delle flu Groane. The “ex Tiro a Segno” area is a venue for (1 summer events and a cycle path links the town to vi the S. Andrea woods, passing by farmland and co through wooded areas. Fr Curious facts fa th Artists in Barlassina Po Barlassina has been the birthplace of This first major work was fo llowed by C leading painters, architects and sculp- many more and, in 1981-82, he fres- tors from the second half of the 19th coed the octagon and presbytery of th century to contemporary times, the the church of S. Giulio; in 1992, the th best known being Emilio Longoni (1859- chapel of the Casa di Riposo Luigi Por- 1932). After training at the Brera Acad- ro and the foyer and conference room C emy, he became a strongly committed of the Scuole Elementari; and, in 2006, gl painter in his choice of subjects and the new wing of the municipal ceme- themes with a social content. After be- tery. Beatrice Angela Cazzaniga (1940), coming close to pointillism, he progres- who moved to Argentina with her fam- po sively manifested a spiritual and sym- ily in 1950, graduated in Sculptural sc bolist inspiration, especially in his land- Arts from the Faculty of Art, Philoso- te scapes. Mario Asnago (1896-1981) was phy and Letters of Tucumàn State uni- an architect active from 1923 on and versity (1967-1970), later becoming a by worked for more than 40 years with professor of Sculpture and an active by Claudio Vender (Milan, 1904-1986). The member of the American Institute of two professionals produced a large Art. She has received numerous re- body of work in Barlassina, including gional and national prizes and awa rds the chapel of Morandi (1935), V illa for her sculptures. Claudio Borghi Vegni (1956), V illa Conti (1959), the (1954), who teaches Sculptural Arts extension of the Scuole Elementari at the Liceo Artistico in Busto Arsizio (1961-1964), the Scuole Medie (1965- and works with the Scuola Civica di Ar- 1970) and a small villa in via Rossini, ti Visive in , has participated in now partially altered (1969). Valentino numerous national and international ex- Vago (1931) was known as the “painter hibitions. In Barlassina, he has c reat- of light” and, in the last 15 years, also ed a large sculpture in the park for the focused on painting murals; in 1978- Banca di Credito Cooperativo, the 1979 he decorated the premises of the Monument to the Fallen of all W ars Cassa Rurale e Artigiana (now Banca and the baptismal font in the parish di Credito Cooperativo) in Barlassina. church. Th

Monza and its province 46 Monza 036_073:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:43 Pagina 47

II, Lentate sul Seveso es Municipal website: www.comune.lentatesulseveso.mi.it gh Distance from Monza: 19 km. Distance from Milan: 25 km Map reference: C 2 nd c- te e - le ituated on the main Giovi road this comprises the io Smain town and the four hamlets of Camnago, Bi- rago, Cimnago and Copreno. In Middle Age Lentate, ty Copreno and part of Camnago came under the in- le fluence of the Milanese monastery of S. Simpliciano or (12th cent.); Cimnago, a former possession of the Bo- to visio family (10th-11th cent.), ended up under the The Oratory nd control of the monastery of Meda (11th-12th cent.). of S. Stefano From the 11th century, Birago was controlled by the family of the s ame name. F rom the second half of Visits and some guided tours are organised by the the 14th century on, Lentate saw the presence, of the Associazione Amici del- Porro family. In the 1 7th century, the Casnedi and l’Arte, with advance book- Clerici families started to play a prominent role. In ing required for groups. No- vember-March, Sundays the 19th century, the Raimondi family was active in 2.30-4.30pm; guided tours the uprisings of the Risorgimento. In 1862, Lentate, 2.30 and 3.30pm. April-Oc- Camnago and Copreno were combined in the - tober: Sundays 10am-noon gle municipality of Lentate sul Seveso. and 3-5pm; guided tours at 10 and 11am, 3 and 4pm. The Oratory of S. Stefanooccupies a prominent Closed in August. Info and position o n t he 1 4th-century L ombard painting booking: Associazione scene, updated to please the court of Milan and at- Amici dell’Arte, via Monte Santo 2, Camnago, tel. 366 tentive to the circulation of Giotto models, renewed 4511175, www. amiciarte.it, by Giovanni da Milano. It was commissioned in 1369 [email protected]. by Stefano Porro. The architectural structure is bound

The oratory of S. Stefano (right, the Crucifixion) and the parish church in Lentate

Monza and its province 47 Monza 036_073:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:43 Pagina 48

Western Brianza

to its decoration, partially linked to the painter Anov- elo da Imb onate. The nave features Stories from the Life of St. Stephen and, among other frescoes, a Cru- cifixion in the back wall of the presbytery. Standing on the Mocchirolo hill is the 14th-century Oratory dedicated to the Madonna, commissioned by L an- franco Porro. Most of the paintings, attributed to the artist Pietrino da Nova, were detached (1942-1943) and are now in the Brera Gallery. Recent restoration has uncovered friezes and Prophets in situ. In the M main town, the parish church of S. Vito was recon- be The entrance to the Town Hall of Lentate sul Seveso structed in 18 39 by Gaetano Breij and extended in T the 20th century. The paintings are by Alb erto Bo- Ve gani. Villa Volta-Sannazzaro was built in the late ex 16th century and extended in the 17th and 18th cen- a Lentate celebrates turies; it contains T iepolo-style frescoes partially M Lentate sul Seveso and its linked to Mattia Bortoloni. Villa Valdettaro was built la four hamlets produce a by Bartolomeo Marelli, the impres ario of the L a cl busy annual calendar of ini- Scala theatre, in neo-Gothic style (1847). The gar- T tiatives and events. As well as the patron saint’s days – den (second half of the 19th cent.) is the work of A 15 January – St. Mauro in Giuseppe Balzaretti. Villa Raimondi was built in 1630 10 Copreno, mid-July in and some rooms conserve baroque decorations. The pr Camnago, 26 July – St. coach house contains a collection of more than 6000 an Anna in Birago, third Sun- day in October in Lentate musical instruments. The Oratory of S. Vincenzo in ho – Camnago celebrates Cimnago conserves a fresco of the Madonna and af two major dates: the Feast Child. The parish church of Ss. Quirico e Giulitta in be of St. Anthony of , in the first half of June, and Camnago (1567) has b een greatly altered. In Co- the Mostra Mercato della preno, Villa Clerici was built in 1650. The same fam- Zootecnia (Livestock Fair), ily commissioned the late 17th-century Sanctuary of the first weekend in Sep- tember, now a fixed event S. Mauro, built over pre-existing remains, and the re- with displays of various construction of the Oratory of S. Francesco Save- animal species, gastrono- rio. A 15th-century Crucifixion by the master L an- my stands promoting local franco da Lecco in the presbytery is surrounded by produce and workshops for young and old alike. The baroque decorations. The funeral monument of Pao- now regular initiatives that lo Clerici is the work of V incenzo Vela and March- add to the Christmas and ese Giorgio, protagonist of the Cinque Giornate in New Y ear festivities in- clude the Concerto d’Epifa- 1848 is buried there. T he parish church of S. nia (Epiphany Concert), by Alessandro was commenced in 1570. In Birago, Vil- the Corpo Musicale “G. la Mirabello (1756) was by Gabriele Verri as a hunt- Verdi” of Camnago, and the Rogo della Giubiana (bon- ing lodge. The family set up a spinning mill b eside fire) in Copreno, on the last it. The chapel of the Madonna del Rosario was Thursday in January. commissioned by the Casnedi family. Th

Monza and its province 48 Monza 036_073:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:43 Pagina 49

v- he Meda u- Municipal website: www.comune.meda.mi.it ng Pro Loco Meda: via c/o Palameda. Tel.: 3347005062 Website: www.promeda.it E-mail: [email protected] ry Distance from Monza: 16 km. Distance from Milan: 26 km. Map reference: C 3 n- he 3) on eda lies at the b ottom of the first foothills in he M Brianza and since its origins its history has n- been bound to that of the monastery of S. V ittore. in Tradition says that, in the 8th century, Aimo and o- Vermondo, Counts of Turbigo, were on a hunting te expedition in Brianza and chased by wild boars to n- a place where a c hurch dedicated to St. V ictor the ly Martyr stood. T here, they found “two splendidly ilt large bay trees” to climb up and grateful for their La close escape, decided to build a new convent there. r- The oldest record of the monastery dates from 851 of AD. Extremely rich, it held authority – reiterated in 30 1024 by Emperor Henry II – over a vast area com- he prising Meda and some of the neighb ouring towns 00 and villages. T he town originated as a cluster of in houses under the nuns’ control; it was fortified and nd after the year 1000 gained considerable importance, The parish church of in becoming a famous market town. In 14 96, Meda, S. Maria Nascente o- m- of e- e- n- by o- Fish and dancing h- In the second and third in week in July, they hold the S. traditional Sagra del Pesce (fish festival) in the centre l- of Meda, in via Icmesa. t- For two weekends, the or- de ganisers serve fine fish dishes that are accompa- as nied by dancing in group or couples. The church of S. Vittore

Monza and its province 49 Monza 036_073:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:43 Pagina 50

Western Brianza

di fis The C.F.P Terragni tu T The Centro di Formazione M Professionale Giuseppe de Terragni was set up in the second half of the 19th in century as a municipal arts pa and c rafts s chool t o su p- co port and update the trai- ning of local craftsmen. Piazza Vittorio Veneto, the heart of Meda’s old town Although th e s chool h as centre m had to renew itself con- ca stantly over the years to which formed part of the lands of the State of Mi- ce meet work-market de- mands, it has not abando- lan, was host to a meeting b etween Maximilian of It ned its main purpose and Habsburg and the Duke of Milan, Ludovico il Mo- op has remained a training ro, before the delegates of the leading Italian States ily centre of new generations and the P ope’s L egate. T he late 18th century for local businesses. Its A main aim is to train profes- brought the end of the old monastery, whic h had co sional figures that can ope- escaped the suppressions imposed by the Emperor (p rate in the conservation II of Habsburg but did not survive those of B and restoration of the arti- stic heritage, particularly Napoleon. On 29 May 1798, the nuns were evicted, the restoration of polych- the convent suppressed and all its assets put up for tu rome and wood works. auction. In the 19th century, Meda gained consid- on The courses of Autocad and Cad/Cam and on the erable importance in the field of hand-crafted furni- hi restoration of old furniture ture and the town is still the hub of a production su and wood reveal a focus that is famous the world over. on the innovative dyna- The old town centre is dominated by the spec- mics of the work world. The courses held at the tacular piazza Vittorio Veneto lined by the build- C.F.P. Terragni in Meda in- ings of the greatest historical and visitor interest. clude work experience and The church of S. Vittore, the heart of the Benedic- vocational days with local businesses and are run in tine nuns’ monastery, now presents its classicist collaboration with Milan 16th-century appearance, with a vast cycle of fres- Polytechnic and, as con- coes, in part by Bernardino Luini and his sc hool, cerns worksite activities, the heritage services. The closely resembling that of the Milanese Monastero C.F.P. focuses on wood- Maggiore, and a Pietà sculpted by Andrea da Mi- working and furniture pro- lano (the main sculptor in the Sanctuary of Saron- duction and represents no). Inside, the church conserves precious remains one of the leading bree- ding grounds of cabinet of grotesque decorations. The most significant paint- makers, wood carvers, fur- ed works include ones by Giulio Campi and the al- niture decorators and tarpiece on the main altar by Giovanni Battista upholsterers in Lombardy. Info: www.cfpmeda.it Crespi, known as Cerano (16 26). The façade dates from 1730 and is a rococo masterpiece. Th

Monza and its province 50 Monza 036_073:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:43 Pagina 51

Meda

The parish church of S. Maria Nascente, tra- ditionally known as the Sanctuary of the SS. Croci- fisso, is of medieval origin; restyled in the 17th cen- tury, it was rebuilt again b etween 1881 and 18 93. The last intervention (1924), by the architect Paolo Mezzanotte, was on the façade. Inside, the nave is decorated with an important eclectic cycle portray- Villa Antona Traversi ing Jesus’ childhood, frescoed by Luigi Morgari, a painter from Turin repeatedly present in Brianza, in collaboration with Primo Busnelli from Meda. wn Villa Antona Traversi, a conversion of the old monastery of S. V ittore, is a sumptuous N eoclassi- cal construction by L eopold P ollack (early 19th Mi- cent.) with decorations probably by P elagio Palagi. of It has a compact structure and a horizontally devel- o- oped façade. Purchased in 1836 by the Traversi fam- es ily, the villa is still the home of its descendants, the ry Antona Traversi Grismondi family. The ground floor ad contains Neoclassical rooms and the Sala del Coro or (previously the private c hapel), with frescoes by of Bernardino Luini and his assistants. d, On the border with Seveso is a small 13th-cen- or tury church dedicated to Ss. Nazaro e Celso , the d- only one of the five of the old F arga, listed by the ni- historian Goffredo da Bussero (13th cent.), to have on survived to the present day. c- d- st. c- st s- ol, ro Mi- n- ns t- al- ta es The front of Villa Antona Traversi that overlooks the garden

Monza and its province 51 Monza 036_073:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:43 Pagina 52

Seveso Municipal website: www.comune.seveso.mi.it Distance from Monza: 15 km. Distance from Milan: 23 km Map reference: D 3

eveso bears the s ame name as the watercourse S S that rises in the , almost on the Swiss border, and marks the western “boundary” of w Brianza. The old Seuse, perhaps of Gallic-Roman ori- na gin (4th-3rd cent. B C), is now a vibrant industrial qu town linked mainly to the production of furniture, Q on the main S S35 Giovi road. First mentioned in a si Turning a threat document dated 9 96 and an important parish, in at into an opportunity 1252 it was the site where heretics assassinated Fri- pl ar Pietro da V erona, Papal inquisitor of Milan and le On 10 July 1976, the area Como, as commemorated by the name of the ham- th of Seveso and some of the let of San Pietro Martire. Canonised in less than a neighbouring towns was N contaminated by a toxic year, his remains are conserved in Milan in the Basil- fa cloud containing large ica of S. Eustorgio. Shortly afterwards, a monastery quantities of dioxin, re- leased after an accident in a chemical plant owned by the Swiss company ICME- SA (Givoudan-La Roche group) in the adjoining Me- da but close to the town of Seveso. A large number of its inhabitants were evacu- ated and the area was completely decontaminat- ed. The Bosco delle Querce is indication of how Seveso managed to fight back positively from the consequences of the acci- dent. An educational, his- torical environmental itiner- ary created in the park by the Circolo di Legambiente (Ponte della Memoria proj- ect) illustrates the event and the situation today . Info:www.boscodelleque rce.it; www.legambiente seveso.org. Seminario Minore in San Pietro Martire

Monza and its province 52 Monza 036_073:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:43 Pagina 53

Seveso

se Seminario Minore, detail of the internal decoration he of was built in Seveso (now the hamlet of F arö) and ri- named after the Dominican friar, and a new village al quickly grew up around it. The architect Gerolamo e, Quadrio rebuilt the annexed church to a commis- a sion by Bartolomeo III Arese, president of the Sen- in ate of Milan, from 166 2 on. Inside, it has a central ri- plan with a dome roof and works by some of the nd leading artists active in Milan in the second half of m- the 17th century such as , Giuseppe a Nuvolone, the Santagostino family, the Montalto Villa Dho il- family, Giovan Battista Costa and the s culptor ry Curious facts San Pietro Martire San Pietro Martire, al- hook embedded in his so known as Fra Pietro head. One of the at- da (Verona, ca tackers, Carino Pietro 1205-Seveso, 6 April da Balsamo, the actual 1252), studied at assassin, repented of Bologna university and his action and later died joined the preaching or- in the odour of sanctity der at a time when St. in the Dominican con- Dominic di Guzmán vent in Forlì. Pietro was was still alive. He is par- canonised by Pope In- ticularly remembered nocent VI in 1253. The for his staunch opposi- knife that killed him is tion to heresy, especial- conserved in Seveso, ly Catharism. He was in the sanctuary named assassinated with a bill- after him. He is buried hook (falcastro) in the in the Basilica of S. Eu- forest between Seveso The church of S. Pietro storgio in Milan, in the and Barlassina as he was Portinari chapel. The walking from Como to Milan in 1252. liturgical commemoration is on 4 June, Hagiography reports that he dipped a the anniversary of the solemn transfer finger in his own blood and wrote the of his remains in 1340 to the monument word “I believe” on the ground shortly built by Giovanni di Balduccio between before he died. He is depicted with a bill- 1335 and 1339.

Monza and its province 53 Monza 036_073:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:43 Pagina 54

Western Brianza

Seveso celebrates

Calendimaggio: this is an age-old festival in honour of S. Pietro Martire and held in the hamlet of the same name in the first week in May, with stalls, displays of craft products and funfairs. Maggio San- pietrino is a country festival lasting the whole month of Villa Bianca, by Giuseppe Terragni R May in which religious cel- ebrations and folklore mix bu to give rise to a number of . The Dominicans abandoned the fo local cultural initiatives; the convent following the suppressions advocated by ity Maggio Sampietrino asso- ry ciation has, for many years, Emperor Joseph II and it was converted in 1819, prepared a calendar filled with the assistance of Giuseppe Pollack, to the ed with countless events and diocesan Seminary. The religious buildings also br initiatives. Feast of St. Nazaro notably include the prevostal church of Ss. Ger- H and St. Celso: at the end of July, around 28, religious vasio e Protasio , of 16th-century construction. th celebrations are held to ho- During the 1 7th century, the Carcassola, Lucini, M nour saints Nazaro and Porro and Arese families, whic h built some of its M Celso, with stalls set up to distribute pears and water most important buildings, alternated their seignio- la melon. Settimana Cino Vena- ry over Seveso. zo torio Ornitologica (Game The town and its environs feature a large num- sic Fair) is held in the second G week in September, with a ber of villas, most notably Villa Bianca (1936-1937), livestock fair, national bird the work of the Rationalist arc hitect from Como, exhibition, regional dog Giuseppe Terragni, and owned by Ferruccio Piemon- of show for all breeds, clay- ti; and Villa Dho, also known as the Petitosa e Maioc- la pigeon s hooting, b asket- ball, volleyball and karate ca, built in the early 19th century, with a Neoclassi- th matches, cycle races and cal façade and a large park but now municipally in evening dancing. ThePalio owned. Villa Peruviana is also of interest and is thus th di S. Clemente in the week around 23 November, the called because linked to a local man, Generoso Gal- to day of St. Clement, the imberti, w ho e migrated t o Peru a nd l ater b ecame patron saint of the hamlet that country’s Consul General in Milan. of Baruccana, is packed with events. The a ssets a nd t he i nfluence e xercised b y the nuns’ monastery of S. V ittore di Meda are epito- mised in the Cascina Farga, part of a larger construc- tion that incorporated three chapels, of which only one remains (the small church of S. Nazaro). Archae- ological finds dating from R oman times have b een made near the building. Visit the Bosco delle Querce, a town park that commemorates the tragic accident at the Icmes a factory that affected the whole of Seveso in 1976. A

Monza and its province 54 Monza 036_073:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:43 Pagina 55

Cesano Maderno Municipal website: www.comune.cesano-maderno.mi.it Agenzia per il turismo e la cultura: via Garibaldi 20. Tel.: 0362528241 Fax: 0362516519. Website: www.cesanoatc.it E-mail: [email protected] Distance from Monza: 13 km. Distance from Milan: 21 km Map reference: D 3

ight in the heart of the town and its oldest piece Rof architecture is the Torre Civica (Torrazzo), a ro- bust 13th-century tower and all that remains of a vast he fortified system guarding the Seveso River. In its vicin- by ity, Palazzo Carcano is a simple 15th-centu- 9, ry structure in unfaced brick inserted into a repeat- he edly refurnished farm context. Overlooking the old Cesano celebrates so brolo, Palazzo Arese di Seveso(later Jacini), the Town r- Hall, is an austere 1 7th-century building f lanked by The second Sunday in September sees the Feast n. the serliana-porticoed façade of the oratory of S. of the Parish of the Beata ni, Maria del Transito, the work of the arc hitect Fabio Vergine Immacolata di Binza- ts Mangone and enhanced by an altarpiece by Gero- go, while, on the following Su n day, they celebrate the lamo Chignoli (Death of the Virgin Mary). The palaz- o- Fe ast of the parish of S. Pio X. zo contains a monumental fireplace and the Neoclas- The last Sunday in Septem- m- sical additions consist in a statue in the courtyard The( ber celebrates the patron saint’s day, with a number 7), Goat Amalthea with Erots) and a coeval wing. of popular games and a o, The main branch of the Arese family, the Counts race between the local dis- n- of Castellambro, lived in the nearby Palazzo Arese, tricts to win the Palio de la c- later Borromeo, a sumptuous 17th-century residence Caretela. The race is through the town streets with spe- si- that became the model for a large number of build- cial wheelbarrows, called ly ings in the State of Milan inhabited by memb ers of caretela, high and with no us the party dominated by the grand figure of Bar- sides, that were used in the past to transport goods and tolomeo III Arese (1610-1674). Constructed on late- al- chattels and by carpenters me to transport furniture. The e ve nt is preceded by a pa- rade of the districts through he the streets, with the flag o- wavers from , gue- c- sts from V alencay, a twin - ly ned town, and people in costume. On 23-2 4 D e- e- cember, they perform a Liv- en ing Nativity in the church square in the parish of S. Stefano, with roasted at chestnuts and mulled wine sa to warm the soul. An aerial view of Palazzo Arese Borromeo

Monza and its province 55 Monza 036_073:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:43 Pagina 56

Pa

hi l’o ha la lit ch medieval foundations, it was rebuilt in the late 16th Swach Museum ar century in a horseshoe design; in the mid-17th cen- m The Swatch World Museum tury, it was converted to a grandiose structure with (www.worldmuseum2000. su a central courtyard and a double loggia overlooking com) in Palazzo Arese Jaci- vo ni retraces the history of the courtyard and garden. Its division into extensive ric this brand since 1983, dis- living quarters (ground f loor: entrance, stables, en- playing more than 7000 an trance halls and reception spaces, as well as a public pieces. It is a unique pub- B oratory and a splendid nymphaeum; piano nobile : lic museum, fruit of the col- co lecting passion of Fiorenzo museum area, grand reception spaces, the female Barindelli. ga sector, private apartments and the sapiential zone) is tu Getting there ci si By car, A4 Torino-Venezia motorway, By coach, from Milan: ATM M1 Bicocca- B exit Cormano, then SS35 Giovi road, Sesto railway station, then AGI Brianza exit 9 or 10; from Monza on the SS527 Trasporti Nord Est Trasporti 32 Brianza (Monza-Busto Arsizio), then follow the Trasporti, z223 for Monza, Monza rail- ric signs to Cesano Maderno. way station stop, then AGI Brianza Trasporti Nord Est Trasporti 32 Brianza th By train, Cesano Maderno is on the Fer- Trasporti z209 for Cesano Maderno of rovie Nord Ramo Milano (North Milan (FNM); from Monza: from Monza (rail- fa Railway Milano line), from Milan Cador- way station), AGI Brianza Trasporti Nord na for and Camna- Est Trasporti 32 Brianza Trasporti z209 m go/Lentate. for Cesano Maderno (FNM). D ic

Monza and its province 56 Monza 036_073:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:43 Pagina 57

Cesano Maderno

The Arese family

A family of jurists linked to Pavia University, the Arese family emerged on the Mi- lanese scene with Bar- tolomeo II (1508-1562), who embarked on a campaign of land purchases in Brian- za. His children gave rise to several b ranches, n otably that of Marcantonio III, Count of Castellambro. His son Giulio I became presi- dent of the Senate, while his brother Cesare (a The- atine like Fra Paolo) be- Palazzo Arese Borromeo, the garden came of T ortona and a f ine w rite. G iulio’s son, Bartolomeo III (see box highlighted by a vast cycle of frescoes with trompe on p. 58) was the most il- lustrious exponent; his mar- l’oeil classical ruins and a rich portrayal of nature en- riage to Lucrezia Omodei hancing mythological and religious episodes, all re- produced Giulio II (who lating to family vicissitudes and, even more so, a po- died before his father) and the daughters Giulia and litical interpretation of the fate of the Spanish monar- Margherita, who married chy. Coordinated by , the frescoes into the Borromeo and th are a masterpiece by the later Ambrosiana A cade- Visconti Borromeo fami- n- lies respectively . When my, with the presence of Roman classicism by artists th Arese died (1674), Ce- such as the Montalto family, Antonio Busca, the Nu- sano passed via Giulia to ng volone family, Ercole Procaccini the Younger, Fede - the Borromeo Arese fam- ve rico Bianchi, Carpoforo Tencalla, Marcantonio Pozzi ily, who controlled it until it n- became a municipality in and many more. P assed in the 18th century to the the 20th century. Important ic Borromeo family, the mansion was enriched with ro- family members were Carlo le: coco frescoes by Mattia Bortoloni. T he Italian-style IV, son of Giulia, an Austri- le an governor of Naples and garden is, for the most part, the fruit of a 2 0th-cen- is a friend of Muratori, and his tury reconstruction programme but conserves pre- daughter-in-law Clelia Grillo cious remains: 1 7th-century statues (originally in- Borromeo Arese, an intellec- tual and central to a scien- side), templets and the last fountain of the R oggia tific and literary salon of Eu- Borromea, excavated for Carlo IV Borromeo Arese. ropean portent. A side Its axis, which in the imagination runs symmet- branch, the Arese family of rical to the mansion, then b ecomes a large Ces ano Seveso (who lived in Palaz- zo Cesanese, later Jacini) thoroughfare, marked by arc hitectural expressions was brought to the fore in of glory and flanked by two churches: the old S. Ste- the 18th century by a mar- fano (17th-century construction with an earlier Ro- riage to the Lucini family of Como. Having adopted the manesque bell-tower, now the Auditorium P aolo e double-barrelled surname, Davide Disarò) and the new S. Stefano (a neo-Goth- it is still flourishing. ic construction by Chiappetta, with substantial re-

Monza and its province 57 Monza 036_073:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:43 Pagina 58

Western Brianza

Visiting the Palazzo

From March to October , the A ssociazione V ivere i l Palazzo and the Giardino Arese Borromeo organise guided tours. For days, times and costs see: www. vivereilpalazzo.it,tel. 0362528241, fax 0362516 519; email:vivereilpalazzo T @cesanoatc.it go ne Palazzo Arese Borromeo, the rear front ex ce mains from the previous c hurch). In the hamlet of en Binago, the Sanctuary of S. Maria della Frasca con- gr serves 15th-century frescoes.T he altar of the small T church of S. Eurosia features an 18th-century altar- co piece of the same name. lio T Out of interest its The “ of Milan” di Bartolomeo III Arese di based on the theology of fe Castellambro ( 1610-1674), quietism. The Cesano mod- fr son of Giulio I and Margheri- el was applied to buildings ta Legnani, had a legal-hu- such as Palazzo Baldirone in sc manistic education and em- Lissone, Palazzo Arconati in in barked on a traditional Mi- Abbiategrasso, Palazzo Vis- lanese administrative career conti in Rho, Palazzo Be- ge that led him to become Pres- sozzi in Cologno, Palazzo an ident of the Senate and Hon- Arese in and many zo orary President of the Con- more. Unlike the dynastic sejo de Italia. “God of Mi- celebrations commonly seen th lan” to the public affairs jour- in coeval mansions, the cy- Se nalists of the times and a great and refined cles painted in these were consistent ex- a politician. He was responsible for the last- pressions of general political visions, com- ing organisation of a great family alliance bined with a scientific interest in nature in- co — with the Arese, Borromeo, Omodei, terpreted via the classicist cult of ruins. Archinto and Visconti Borromeo families at its core but also extending to much of the Milanese aristocracy — that guaran- teed their allegiance to the Spanish monarchy and with a focus on succession aimed at the Habsburgs of . The figurative language adopted by this group (a guarantee of internal unity and outside circulation) was Roman classicism, atten- tive to nature (Arese was an admirer of Galileo), open to the Jewish world and Frescoes in Palazzo Arese Borromeo A

Monza and its province 58 Monza 036_073:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:43 Pagina 59

Bovisio Masciago Municipal website: www.comune.bovisiomasciago.mi.it Distance from Monza: 12 km. Distance from Milan: 19 km Map reference: D 3

his municipality was established in Decemb er T1928 with the unification of Bovisio and Mascia- go Milanese. The discovery of a small necropolis near via Comasinella in 1935 proves the settlement existed in Roman times. Numerous feudatories suc- ceeded one another from the Middle A ges to the of end of the modern era in the two towns, whic h n- grew up around their respective parish c hurches. all The church of S. Pancrazio is a strictly classicist r- construction built between 1765 and 1774 by Giu- lio Galliori and extended between 1936 and 1946. The recently restored church of S. Martinoretains its medieval design although it was restyled accor- ding to the indications of the Council of T rent. It features numerous examples of villa design dating from the 17th to the 20th centuries. Villa Erba Ode- scalchi Scotti, since 1941 the Town Hall, was built in the first half of the 16th century for the marria- ge of Alessandro Erba to Lucrezia Odescalchi. The annexed park presents English features. Villa Son- zogno Mariani Compostella , already recorded in the land registry in 1722, stands on the banks of the Seveso River. In corso Milano is Villa Tanzi, while a square tower in the old Masciago town centre Curious commemorates the presence of a mansion owned archive facts

The archives of the parish church of S. Pancrazio conserve the official acts of the marriages of Paolina Bonaparte to General Leclerc and Elisa Bona- parte to Felice Baciocchi, celebrated in the nearby church of Mombello (Limbi- ate) on the night of 14 June 1797. A detail of the reliefs on the tower in Masciago

Monza and its province 59 Monza 036_073:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:43 Pagina 60

Western Brianza

L re ce a pu 12 ri sa to The church of S. Pancrazio and, to the right, the tower in the old Masciago town centre

in by the Agnesi family. The architectural complex of su Villa Zari survives in its original design. re The Museo degli Attrezzi per la Lavorazio- th ne del Legno is a small private museum space M in an old restored haybarn. It exhibits a collec- th tion of woodworking tools dating from the 18th G century to the advent of electrical machinery, co examples of carving, furniture designs and period cl pictures. Founded by Mario Ferrari, a collector th St. Martin’s Day of woodworking tools, it also has a pedal lathe th with leather straps, stone wheels for sharpening st A religious celebration with an a rray o f e vents an d the tools, a collection of rare natural glues and sports competitions on the samples of fine mosaic parquet. Annexed to the second Sunday in Novem- museum is a craft workshop that restores anti- ber. It has been held for 50 years and includes a 10 km que furniture. mini-marathon, a history pa- Villa Marina is one of the most picturesque rade with 100 characters (of educational farms in the Groane park. Its aim was which m ore t han 40 o n to recreate a typical old farm so its farm animals horseback) and a re-enact- ment of St. Martin cutting include rare breeds at risk of extinction such as the his cloak; there are exhibi- Varzese cow and the Brianzola sheep. T he we- tions and markets, with the stern portion of the municipal area forms part of distribution of “papina” cake, a local speciality. the Groane regional park and is home to a LI PU (Italian league for the birds protection) reserve. V

Monza and its province 60 Monza 036_073:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:43 Pagina 61

Limbiate Municipal website: www.comune.limbiate.mi.it Distance from Monza: 13 km. Distance from Milan: 19 km Map reference: D 2

imbiate occupies a central position in the Parco L Naturale R egionale delle Groane. T he first records mentioning the town date from the 13th century when a chronicle speaks of the mission of a certain Alberto Confaloniero, podestà of the Re- public of Milan, who camped near “L emiate” in 1285 with the militias that were due to face the Tor- The Mombello riani armies. The 15th century to the 17th centuries Psychiatric Hospital saw an alternation of seigniory from the Marliani In 1865, V illa Pusterla Ar- to the Manriquez, Carcassola and Arese families. re conati Crivelli was sold to The characteristics of the terrain have resulted the Provincia di Milano and in a small farming production, compens ated by a work immediately com- menced to convert the of substantial use of the area as a place of suburban building to a branch of the residence for the Milanese aristocracy, especially in Senavra psychiatric hospi- o- the 18th and 19th centuries. T he hamlet of tal in Milan, of which it lat- ce Mombello is set in a scenic position overlooking er became the headquar- ters. From then on the his- c- the Seveso river valley, on the eastern edge of the tory of the villa was close- th Groane P ark and is home to Villa Pusterla Ar- ly linked to that of the psy- y, conati Crivelli. Francesco Croce built this grand chiatric hospital, constantly being extended with the od classicist villa with spectacular terracing towards construction of numerous or the garden at the height of the 18th century over pavilions in the park. The he the remains of a repeatedly extended medieval large complex, surrounded by an imposing wall, later ng structure. Completed in Neoclassical times, the vil- also comprised a pharma- nd cy, an abattoir, a bakery, a he laundry and an aqueduct. In i- the early 1960s, the Mombello psychiatric hos- pital housed a total of ap- ue proximately 3,000 patients. as It was closed in 1978 as a result of the Basaglia Par- als liamentary Act.Today, the he villa is home to the Istituto e- Tecnico di Agraria (www. of itaglimbiate.it), which man- ages an important farm U (selling Lombard produce). Villa Pusterla Arconati Crivelli

Monza and its province 61 Monza 036_073:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:43 Pagina 62

Western Brianza

Illustrious guests la passed in 1863 to the Provincia di Milano, which converted it to a psychiatric hospital. A vast restoration and refurbishment project is currently underway on the complex. Access to the Italian- style garden below is via a numb er of spectacular flights of steps that divide into two and a numb er of scenic terraces enlivened by exedras. Two inte- rior spaces and the chapel feature frescoes by Gio- vanni Angelo Borroni; there is also a fine grand staircase. The Oratory of S. Francesco, beside the T north wing, has an elegant baroque façade and in- sil side contains a single altar formerly surmounted by bl In 1797, Napoleon Bonaparte a painting by Bernardino Campi (156 8). Other to chose V illa Pusterla Ar- stately homes in the area include Villa Molinari re conati Crivelli in Limbiate Medolago, built b etween 1760 and 1764 to a de- en for his headquarters and those of the court. The sign by Giuseppe Bianc hi in distinctive rocaille ol house provided a perfect style; Villa Bosisio Castiglioni Rasini, radically re- fo setting for the celebration furbished in the 19th century, with an imposing to of the two marriages of Paolina and Elisa Bona- exedra entrance (the park was to the rear of the tim parte, Napoleon’s sisters, villa); Villa Bazzero Mella, originally more a rural ry to General Leclerc and Fe- construction than a “noble house” that, in the mid- To lice Baciocchi respectively on 14 June 1797. The villa 18th century, belonged to Giovanni Andrea Besoz- of was the venue for discus- zo, was sold to Luigi Ferni in the early-19th cen- 21 sions on the creation of the tury and was converted to a fine residence in the em , extin- second half of the same century. th guishing the V enetian Re- public and the fall of Genoa; The religious buildings include the church of it the bases were also laid S. Giorgio right in the old Limbiate town centre, de here for the Treaty of Cam- no longer used for worship now but a venue for fa poformio. The artist Jean Antoine Gros, who painted cultural activities; thechurch of Ss. Cosma e Dami- the first grand portrait of ano, at Pinzano, on the main street opposite the si Napoleon Bonaparte, also cemetery and dating from the 12th century. 18 stayed i n M ombello. T he Villa had previously wel- comed other illustrious guests, such as King Ferdi- nand IV of the Two Sicilies.

The park of Villa Bazzero Mella V

Monza and its province 62 Monza 036_073:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:43 Pagina 63

ch st Varedo ly Municipal website: www.comune.varedo.mi.it n- Distance from Monza: 9.5 km. Distance from Milan: 19 km Map reference: D 3 ar er e- o- nd he origins of this town are uncertain but the dis- he Tcovery (1972) of an assortment of everyday uten- n- sils as well as the remains of poles inserted into peb- by ble foundations dating from 4-5000 years ago close er to the waters of the Seveso River, in the area cur- ri rently known as the Area Snia, confirms the pres- e- ence of human settlements in the area since N e- Varedo celebrates le olithic times. Roman necropolises have also b een e- found in three different parts of the area and three The Falò della Befana (Burn- ing the Witch) on 5 January ng tombs with ric h funerary goods from L ongobard is a huge wood bonfire on he times were discovered in 1962. In the 13th centu- which they burn a wooden al ry, Varedo was the scene of the battles between the witch; pinsa and mulled wine are served in the oratory of Torriani and Visconti families fighting for control d- the church of Maria Regina. z- of Milan and one of the skirmishes in the battle on The Palio di S. Giorgio is held n- 21 January 12 77, from whic h Ottone V isconti in the last two weeks in May; this is a folklore event he emerged winner, took place on the border between during which the districts of this municipality and Palazzolo. In modern times, the Condor, Falco, Grifone of it was a feud of the Spanish marc hesi Manriquez and Airone compete in e, de Mendoza and later, from 16 76, of the Crivelli games and tournaments; the winning district is award- or family of Agliate. ed the Palio di S. Giorgio. A i- Like many centres in Brianza, Varedo features parade of floats through the he significant examples of villas, which appeared in the streets of Valera is followed by a performance in the 18th and 19th centuries. The Villa, erected before parish centre. The Festa delle Contrade runs all through the month of June and each district organises celebrations open to all, with entertainment. The Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul is held on the second Sunday in October, with the patron saints be ing c elebrated i n the church of Ss. Pietro e Paolo and the oratory with religious commemorations, folklore entertainment, com- petitions, and a funfair. Villa Medici in Marignano, now the Town Hall

Monza and its province 63 Monza 036_073:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:43 Pagina 64

Western Brianza

Bagatti Valsecchi 1751 and formerly owned by the Medici family of Marignano, is now the Town Hall and its large park has been opened to the public. T he north wall of the building conserves traces of two-light windows and late-medieval cornices. Villa Bagatti Valsec- chi, completed before 1884 (privately owned), is a fine example of historicism with stylistic references to the Renaissance and baroque styles. The build- ing incorporates numerous fragments of Milanese buildings, including the portico columns from Manzoni’s L azzaretto. Two g ardens, o ne Italian and the other English, and a spectacular drive com- plete the complex. Villa Agnesi, at Valera, is a state- The Bagatti family , barons ly home of 17th-century origin but was extended of Belvignate, who only la- in the mid-18th century, when it became the prop- ter added the surname Val- secchi, is recorded in Vare- erty of the Agnesi family of Milan. Used by the il- do from 1523 on, perhaps lustrious scientist and benefactor Maria Gaetana come to escape a plague Agnesi as a summer residence, it was donated to that hit Milan and its envi- rons. The most illustrious the Opera Pia Fatebenefratelli, of which she was di- exponents of the family in- rector. Currently the municipally owned villa is the clude the brothers Fausto object of a major refurbishment project, as too the and Giuseppe, collectors V annexed chapel of the Annunciazione. and architects responsible rig for numerous eclectic desi- Religious buildings notably include the parish gns for both villas and pla- church of Ss. Pietro e Paolo, erected in 1712 and ces of worship as well as subsequently extended to a design by Fausto Bagat- restoration work in western Lombardy. Well introduced ti Valsecchi (1915). This eclectic building bears ref- into the Milanese society erences to the Romanesque and Lombard Gothic of the early 20th century , styles. A fine crucifix dating from the 17th century they were also avid sport- smen, focusing on the ve- hangs in the nave. locipede and balloon rides. They built the family man- sion, inspired by the stately residences of the Lombard 16th century, near via Mon- tenapoleone in the centre of Milan, now the Museo Bagatti Valsecchi.

Villa Bagatti Valsecchi

Monza and its province 64 Monza 036_073:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:43 Pagina 65

Varedo of rk of ws c- a es d- se m an m- e- ed p- il- na to di- he he Views of Villa Agnesi: left, the grand staircase; top right, an aerial view; bottom right, the small church of the Annunciazione sh nd at- Curious facts ef- Maria Gaetana Agnesi ic Maria Gaetana Agnesi (Milan, 1718- sick and her studies of the Holy Scrip- 1799), the first of 21 children born to tures. The Pio Albergo T rivulzio was ry a wealthy family that made their money set up in Milan in 1771 and Ca rdinal in the silk industry, showed early signs asked Maria of her remarkable intelligence and spe- Gaetana to act as Visitor and Women’s cial t alent f or f oreign l anguages. H er Director. In 1783, she moved to the father, Pietro Agnesi, had his first child Pio Albergo to become its director . educated by illustrious tutors and with She continued working at the Trivulzio their aid Maria Gaetana learnt Italian, for 26 years until the day she died, 9 German, French, , Greek, Spani - January 1799. sh and Hebrew perfectly, earning her- self the nickname “seven language oracle”. Around 1737, she went on to study philosophy and mathematics. Agnesi was behind the discovery of the versiera algebraic curve. 1748 saw the publication of Istituzioni Analitiche ad uso della Gioventù Italiana, a book that earned her recognition all over Eu- rope. In 1752, her father died and she withdrew completely from public life to Gaetana Agnesi’s versiera in piazza focus on caring for the poor and th e della Pace

Monza and its province 65 Monza 036_073:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:43 Pagina 66

Nova Milanese Municipal website: www.comune.novamilanese.mi.it Distance from Monza: 6 km. Distance from Milan: 17 km Map reference: D 3

his municipality develops along the southern Tboundary of the province of Monza and is crossed Th by the Villoresi Canal, inaugurated in 1881. A first inhabited nucleus formed probably in Roman times de on the road b etween Milan and Carate. T he first gi written record dates from the late 13th century. For w centuries, Nova was a farming town and, until the pa 1920s, its economy, like that of many other towns V in Brianza, was based on silkworm breeding, flanked tu by vine growing, as mentioned in 1815 by the Mi- sp lanese poet , who indicated it as a centre ch of excellence for wine making. tu The parish church is dedicated to St. Antoni- ta no Martire and its first records date from the 13th 15 century. The building, altered in 1604, 1751 and 1842, adopted its present architectural form after extension in and restoration work in 1921-1923. The interior was in Curious facts Art in Villa Vertua The Collezione Permanente delle Arti del 1998) in 1978. He arrived in Nova in 1931 Fuoco is a collection of contemporary and taught at the vocational school there works featuring painted porcelain, ceram- before moving the Libera Accademia di ics, enamelled metal and fused glass. Its Pittura there in 1961. In collaboration with 350 works come from 22 countries the local administration, he founded the around the world. Established in 1999 by Bice Bugatti Painting Prize and the Gio- a joint effort of the local administration of vanni Segantini Drawing Prize. The draw- Nova Milanese, the Impronte cultural as- ings date from 1936 to 1966; the paint- sociation and Hobbyceram of Milan, the ings, executed in 1976-77, contain es- collection is an “interactive local space” sential traits of V iviani’s production that promotes the knowledge and love of marked by variations of light played on an art that has always accompanied hu- pale tones and subjects linked to Venice, man life. Every two years, it is the venue landscapes in Puglia and female figures. for the “Città di Nova” Prize, a crucial Collezione Arti del Fuoco , via Garibaldi 1, date for the promotion and latest news of Saturdays 3-6pm, Sundays 1 0am-noon the refined world of the fired arts. The and 3-6pm. Info: Associazione Culturale same civic premises display ten paintings Impronte, tel. 036243802; Ufficio Cultura and 54 drawings donated by the artist Vit- Comune tel. 0362374508, U.R.P . tel. torio Viviani (Milan 1909-Nova Milanese 0362374203. V

Monza and its province 66 Monza 036_073:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:44 Pagina 67

Nova Milanese

rn ed The parish church of S. Antonino Martire st es decorated in the 1920s and 1930s with the aid of Lui- st gi M orgari, w ho a lso d esigned t he w indows, o n or whose death Cesare Secchi of Milan took over. The he paintings are by Osvaldo Bignami. In 19 27, Vittorio ns Viviani, a local by adoption, created the lunette fea- ed turing imitation mos aics. The same artist was re- Mi- sponsible for a Crucifixion in via Garibaldi. The re church of S. Bernardo at Cascina Meda is 18th cen- tury and the Oratory of the Beata V ergine Assun- ni- ta in Grugnotorto dates from the second half of the th 15th century. 2, Villa Ponticelli Prinetti Vertua Masolo, a build- on ing in Italian Liberty style, was rebuilt over an exist- as ing c onstruction i n th e e arly d ecades o f t he 2 0th

Villa Ponticelli Prinetti Vertua Masolo

Monza and its province 67 Monza 036_073:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:44 Pagina 68

Western Brianza

century. It has a huge park and is, today, owned by the municipal administration, which has made it the home of the Collezione P ermanente delle Arti del Fuoco and the painter V ittorio Viviani’s donation. During the 19th century, the courtyard adjacent to the east wing of the villa was home to the first silk mill, owned by Vertua Prinetti. Villa De Barzi, behind the central square, was erected in 156 0 and altered in the late 18th century; it is most notable for its gar- den, the work of Luigi Cagnola. Villa Crosti Colom- D bo, the original structure of whic h dates from the ro 15th century, was extended and altered towards the la Villa Vertua, inside the end of the 18th century; it is Neoclassical in style and ist museum based on a design on whic h L eopold Pollack is bu thought to have worked. C The huge park annexed to the villa dates from is the 19th century. The latest cultural projects organ- e ised in N ova include an Ecomuseo, an open-air pr route aimed at pinpointing and promoting local en- 18 vironmental, artistic and historic resources, creat- lo ed thanks to an initiative of the Il Cortile cultural en association, and a venture, commenced in 1996, be- B tween this town and that of on the sub- 20 ject of exports that resulted in the creation of an G Archivio Audiovisivo della Memoria, conserved in the local civic library and the historic archive of the town in Alto Adige.

The long front of Villa Crosti Colombo Th

Monza and its province 68 Monza 036_073:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:44 Pagina 69

by he Desio el Municipal website: www.comune.desio.mi.it n. Distance from Monza: 8 km. Distance from Milan: 21 km Map reference: D 3 to lk nd ed r- esio lies northwest of Monza, an area known as m- D the “furniture -making pole”, on the Valassina he road, traced along the Roman road that linked Mi- he lan to Brianza. Excavations have confirmed the ex- nd istence of the settlement not only in R oman times is but also in a previous epoc h with the presence of Celtic-Ligurian peoples. The area’s Christianisation m is shown by the founding of the Basilica of Ss. Siro n- e Materno in 649 by Bishop Giovanni Bono. T he air present place of worship was built in the 1 7th and n- 18th centuries (arc hitects Pellegrini, Ciniselli, Mer- t- lo and Galliori) and the apse area extended at the al end of the last century (architects Leveni and Cesa e- Bianchi). The interior features a series of 19th- and b- 20th-century paintings by Mauro Conconi and an Giuseppe Riva of Bergamo. in he

Ss. Siro e Materno, detail of the 15th-century bell tower

The Basilica of Ss. Siro e Materno

Monza and its province 69 Monza 036_073:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:44 Pagina 70

Western Brianza

Pius XI It has a fine main altar by the sculptors Nava and Antignani (1744) and 16th-century tapestries. T he bell tower dates from the 15th century and has a fa- mous concert of b ells, cast in 1843 and the subject of three records. Desio formed part of the Martes ana district, first mentioned in 931 and under the power of Mi- lan, although it repeatedly sided against the city, for instance when Barbarossa arrived. It was a head parish at least from the 12th century. A Franciscan V convent (suppressed in 1777) and one of the Hu- miliati, who launched wool processing, were found- 19 Ambrogio Damiano Achille ed in the 13th century. During the fighting between re Ratti was born in Desio in the Torriani and V isconti families for supremacy ar 1857 to a family that worked with silk. He stud- over Milan, Desio was the scene of the decisive bat- th ied as a seminarist in Mon- tle from whic h Ottone V isconti emerged as win- za and Milan and at the ner on 21 January 1277. In the mid-14th century a bu Gregorian University in castle was built for Bernabò Visconti. In 1385, Gi- no Rome. He was ordained as a priest in 1879. Elected an Galeazzo brought the parish of Desio under the se Pope in 1922, he drew up jurisdiction of the Podestà of Milan. F ighting b e- bu the Lateran Pact with the tween the Empire and F rance tormented Europe pr Italian State (1929) which gave the Holy See sover- in the first half of the 16th century and, in 1511, ru eignty over the Vatican City the city was sacked by the Lanzichenecchi, immor- 18 State. In 1931, he inaugu- talised in a drawing by L eonardo da V inci con- Pi rated the Vatican Radio. He condemned and served in the British royal collections. In 1613, the tw Communism and died in King of Spain Philip I II elevated it from the rank ga 1939. The house where of county to that of marchesato; several noble fam- bo Pius XI was born contains ilies obtained it in feud. After Italian Unification, er a museum of mementoes linked to him, including the Desio became home to a factory known the world gr radio given to the Pope by over — the Gavazzi silk industry. Furniture and me- ro Guglielmo Marconi. chanical industries (Autobianchi came here in the al m

st Pi A th ch of G S. Vi Villa Cusani Traversi Tittoni ic

Monza and its province 70 Monza 036_073:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:44 Pagina 71

Desio nd he fa- ct The Palio ct, degli Zoccoli Mi- In Desio, clogs are the y, symbol of the spirit of re- ad bellion of the locals who, an Villa Cusani Traversi Tittoni back in 1227, fought against the Viscontis for u- the right to wear them and d- 1960s) subsequently developed. In 1924, it obtained for their dignity. Today, in en recognition as a “T own”. The municipal coat-of- memory of that battle, they Palio degli Zoc- cy arms stems from that of the Da Dexio family, with still hold the coli, a race between the at- the red and silver colours changed. districts of Desio, between n- The historically and artistically most interesting the last week in May and a building in the town is Villa Cusani Traversi Tittoni, the first in June. It is pre- ceded by a medieval cos- Gi- now the home of the civic library and other public tume parade and the Basil- he services. Of exceptional shape and size, the present ica of Ss. Siro e Materno e- building is the fruit of two subsequent conversion holds a ceremony involving homage to the cross, a pe projects on the older baroque structure, built on the promise on the part of the 1, ruins of a medieval castle and convent. In the late competitors and the bless- r- 18th century, the Cus ani family asked Giuseppe ing of the districts. During n- Piermarini to produce a N eoclassical design. B e- the , the officiant lights a traditional ball to he tween 1817 and 1846, Pelagio Palagi revamped the St. Victor which forecasts nk gardens a nd v illa, a dopting n eo-Gothic s olutions the success of the harvest; m- both in the park, with the construction of the tow- people believe that good or bad omens can be read ac- n, er, and the interiors, notably black boiseries on a gold cording to the direction ld ground covering the walls and ceiling of the dining taken by the smoke. In the e- room plus frescoed medallions. T he architect was afternoon, a parade ac- companied by a group of he also responsible for the gateway but the staircase and flag wavers is followed by mausoleum are by Luca Beltrami (19 03). the palio, which consists in Opposite the Basilica of Ss. Siro e Materno a relay race around the stands a bronze monument by Albert Dressler of basilica with two athletes racing for each district, Pius XI, previously known as Ambrogio Damiano wearing the old clogs on Achille Ratti, who was born in Desio. Not far from their feet. The winners re- the Pope’s house -museum is the 18th-century ceive the standard and a trophy consisting in a pair church of S. Maria, housing several painted works of silver and wood clogs. In of the 16th and 17th centuries. In the hamlet of S. April, the streets of the Giorgio, you can admire the small church of hamlet of the same name come alive with the Sagra di S. Apollinare (17th cent.) and in San Giuseppe see S. Giuseppe (Festival of St. Villa Buttafava and the 17th-century Oratory ded- Joseph), a country festival. icated to the saint.

Monza and its province 71 Monza 036_073:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:44 Pagina 72

Seregno Municipal website: www.comune.seregno.mi.it Distance from Monza: 11 km. Distance from Milan: 25 km Map reference: C 3

he first historical record of Seregno, situated in the TBrianza foothills, is a parc hment dated 10 87 in which Pietro da Seregno concedes part of his assets A “in loco et fundo Seregnio” to the presbytery of S. e Ambrogio in Milan. In the 13th century, the Torri- ani and Visconti dynasties fought for control of the Milan area and, in 1277, the people of Seregno took ce part in the well-known Battle of Desio, whic h re- pe sulted in the defeat of the former. In modern times, G it was a feud of the Gallarati (15 30), Manriquez de 18 Mendoza and Castelli (1 713) families. In the 19th si century, the town b ecame industrialised, partly C thanks to the presence of the railway (18 49), and ti specialised in the mechanical processing of cotton. w The symbol of the town is a Tower known as ni that of Barbarossa, a 12th-century structure that fa was formerly the bell-tower of the church of S. Vit- tore, altered in 1576 and again in 1781 to become Vi a c ivic t ower. A ccording t o t radition, E mperor S. Frederick I, Barbarossa, had it built as a watchtow- 18 er along the Milan- Como line during the battles M with the Lombard towns. Ju ri Sp an ab de m by w an

la w TheTower of Barbarossa and the great collegiate church of S. Giuseppe an

Monza and its province 72 Monza 036_073:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:44 Pagina 73

Seregno

Seregno celebrates

Between the end of April and 1 May , the Sagra di S. Valeria is a feast that at- tracts stalls selling food- stuffs, local products, cos- tume jewellery, household he items, clothing and exotic artefacts to the streets of in the S. Valeria district. In ts Art in Seregno: frescoes in the Oratory of Ss. Rocco September, the Festa Popo- S. e Sebastiano and the windows of S. Benedetto lare Madonna della Campagna proposes gastronomical ri- evenings with Brianza cui- he The collegiate church of S. Giuseppe, with its sine, accompanied by mu- ok central plan and dome, is monumental and has re- sic played by fine orches- tras. Every year, the tradi- e- peatedly b een altered. Ermenegildo Pini, Giulio tional Fiera del Bestiame es, Galliori and Giuseppe Piermarini all worked on its (Livestock Fair) showcases de 18th-century passage from classicism to Neo-clas- breeds of cows and sheep typically found in Brianza. th sicism. The pronaos on the façade is by Ottavio ly Cabiati (1944). The Oratory of Ss. Rocco e Sebas- nd tiano, constructed in 1577, is notable and adorned n. with a vast cycle of frescoes that combine the Lui- as ni-style of the sanctuary in Saronno with an early at familiarity with innovations in Monza. t- See also the Sanctuary of the Madonna dei me Vignaioli, enlarged in 185 9, and the Oratory of or S. Carlo , 17th-century, converted to a church in w- 1898, with its fine bas-relief in white marble of the es Madonna and Child, dating from the 15th century. Just outside the town is the Sanctuary of S. Vale- ria, a 17th-century complex rebuilt to a design by Spirito Maria Chiappetta between 1930 and 1954 and with a remarkable collection of ex votos. The abbey of S. Benedetto , constructed in the last decade of the 19th century in L ombard neo-Ro- manesque style, was extended in 19 31 to a design by Cabiati. Wonderful 20th-century stained-glass windows depict stories from Benedictine history and that of Seregno. Extending all around the town is the Parco del- la Brianza Centrale, predominantly farmland, where foot and cycle paths, c hildren’s play areas and picnic spots have all b een created. The abbey of S. Benedetto

Monza and its province 73 Monza 074-113:Layout 1 20-05-2009 18:33 Pagina 74

Central Brianza Romanesque and Neoclassical

he artistic heritage of the Middle Ages in this part of Brianza is some- Twhat atypical since what remains is rather scattered around, largely be- cause so much reconstruction work was done from the 16th to 18th cen- turies. This stated, there is the extraordinary complex of the Basilica of A Ss. Pietro e Paolo in Agliate (Carate Brianza), flanked by the baptistery of S. Giovanni. The grandiose architecture of these two edifices, the reuse of Roman materials, and the 11th century frescoes have brought these buildings European renown, especially in combination with the Romanesque structures that are found in other basilicas in Brianza, such as in Galliano and Civate. From the late 16th century on, there was almost a systemat- ic "refurbishment" of religious buildings. This did not, though, mean only one style: the 17th-century style S. Martino in V eduggio (by the great ), the delightful Neoclassical period of the Roton- da in Triuggio and the parish church of Besana Brianza, the gracious, neo- Romanesque parish church in Capriano di Briosco, the neo-Renaissance and neo-baroque work by Chiappetta on the parish church in Albiate and Villa Sacro Cuore in T riuggio (a true repertoire, with its 5 churches and chapels) and finally the severe rationalism of V erano's parish church.

Monza and its province 74 Monza 074-113:Layout 1 20-05-2009 18:34 Pagina 75

Central Brianza

The villa culture also left its mark, starting with V illa Taverna (Canon- ica di Triuggio), which originated as a fort in the late Middles Ages, was altered in the 17th century and then changed again in the 18th century with the addition of the driveway and facing church. In Lissone, Palazzo Baldirone is a example of the classicism introduced locally by Palazzo Arese in Cesano Maderno. In some case, the entire town layout — such as Carate Brianza, dominated by V illa Confalonieri — was focused on a villa. Other notable villas include V illa Sartirana in Giussano, with some classical and Neoclassical work; V illa Verri in Biassono — tied to some great thinkers of the Enlightenment — is a sombre example of 18th-cen- tury rationalism; Villa Casati in Muggiò brings together the best aspects of Neoclassicism; V illa Litta in V edano is an excellent example of neo- Gothic, drawing parallels with Villa Cusani Traversi Tittoni in Desio. Moder- nity also left a different — yet complementary — mark: industrial archae- ology in Briosco, Vincenzo Vela's bronze statues in Renate and, most of all, the former Fascist House in Lissone, by Giuseppe T erragni. As such, it is fair to say that this is a complex land that combines the largely isolated found in Agliate with much modernity from the 18th and 19th centuries as well as with the innova- tion that was so much part of the 20th century .

Monza and its province 75 Monza 074-113:Layout 1 20-05-2009 18:34 Pagina 76

Central Brianza

To learn more Parco della Valle del Lambro The Valle del Lambro Park cuts across all of central Brianza, from Monza to Erba. It is about 25 km long, following the Lambro River. The river itself pass- es through a glacial valley and the importance of this watercourse to the lo- cal area can be gauged from the 31 old mills that stand along the northern T bank. The environment here is far from uniform, partly due to the major im- de pact that man and his work have had on the land. There are, though, patch- C es where acacia, hornbeam, English oak, alder and ash wood abound and ha there is some wildlife, especially birds. The range of services includes: cycle in paths, horse-riding trails, environmental education initiatives and guided tours. co Park headquarters: Triuggio, via Vittorio Veneto 19 (open Monday, Wednesday and Friday 8am-2pm, Tuesday and Thursday 8am-noon and 1.30-6.30pm); tel. M 0362970961, 0362997137; website: www.parcovallelambro.it m ar Consorzio Brianteo Villa Greppi R This consortium, with its headquarters at V illa Greppi in , 11 was created to make the most of the culture and land of Brianza. It organis- A es numerous events throughout the year, including exhibitions and guided tours ag of the villa. One of the most notable events is "La Passione per il Delitto" (Passion for Crime, www .lapassioneperildelitto.it), which has become a hot di favourite for local lovers of thrillers and crime stories. It lasts a week and is so filled with meetings and events that bring some of the leading Italian writers is in this field to Brianza. Info: www.villagreppi.it Bu T th co

A

Monza and its province 76 Monza 074-113:Layout 1 20-05-2009 18:34 Pagina 77

Veduggio con Colzano Municipal website: www.comune.veduggioconcolzano.mi.it Pro Loco: via Piave 2, c/o Library. Tel.: 3393376663. Fax: 0362998313 Website: www.prolocoveduggio.it E-mail: [email protected] Distance from Monza: 20 km. Distance from Milan: 37 km. Map reference: B 4 to s- o- his town is divided into four villages: Veduggio, rn TColzano, Bruscò and Tremolada. It is in the Valle m- del Lambro Park, on the border of the provinces of h- Como and Lecco. The first of the villages that we nd have recorded evidence of is Tremolada. It appears cle in a d eed t hat d ivided the M ilan D iocese i nto 1 4 rs. country churches. The author of the deed was St. ay el. (ca. 195-251), a Bishop of Milan who is re- membered f or h aving b rought C hristianity t o t he area between , and the River Po. It appeared once again in a diploma from za, 1162 issued by Emperor Frederick Barbarossa to the s- Abbot of Civate Algisio. Bruscò is mentioned in an rs Giubiana agreement from 784 between the abbot of the Bene- o" This festival is on the last ot dictine high monastery of S. Ambrogio in Milan and someone called Teopert. The first record of Colzano Thursday in J anuary. T he is name Giubiana comes from rs is from 1115. Veduggio is noted in Gothofredus de the Italian for Thursday Bussero's Liber notitiae Sanctorum Mediolani (1289). (giovedì), which was the day The four villages were largely farming centres until when witches gathered to perform their evil rites, and the 19th century, although they were all autonomous it refers to an effigy of rags communes until their amalgamation in 1871. and sticks shaped to look like a woman. It is burnt on a large bonfire in front of the village's junior schools and is a rite that is said to bring a prosperous and fortunate year. The fire is lit in the morning and burns all day . The festival began in 1859 and, according to the tradi- tion, as the effigy burnt, the young people would throw bits of paper into the fire, on which they had written things that they wanted to avoid. Boiled chestnuts and vin brulé are available during the event. A view of Veduggio

Monza and its province 77 Monza 074-113:Layout 1 20-05-2009 18:34 Pagina 78

Central Brianza

Construction on the parish church of S. Mar- tino, in Veduggio, began in 1642 using a design by the architect Francesco Maria Ric hini. It was built on the site of an existing structure and was a votive offering from the Cazzulani family for having es- caped the plague of 16 30. It was enlarged in 19 34. The steps leading up to the c hurch were 'immor- talised' by the painter Giovanni Segantini (Arco di Trento, 1858-Schafberg, 1899), who stayed in Bri- anza from 1881-1885. The famous painting, At Mass, The 17th-century parish is on display in the Segantini museum in St. Mortiz. church of S. Martino In the first version of the work, Comments from Ma- licious P eople, put on exhibition in T urin in 18 83, there was a young lady going up the steps with a small dog, while people stood b ehind her making nasty comments about her. In the second, the artist removed all of the people and put in a priest slow- ly walking up the steps. The actual church has some Medicinal herb sculptures by Alfredo Sassi, who lived, at that time, Fitopreparazione Hierba Bue- in nearby R enate. A memorial stone (195 8) was Th na (via San Antonio 19, tel. placed in via Vittorio Veneto to recall the time spent and fax 0362911439, in- here by this painter from Trentino. [email protected], www.hierbabuena.it): culti- Bruscò has a small oratory that dates from vation and gathering of me- 1398 and is dedicated to St. Michael. A numb er T dicinal herbs. Oils, soaps of finds made in the area have made it possible to de and creams are produced pr on site. Direct sales, with identify the place where the battle took place, in demonstrations. 1154, between Milanese troops and those of Fred- B erick Barbarossa. ly th tle ce th w w is ly th M a Po ca ki Piazza Italia in Veduggio th

Monza and its province 78 Monza 074-113:Layout 1 20-05-2009 18:34 Pagina 79

r- by Briosco ilt Municipal website: www.comune.briosco.mi.it Distance from Monza: 16 km. Distance from Milan: 33 km ve Map reference: B 4 s- 4. r- di ri- ss, z. Ma- 3, a ng st w- Festivals me in Briosco e, as Along the Lambro, on the The parish church in the Fornaci district last Thursday in January, nt the Giubiana arrives. This gi- ant effigy made of hay and m here is evidence of human settlement in the dressed in rags is the cen- er Briosco area in pre-Roman times. The town was tre piece of a much loved T festival in Piedmont and to destroyed by Frederick Barbarossa's troops in 1162, Lombardy, especially Bri- in presumably b ecause the local noble family — de anza. There is a proces- d- Brioscho — opposed the Emperor. This noble fami- sion, starting from the church square, and a giant ly, nonetheless, remained in the zone until at least bonfire is lit. The 'old' effi- the 17th century. The only traces of the medieval cas- gy is burnt, symbolically tle are found incorporated into buildings in the old ridding the people of the centre. In the 14th and 15th centuries, the Order of negativity of winter and preparing for the new sea- the Humiliati set up a women's house that had a mill son. Roasted chestnuts with a hammer for working iron. T his was a some- and Monza-style risotto what remarkable feature for that time, although there (with a special sausage) are also an integral part of is evidence of similar structures in the area, especial- festivities. For over 10 ly around Peregallo. Indeed, the only building along years, the first Sunday in the entire L ambro that still uses waterpower, July has been the Sagra del Pesce (fish festival). This Mulino Ronchi Peregallo, is another example of such popular event involves a structure. It is now part of a farmhouse complex. fried fish being sold on the Pottery was an important craft, making use of the lo- piazza and dancing. The cal supplies of clay . There were a numb er of small second Sunday of the month, in Capriano, is fes- kilns dotted around, but these were industrialised in tival time. the 19th century (the Hoffman kilns, for example).

Monza and its province 79 Monza 074-113:Layout 1 20-05-2009 18:34 Pagina 80

Central Brianza

T B tio ni cr w The open-air sculptures in the garden of Casa Rossini ex a Today, there is still a district called Fornaci (fur- to naces/kilns; notable also for the parish c hurch of ev the Immacolata e T re Fanciulli). The Cartiera tr Villa (paper mill) was built shortly before the mid- B The Rossini dle of the 19th century. Collection Today, it is a site of arc haeological interest. w Briosco also has its fair share of summer residences ch This collection has been created b y t he p assion o f that belonged to Milan's elite and were built from the a all members of the Rossini 17th/18th century on. From the 18th-century, there 17 family. It was started in is the notable Villa Medici, now called Giulini, that w 1953, by the Lombard in- is dustrialist Alberto Rossi ni, was modelled around an existing fortified house and who, at the age of 20, has a vast park. It also has a valuable collection of co bought an abstract sculp- ancient keyboard instruments that can be seen by ap- ce ture by Gaetano Negri, an assistant of Marino Marini. pointment. In Capriano, it is worth seeing the N eo- A number of sizeable sculp- classical Villa Trivulzio, Villa Casanova and Palazzo tures are kept in the garden Annoni, built at the turn of the 17th century. and are freely visible by the Casa Rossini , designed by the arc hitect Gian- public. The best works are by Pietro Consagra, César, franco Frattini, is a good example of a modern build- Dennis O ppenheim, G iò ing that has been blended into the surrounding land- Pomodoro, E rik D ietman, scape and the bac kdrop of Grigne and R esegone. and Nagasawa, although there are also other works Nearby, on the same property, you can see the head- by some ex cellent expo- quarters of the future F ondazione Pietro R ossini, nents of contemporary housed in a pavilion designed by the American ar- sculpture. For info: www.ris torante-lear.com/arte_fon chitect James W ines, from the S ITE group. T he dazione.htm open-air collection of sculptures includes some works by leading contemporary artists. A

Monza and its province 80 Monza 074-113:Layout 1 20-05-2009 18:34 Pagina 81

Renate Municipal website: www.comune.renate.mi.it Distance from Monza: 19 km. Distance from Milan: 36 km Map reference: B 4

his municipality lies on the hills around a basin Ton the L ambro in the central-northern part of Brianza. The land is c haracterised by sedimenta- tion deposited during the last glacial age. The mu- nicipal c oat-of-arms h as a c olumn t opped b y a cross with trilob ed tips and recalls the cross that was placed in the town centre to commemorate the execution of a young patriot from Renate who was a friend of Aless andro Manzoni's son. From 1928 r- to 1956 R enate was united with V eduggio and, Renate's Palio of even today, they share the so-called "T hree parks ra train station" (Monza, Valle del Lambro and Monte The palio, organised annual- ly by parish ioners, is held Barro parks). d- during the second and third The parish church of Ss. Donato e Carpoforo week of September. It con- st. was refurbished in the late 17th century. The small sists o f a d onkey r ace i n- church of S. Mauro Abateis older and was built as volving the districts of Re- es nate ( Garibaldina, G esola, he a memorial for those who died of the plague in the Le Sorgenti and T uriom). re 17th century. The public park contains a notable The festival also includes events for children, a torch- at war memorial by Alfredo Sassi, a sculptor . There light religious procession, nd is also a local cultural centre dedicated to Sassi, sporting competitions and of containing a gallery of plaster casts and some 19th- dancing. p- century bronzes by Vincenzo Vela. o- zo n- d- d- e. d- ni, r- he ks A view of Renate and, right, a section of piazza Don Pasquale Zanzi

Monza and its province 81 Monza 074-113:Layout 1 20-05-2009 18:34 Pagina 82

Central Brianza

T su Villa Pagani and, right, the parish church of Ss. Donato e Carpoforo A an From via Immacolata e Oriano (Cass ago dis- er trict), you can reach the Valletta Park, which forms ar a key 'green corridor' b etween the Montevecc hia w and Valle del Lambro parks. It largely consists of fe hills formed during the Quaternary P eriod by the ed Adda glacier. bi ol Out of interest pa Famous locals ar One of the most famous people from remains a member of numerous impor- va Renate is the sculptor Alfredo Sassi tant ecclesial institutes and holds vari- ca (Ponte Vetero-Brera, 1869-Renate, ous offices in the Holy See. He has led 1952). He trained in Brera and had a the Milan Diocese since 29 September M strong social sense, spending much 2002. On 20 March 2008, he published co time focusing on educating the people a new Ambrosian Lectionary . Edoardo of Brianza. Many of his works were fu- Mangiarotti (Renate, 7 April 1919) was de nerary statues, meaning his works can educated by his father, a famous fencer in be found in the Monza cemetery and from post WWI period. Edoardo won sin many other cemeteries, including in Mi- more Olympic and W orld Champi- lan where he created the monument onship medals than any other Italian. In ni for famed WWI pilot Francesco Barac- total, from 1936 to 1960, he won 6 ca. He moved to Renate in 1893 and gold medals, 5 silvers and 2 bronzes. became a local councillor (1901). He He is the President of the National founded and directed various scholas- Union o f Verterans S ports, w hich i s tic institutes and, in 1945, became the recognised by the Italian Olympic com- mayor by popular demand. Two famous mittee. He is an honorary member of contemporary people are also from Re- the federal council of the Italian fenc- nate. (Renate, 14 ing federation and the Fédération Inter- March 1934) is currently Archbishop nationale d’Escrime (FIE), where he al- of Milan. He was ordained in 1957 by so heads the Discipline Commission. Monsignor Giovanni Battista Montini, He shares, with the walker Ugo Frige- made Cardinal by Pope John Paul II in rio, the honour of having been the on- 1998, and archbishop of -Osi- ly Italian chosen to carry the Italian flag mo in 1989, and 1995 of Genoa. He at the opening ceremony of the has been secretary and vice-president Olympics on two occasions (Mel- of the Italian Episcopal Conference and bourne 1956 and Rome 1960). Th

Monza and its province 82 Monza 074-113:Layout 1 20-05-2009 18:34 Pagina 83

Besana in Brianza Municipal website: www.comune.besanainbrianza.mi.it Pro Loco: via Dante Alighieri 13. Tel. and fax: 0362915289 Websiteb: www.prolocobesana.it E-mail: [email protected] Distance from Monza: 16 km. Distance from Milan: 33 km. Map reference: C 4

he finds, in the late 19th century in the Valle Guidi- Tno district, of tablets b earing Roman inscriptions suggest the origins of Besana date back to, at least 69 AD. There was probably a Roman religious site here and a saltus (pasture) that belonged to a Roman Gen- s- eral named Verginius Rufus. In the Middle Ages, the ms area was dominated by the Da Besana family, who ia were Milanese nobles and for at least three centuries, of feudal lords of the country c hurch of Agliate (locat- he ed beyond the Lambro; birthplace of Garibert, Arch- bishop of Milan from 918). Various elements in the old centre of via Castello (a large wall in a fish-scale pattern, an entrance arch, a building with a pointed arch, and a vast underground room with a barrel vault) recall the castle (9-12th cent.) built by the lo- cal lords. The autonomous communities of Bes ana, Montesiro, Valle, Cazzano, Villa Raverio, Vergo, Zoc- corino and Calò formed around the c hurches. Un- der the Habsburgs, these became communes, remain- ing as such until 1869 when they were united into a single entity known as Bes ana in Brianza. T he mu- nicipality has an impressive 3 4 villas on its books.

The 19th-century Villa Filippini seen from the park and, above, from via Viarana

Monza and its province 83 Monza 074-113:Layout 1 20-05-2009 18:34 Pagina 84

Central Brianza

th w tic m pi Pi bu co The Basilica of Ss. Pietro, Marcellino e Erasmo; left, a view of the tympanums T ab In In the old centre, you can see Villa Filippini, built ce in the early 19th century in Neoclassical style by the pa Prinetti family. The villa has a U-shaped courtyard sc opening onto the main drive. T he landscaped park a behind the villa uses the natural lie of the land and has numerous impressive trees. There are 12 bronze ri and resin statues by Aligi Sassu b etween 1983 and no 1996. This villa houses the public library, whic h re- cr cently benefitted from a donation of historical and 17 artistic texts from Angelo Salvioni and from the Am- du ici dell’Arte di Aligi Sassu a ssociation (Sassu has un strong ties to Brianza). Villa Borella de Sabata, now sm the Town Hall, is in late N eoclassical style, having ch been built around the middle of the 19th century. It ed has a somewhat unusual octagonal central section de Out of interest Bl gi Educational farms and farm stays ca Agriturismo Agricola Brusignone owned by e-mail: [email protected]) is lo- Gabriella Pennati and Federica Rigamon- cated on the border of the Valle del Lam- ti (Montesiro di , via bro Park in 17th-century rural buildings yo A. De Gasperi, tel. 3355975100, fax with a large garden. This bee farm 0362996162), is a farm where animals (where they breed their own queen are bred, red fruits are grown, dairy and bees) also collects different types of meat cattle, goats and sheep are reared, honey from all across Italy. Sale of hon- bees are kept and cheese is made. Sale ey, propolis, royal jelly and extra virgin of small fruits, jams, honey and various olive oil. Educational activities for the types of cheese. On Wednesdays and "Per Corti e Cascine" (courtyards and from Friday to Sunday, there is a small farms) event, including learning about restaurant, but booking is essential. Var- bees and making hives. These are suit- ious educational activities. D uring the able for children and adults. “Per Corti e Cascine” (courtyards and Agriturismo “Agrodolce” (via Piave 39, tel. farms) event, they show how cheese is 0362941532) provides homemade cui- made at 11am and 3.30pm. sine with home-grown products, T ues- Apicoltura Dell’Orto (via San Clemente 12, day to Sunday from midday to 2.30pm tel. 0362994 878, fax 0362915842, and 8pm to 1am. Th

Monza and its province 84 Monza 074-113:Layout 1 20-05-2009 18:34 Pagina 85

Besana in Brianza

that looks onto piazza Umb erto I. There are some Feasts and events wonderful rooms on the ground f loor, with roman- tic decorations and stuccowork. The best are in the Maggio Cazzanese: on the la- st Friday, Saturday and Sun- main hall (now used as the council c hamber). The day of May , the Festa in piazza is the setting for the parish church of Ss. Piazza is organised by the Pietro, Marcellino e Erasmo, a grand N eoclassical S. Clemente Cultural Group building (after 1825) by Giacomo Moraglia. The fres- from t he C azzano d istrict. Exhibitions, competitions, a co (1838) in the baptistery is by the painter Morgari. Harley-Davidson rally, culi- The works in the apse, presbytery and the vault nary events and dancing on above the nave are by Raffaele Casnedi (1873-1878). the square. Fish Festival : o n t he t hird Inside, you can see a wooden crucifix from the 16th ilt Sunday of July in the Calò century, an organ made by the Eugenni Biroldi com- district, it involves a series he pany (1809-1835) and a fresco of St. Sebastian by the of events, including tasting rd local fish dishes and dan- school of Bergognone. In 19 98, the church became rk cing in the evening. a Minor Roman Basilica. Hunting and Birding Fair : last nd On via Viarana you find the church of S. Cate- week in July in the Calò di- ze rina d’Alessandria (15th cent.), commissioned by a strict, t his i nvolves a d og nd show (hunting and other noblewoman called Lucrezia Bonacossa and conse- dogs) as well as birds, ga- e- crated in 1413. It has a number of paintings from the me and poultry. There is al- nd 17th and 18th centuries. It was restored in 1827 and, so a section for bird equip- m- ment and bee-keeping as during this work, some 15th-century frescoes were as well a competition for bird- uncovered. In the arcade on the embankment of the whistling and quail piping. w small church, you can admire a series of four poly- Feast of the Holy Crucifix: se- ng cond weekend in October, chrome mosaics designed by Aligi Sassu and creat- It this feast celebrates a lar- ed by his friend and assistant Tito Toneguzzo. They ge wooden crucifix (14th on depict St. Catherine with the Wheel, St. Francis, the cent.) kept in the parish Blessed Cardinal Andrea Ferrari and the Blessed Lui- church. It is on display for three days. Concerts and gi Guanella. T he nearby Villa Dragoni V olta, also shows complement the re- called La Dragona, has some medieval elements. ligious ceremonies. In the Montesiro section of the Brugora district, Fair of St. Catherine: on 25 November, this centuries- you can see a former Benedictine convent that was old feast is named after the small church that was built around the year One thou- sand and dedicated to St. Catherine of Alexandria. Display of merchandise, farming equipment and li- vestock.

The church of S. Caterina d’Alessandria

Monza and its province 85 Monza 074-113:Layout 1 20-05-2009 18:34 Pagina 86

Central Brianza

Monza-- Lecco railway

The Monza-Molteno-Lecco railway — known as the Railway of Brianza — has come close to being closed down on more than one oc- casion, but protests from commuters and local admin- istrators have always saved it. It is about 30 km long, connecting Monza to Lecco The former Benedictine convent in Brugora through the central section of Brianza. The line does not have electrical power and, built in the 11th century by the Cas ati family. It is for a section between Mon- now an old-age home. T he R omanesque church, za and Molteno, there is on- ly a single track. It opened in dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul, is from 1102 and 1911 and, for decades, it it maintains the division between the part for the pub- linked the Lecco-section of lic, in baroque style (a late 16th-cent. fresco of the Brianza to Milan and Monza Last Supper has recently b een rediscovered and is by diesel train. In the 1980s, the train's route was extend- similar to some works in S. Vittore in Meda), and the ed to Sesto San Giovanni; section for the nuns, which has 16th-century frescoes since 2000, when the link to about the Virgin Mary that are attributed to the Mas- Th Porta Garibaldi station in Mi- lan was completed, it has ter of Camuzzago. There are two cloisters, from the come to be the "Three 16th and 18th centuries. Parks Train". On public holi- In Vergo Zoccorino, it is worth seeing the days and Sundays, one can T enjoy the green spaces by church of Ss. Gervaso e Protaso . This 16th-cen- T heading, from Milan, to tury building has been altered on various occasions na Monza Park, the V alle del and the current appearance is 18th century. Mon- fr Lambro Park and the Monte tesiro is the setting for the Oratory of Ss. Nazaro ea Barro Park, ideally with one's bicycle in tow. e Celso, which has some furnishings from the 18th in to the 20th centuries. “c Out of interest The stone of Guidino In the Guidino zone, sit- Relations Office (URP) ting 300 m above sea in Besana in Brianza to level on a glacial hill, get the keys to get in- you can see a large, to the walled off sec- uneven shape atop the tion. For information : border wall of V illa Public Relations Of- Guidino (private). It is fice, via Roma 1 (Mon- actually a serpentinous day to Saturday , 9am rock, probably from to 12.30pm, Thursday Valtellina. To get a better view of the 8.30am-7pm); tel. 036292202; e-mail: rock, you need to head to the Public [email protected]

Monza and its province 86 Monza 074-113:Layout 1 20-05-2009 18:34 Pagina 87

Carate Brianza Municipal website: www.comune.caratebrianza.mi.it Pro Loco Carate Brianza: via General Cantore 6. Tel.: 0362990470 Fax: 0362906487. Distance from Monza: 12 km Distance from Milan: km 29. Map reference: C 4

is h, nd b- he is he es s- The Basilica of Ss. Pietro e Paolo in Agliate Nativity scene he in the basilica he site where Carate Brianza lies is traditionally For 20 years, it has been he known as one of the favoured locations of Queen T custom for a Nativity Play n- Theodolinda during the period of L ombard domi- to be held in the basilica in ns nation. There is evidence of Roman-era settlement, Agliate. On 26 December, n- from finds made near Realdino, as well as some even there is a charming per- formance, involving two ro earlier traces, namely, the semi-circular hollows dug hundred people, of the th into a large mass in the small Brovada valley (called birth of Jesus. “coppelle”). There is evidence, from the 10th centu- Getting there By car , Carate Brianza can be reached station); FS railway line, Milano-Monza- from Milan along viale Fulvio Testi by fol- Como (Seregno station), then bus AGI lowing the signs for Monza (SS36 road) Brianza Trasporti Nord Est 32 Brianza and then heading on towards Lecco; Trasporti z233 Seregno (train station)-Al- Carate Brianza exit; from Lecco, along the biate-Triuggio, Carate Brianza stop. SS36 motorway, from Milan via Monza to By bus, from Milan: from the Sesto metro Lecco, heading towards Milan and taking stop (M1), bus AGI Brianza Trasporti Nord the Carate Brianza exit; from the A4 mo- Est 32 Brianza T rasporti z221 towards torway (Venice-Milan-Turin), taking the Mariano Comense, Carate Brianza stop; , then viale Fulvio Testi from Monza: from Monza train station and then following the directions above. (FS), bus AGI Brianza Trasporti Nord Est By train, FS railway line, Sesto S. Giovan- 32 Brianza Trasporti z221 towards Mari- ni-Monza-Molteno-Lecco (Carate-Calò ano Comense, Carate Brianza stop.

Monza and its province 87 Monza 074-113:Layout 1 20-05-2009 18:34 Pagina 88

R te ci un by in ha 10

Si 18 w m w

16 in th ce C Ro ry, of a castle or at least some type of fortified struc- L ture that had been built by the De Carate family in ar the area now occupied by Villa Cusani Confalonieri. th Carate was the setting for the battle, in 1275, when the Visconti and Torriani families fought for control of Milan. Indeed, the numerous “foppa dei dusent” – or places where the dead were buried – have pro- vided much evidence. Since the 16th century, the land has seen the building of numerous noble villas by wealthy Milanese. From the late 18th century on and, more specifically, during the 19th century, the course of the Lambro River became the setting for Carate, the provost church numerous spinning, weaving and dyeing mills, thus indicating the growth of the local textile industry . The site of greatest architectural and artistic in- terest is located in the Agliate district. The Basilica of Ss. Pietro e Paolo and the baptis- tery of S. Giovanni form an extraordinary R o- manesque complex built in the 10th and 11th cen- turies on the site of some even older buildings. The basilica is a good example of Lombard architecture, with a sloping façade, a nave and twin aisles (some Th

Monza and its province 88 Monza 074-113:Layout 1 20-05-2009 18:34 Pagina 89

Carate Brianza

Roman columns were re -used), a raised presby- tery, a crypt that is partially underground and a pre- cious cycle of frescoes (mid 11th cent.), which was uncovered by restoration work in 1985. The near- by baptistery, with its octagonal layout, has hang- ing arches and is one of the oldest in the region. It Villa Cusani Confalonieri has a numb er of fragments of frescoes from the 10th to 16th centuries. The current parish church of Ss. Ambrogio e Simpliciano, a Neoclassical reconstruction (1803- 1807) by Simone Cantoni, has a vast picture gallery Befana on the with materials from the 16th to 19th centuries and many works from churches in the Milan area that Lambro River were suppressed. This event combines rites, Villa Cusani Confalonieri was built in the late magic, fables and religion: an old lady on a boat 16th century by Valerio Confalonieri. It was enlarged heading along the river , in the 17th century, as can b een seen from part of surrounded by lights, the arcade around the courtyard. Much of the adja- sounds and voices... "Be- cent Italian garden has b een well preserved. T he fana on the Lambro River" has been repeated since Confalonieri family also left their mark with Villa 1987 on the evening of 5 Rovella in A gliate, whic h was commissioned by January from 6.30pm on- c- Luigia, Pietro Verri's daughter, using a design by the wards. A different theme is chosen each year and is in architect Giacomo Moraglia. It is also worth seeing the basis for all the sur- ri. the Tagliabue-Buttafava-Rossi and Battaglia villas. rounding shows and en events: giant floats, activ- ities, music, sounds and ol fireworks are all part of t” awaiting the arrival of the o- Befana along the river. he as on he or us . n- s- o- n- he e, me The Basilica of Ss. Pietro e Paolo and, right, the baptistery of S. Giovanni

Monza and its province 89 Monza 074-113:Layout 1 20-05-2009 18:34 Pagina 90

er Giussano in Municipal website: www.comune.giussano.mi.it th Pro Loco Giussano: piazza Aldo Moro c/o Town Hall. Tel.: 3482885435 of Fax: 0362803247. Distance from Monza: 16 km. Distance from Milan: 31 km Map reference: C 3 no ci lic R he municipality lies on the border of the provinces B Tof Milan and Como. T he first recorded mention la was in a notary deed from 8 79. In the 9th century, on the "Da Giussano" family – possibly of Lombard ori- it gin – established themselves in the area. Their most tu famous member was Alberto, the hero of the Battle ce of Legnano (1176). In 1478, it was part of the fief of B Agliate granted to the Balbiani family . In 16 88, it th passed i nto t he h ands o f t he C rivelli f amily, w ho te built a villa that, in the following century, was taken is over the Mazenta. In the 19th century, like in many th other parts of Brianza, breeding and selling silkworms ve became a major industry. Giussano, though, also be- came a centre for vases, ceramics and kitc henware. The Town Hall was built in 1875 along with the school, which was rebuilt after about 100 years. The current Town Hall has a council chamber with four superb glass windows by the painter Aligi Sassu. These windows are dedicated to three famous local One of Aligi Sassu's windows in the council sons: the mathematician and physicist Gabrio Piola, chamber in Giussano the abovementioned Alberto da Giussano and Broth-

The outline of Villa Mazenta, home to the Town Hall, seen from the inner courtyard

Monza and its province 90 Monza 074-113:Layout 1 20-05-2009 18:34 Pagina 91

Giussano

er Giovanni da Giuss ano, architect of the cathedral in Milan. The fourth window is ab out progress and Festivals the history of man, from prehistory to the conquest in Giussano of space. In terms of 20th-century artwork, it is worth Giubiana Parade and Bonfire: a noting the two monuments by Alfredo Sassi at the traditional festival that is very civic centre and the one in the Harry Rosenthal pub- popular i n P iedmont a nd Lombardy (especially Brian- lic gardens, called For Freedom and dedicated to the za). On the last Thursday in Resistance in Italy . In 18 90, the generosity of the January, large bonfires are es Borella family enabled the hospital to be built (it was lit on the piazza and in key on later enlarged in 1960). The old parish church stood places. The Giubiana – that is, an effigy of the Giubiana y, on piazza S. Giacomo and was rebuilt in 1932, when made of hay and rags – is ri- it was dedicated to Saints Philip and James and then burnt on these fires. st turned into a basilica. In the first decades of the 20th Feast of the Madonna in Octo- ber: this traditional event, or- le century, a parish priest by the name of Rinaldo ganised by the Giussano of Beretta distinguished himself for the work he did for Pro Loco is held on the first it the community, including holding night sc hool to Sunday in Giussano. It in- cludes theatre shows, danc- ho teach the local population to read. T he villa culture ing and theme evenings, en is notable here. Firstly, there is Villa Sartirana, now typical Milanese cuisine and ny the public library. It stands on a site that was first de- fireworks displays. ms veloped in the 15th century . In 16 40, it was p ur- e- e. Out of interest he Alberto da Giussano he Alberto da Giussano is a In 1876, on the 700th an- ur legendary character from niversary of the battle, the u. the 12th century. The Lom- commune of Legnano and bard military leader is men- following a rousing dis- al tioned in some literary course by Giuseppe a, works written in the follow- Garibaldi (given in the h- ing centuries even though town in 1862), the town his h istorical e xistence decided to create a statue cannot be verified. Aside in his honour. The first ver- from w here G iussano sion was created by the came from, there is no cer- sculptor Egidio Pozzi , but tain historical or biograph- this was replaced with a ical evidence about him. new one by Enrico Butti in He first appears in the historical chron- 1900. The second version shows the icle of Milan penned by Galvano Fiamma hero that has since become famous, in the first half of the 14th century . Al- with his sword raised and his shield on berto is described as a knight that dis- his left. It is on piazza Monumento, near tinguished himself, al ong with his two the train station. In 1879 Giosuè Car- brothers, in the Battle ofLegnano on 29 ducci made Alberto da Giussano one of May 1176 by leading the Company of the protagonists in his famous Canzone Death, a military group of 900 young di Legnano . During the 20th century , knights entrusted with defending, to the this image has achieved reasonable death, the carroccio wagon (symbol of fame. Since 1991, a depiction of the the ) against the Impe- statue in Legnano became the electoral rial a rmy o f F rederick I B arbarossa. symbol of the Lega Nord party. d

Monza and its province 91 Monza 074-113:Layout 1 20-05-2009 18:34 Pagina 92

Central Brianza

Portions of the frescoes in Villa Sartirana

chased by Cesare Sartirana, who commissioned a major cycle of frescoes. In 1795, another Cesare al- tered the garden and a ground f loor room, com- missioning paintings by someone from the circle of Andrea Appiani. The Neoclassical Villa Boffi A was purc hased in 18 43 by the Milanese Borella family, who were also the ones b ehind the hospi- tal. The villa is located on holdings that belong to T the Lucini and Carab elli families and is private m property. The villa itself has some ric hly frescoed th rooms and an imposing grand staircase leading up ca to the first floor. The tall lookout tower is a slight- th ly unusual feature for a villa, but this one was com- pu missioned by Pietro Borella in the mid-19th cen- bu tury. The large park is still in the English style that m it was moulded into in the 19th century . vi 15 tr dr

Villa Sartirana seen from the garden C

Monza and its province 92 Monza 074-113:Layout 1 20-05-2009 18:34 Pagina 93

Verano in Brianza Municipal website: www.comune.veranobrianza.mi.it Pro Loco: piazza Liberazione 1. Tel.: 0362912326 E-mail: [email protected] Distance from Monza: 13 km Distance from Milan: 30 km. Map reference: C 4

a al- m- le fi A view of Villa Trotti Bentivoglio la pi- his area must originally have been settled in Ro- to Tman times, judging by the discovery of some Ro- te man-Gaul tombs. In the Middle Ages, it was under ed the country c hurch of A gliate and perhaps had a up castle, but it has long since been demolished. From t- the 16th to 18th centuries, it was home to a Ca- Paolo Nespoli, m- puchin convent. It was originally a farming centre, n- but the various watercourses and the lie of the land astronaut at meant that the dominant crops were cereal and Verano is the birthplace of vines. The high point of farming here was in the the astr onaut Paolo Ne- 15th century. From the 18th century on, mulb erry spoli who left earth on 23 October 2 007 o n b oard trees a nd s ilkworm b reeding b ecame e conomic Space Shuttle Discovery, drivers. At the same time, especially b ecause mills STS-120 as the mission specialist (ESA's Esperia mission). During the mis- sion, he was in control of the activities outside of the shuttle (spacewalks) needed to assemble the Node 2 – also called Har- mony –, a new, multifunc- tional component of the In- ternational Space Station. The piece was manufac- tured by Italian industry. Cascina Caviana

Monza and its province 93 Monza 074-113:Layout 1 20-05-2009 18:34 Pagina 94

Central Brianza

T The church of the Madonna di Caravaggio th on could be built along the Lambro, wool processing cu developed and, like for silkworms, f loundered in m the middle of the 2 0th century. The poet Roberto C Rebora recalled Verano for its excellent shawls. th The 18th-century Villa Trotti Bentivoglio (lat- a er Villa Massarani and now Villa Formenti) is worth li seeing. This villa was mentioned by the poet Car- ne lo Amoretti in the early 19th century . It is sur- bi rounded by a vast English-style park that is filled V with a wondrous variety of plants. There is also an tin orange house and a coffee house. Alessandro Man- zoni stayed here on more than one occasion as he sc was related, by marriage, to the owner. It The old parish church is also 18th century and an dedicated to the Madonna of Caravaggio . The fo new one, dedicated to Saints Nazarius and Celsus, was built in 1937. The surrounding area is home to a numb er of farmhouses, notably the Cascina Caviana and Cascina Comasina.

Verano in Brianza, the 20th-century parish church of Ss. Nazaro e Celso Le

Monza and its province 94 Monza 074-113:Layout 1 20-05-2009 18:34 Pagina 95

Triuggio Municipal website: www.comune.triuggio.mi.it Pro Loco Triuggio: via Vittorio Emanuele 8. Tel.: 0362971372 Distance from Monza: 11 km. Distance from Milan: 28 km. Map reference: C 4

riuggio is the headquarters of the Valle del Lam- T bro Park precisely because of the location and the beauty of the territory . The name Triuggio is only recorded as far back as 1684, with early do- ng cuments referring to the three villages that now in make up the municipality: T regasio, Rancate and to Canonica. In the centre of the town you can see the parish church of S. Antonino Martire (1901), t- a neo-Romanesque work by the architects Castel- th li and Volontè. Inside, there are some notable stai- r- ned-glass windows designed by the arc hitect Ca- r- biati, pictures of the Stations of the Cross by the ed Viennese Joseph Furhrisch (1872) and some pain- an tings from the 18th century. n- On the road to Tregasio, you find Casa Don Bo- he sco, once owned by the Caprotti family (weavers). It was acquired by the Diocese in 1948 and it is now nd an old-age home for elderly nuns. It is also a place he for spiritual retreats and gatherings of priests. nd of nd

Left, the Rotonda, and, right, the neo-Gothic parish church in the Tregasio district

Monza and its province 95 Monza 074-113:Layout 1 20-05-2009 18:34 Pagina 96

Central Brianza

L 19 ne ce tu Vi gi tu zo The interior and a detail of the caryatids in the Rotonda at Tregasio di Triuggio B st In the Tregasio district, located in the high- as est part of Triuggio, the Rotonda is an interest- ni ing example of late N eoclassical work (18 42). The structure, with a circular layout and dome, na Bosco Chignolo has some decorations from the s ame period in br The Bosco Chignolo (www. which a series of caryatids symb olise Christian A boscochignolo.it) is a wood virtues. The building was built by Ambrogio po that covers 12 ha on the Nava to be a funerary monument and was com- up border with the Valle del missioned by Federica d’Adda, widow of the ar- Lambro Park. It was plant- ed in the 1950s to provide chitect Luigi Cagnola. Nava originally worked rie timber for paper, but it was with Cagnola and later married the countess. he never felled and, as such, Next to this round building, you find the neo- Ca it was purchased by the Tri- uggio municipality in 1989. Gothic parish church of Ss. Gervaso e Prota- Since then, the area has so (1922), the work of Monsignor Spirito Maria cu been subject to environ- Chiappetta. He also redid Villa Sacro Cuore ac mental regeneration that has not only helped the (in the Zuccone San Giovanni zone), whic h is ro plants but has also in- run by the priests of the Company of Jesus and an volved creating an educa- is an unusual example of a religious villa that yo tional nature trail that fol- spreads out horizontally, with five churches and lows the theme of the "Legend of Bard, Knight of chapels inside. the Chignolo Wood", which In the P onte di Rancate district, in the was written for this specif- northern part of Triuggio, you find the Sanctuary ically by Emilio Minelli and is set in medieval Brianza of S. Maria Assunta or Maria dei Miracoli, whi- during the time of Queen ch began as a rural c hapel in 15 07 (the devotio- Theodolinda. As such, the nal image of Mary still survives). T he interior is Chignolo wood is not only adorned with works by the Campi brothers and an oasis for many animals, especially birds, but also a by Bartolomeo R overio, known as Genovesino. magic place linked to a There are also rich Neoclassical decorations, with strange fable. It is a place paintings by Andrea Appiani and stuccowork by that can be enjoyed by adults and children alike. Giocondo Albertolli (1785), who worked on V il- la Reale in Monza a few years later. Th

Monza and its province 96 Monza 074-113:Layout 1 20-05-2009 18:34 Pagina 97

Triuggio

In the Canonica district, on the left bank of the Canonica Lambro near Zuccone, you can see an interesting 19th-century rural complex in neo-Gothic style an- Canonica, near Triuggio, is located on the left shore of nexed to Villa Jacini, which was built in the 1 7th the Lambro. It is chiefly century, but altered at the beginning of the last cen- known for a restaurant that tury. The site is made even more impressive by serves typical Brianza Villa Taverna, surrounded by a grand park. The ori- food, various other bars and a general atmosphere ginal section of the villa was actually a late 16th-cen- that is rich in feeling, turn- tury fortified structure that was turned into a palaz- ing the small hamlet, espe- zo and then altered in the following centuries. cially in summer , into a favoured meeting places Behind it, there is an Italian garden. One of the mo- for all ages of young peo- st famous guests was Giampaolo Osio, better known ple. In addition, since it is h- as Egidio, lover of the nun from Monza in Manzo- slightly raised, you get a view over on of the oldest t- ni's Promessi Sposi (The Betrothed). noble palazzi in the Milan ). Originally the oratory for the facing Villa Taver- area, including the 16th- e, na, the church of S. Maria della Neve is in a som- century Villa Taverna. Cur- in bre 18th-century style. It was designed by Giacomo rently owned by the Counts of T averna (and an Antonio Quadrio (1735) and is centred on a middle used as a summer resi- io point topped by a dome. Not far away, but higher dence), it is often used for m- up, you find the baroque church of S. Eurosia. festivals and events. r- To get some idea of the number of textile facto- ed ries that sprang up in the 19th century, you should s. head to P onte Albiate to see the Manifattura o- Caprotti, built between 1867 and 1884. a- There are wooded areas in the small valleys that ia cut across the territory . The names of these woods re actually come from the irrigation ditches that run th- is rough them into the L ambro: Brovada, Cantalupo nd and Pegorino. With a bit of luc k, while visiting one at you might spot a grey heron or a sparrow-hawk. nd he ry hi- o- is nd o. th by il- The entrance and, above right, an overview of Villa Taverna in Canonica

Monza and its province 97 Monza 074-113:Layout 1 20-05-2009 18:34 Pagina 98

Correzzana Municipal website: www.comunecorrezzana.it Distance from Monza: 12 km. Distance from Milan: 28 km Map reference: C 4

his small centre on the northern section of the Mi- Tlanese plain lies in the heart of Brianza. T he area A is crossed by the Pegorino Stream, which flows into m the L ambro and is a good destination for cycle un tourists. The first recorded evidence of the town is in pa Gothofredus de Bussero's Liber notitiae S anctorum 13 Mediolani, from the 13th century, when it is noted that G the town had a century-old link to the country church he of Agliate and to its lords, the Albuzzi family . The lo parish church of S. Desiderio Martire is also men- M tioned. In the 15th century, Count Girolamo Morone 19 (already Lord of L ecco) gained the feudal rights to al Correzzana. Later, they passed to Count Stampa di er Montecastello. In the 17th and 18th centuries, it was of the turn of the Crivelli family, who in 1654, as feudal to lords of Agliate, were granted the title of Marquis by ev King Philip IV of Spain. Some of the other important al families from the history of the town are Stazza, Puli- pr ci, Rosa, Rocca, Nova and Lamperti. The original farming vocation of the area can ic be gathered from the Cascina Regondella, which sa is an interesting example of rural architecture. The br municipality has been, since 19 96, in the Valle del po Lambro Park. pu w ce ch Bu be st ta ai m in A view of the Cascina Regondella and, above, the parish church of S. Desiderio Pa

Monza and its province 98 Monza 074-113:Layout 1 20-05-2009 18:34 Pagina 99

Albiate Municipal website: www.comune.albiate.mi.it Distance from Monza: 9.5 km. Distance from Milan: 27 km Map reference: C 4

Mi- lbiate lies on the basin of the L ambro River in ea Athe Valle del L ambro Park. The first recorded to mention is as early as the 11th century, when it was le under the rule of the Confalonieri family . It later in passed to the Mandelli and P allavicini families. In m 1324, near Albiate bridge, Marco Visconti defeated at Guelph forces. Ludwig, King of Bavaria, also passed ch here on his Marc h on Monza. In modernity, the St. Firmus and he lords of this land where the Balbiani (from 1478) and n- Mellerio (1777) families. In the second half of the the Battle ne 19th century, various textile factories developed According to tradition, the to along the Lambro, forming the backbone and driv- tri-colour flag kept in the Albiate Town Hall was un- di er of local industry until just a few decades ago. One furled during one of the as of the most illustrious locals, in recent times, was Vit- most memorable battles al torino Colombo who was a senator, minister and involving Garibaldi's men, by even president of the Senate of the Republic. He was namely the Battle of San Fermo. On 27 May 1859, nt also the first person to propose the creation of the the Cacciatori delle Alpi – li- province of Monza and Brianza. a corps that included vol- The sanctuary built in the 17th century is ded- unteers from Brianza and that had been created on an icated to St. Firmus, patron s aint of Albiate. T he 17 March that year by ch saint is still much loved in the town and, in 1996, a – de- he bronze statue was placed on the church parvis. Op- feated the Habsburg's troops in the town of San el posite t he c hurch, a cross t he r oad, y ou f ind t he Fermo, near Como, which public gardens, with a 1 7th-century column that then b ecame S an F ermo was built in memory of the famous plague that is della Battaglia in memory central to some of Manzoni's works. The parish of this historic victory . Four companies of volun- church is dedicated to St. . teers – making up just Built on the site of a 13th-century building that had over 3,000 men – without been altered and enlarged on various occasions, this any artillery met the Aus- trian troops front on, de- structure was designed by Spirito Maria Chiappet- spite the Austrians having ta, in the late 19th century, and has clearly neo-Ren- 16 pieces of artillery. The aissance forms. T he bell tower is from b efore the victory was fundamental as the town, in a raised middle of the 11th century, although it was rebuilt position, was essential for in the early 15th century . Not far away, you find taking Como. Palazzo Tomini, which was built in the 18th centu-

Monza and its province 99 Monza 074-113:Layout 1 20-05-2009 18:34 Pagina 100

Central Brianza

The Feast of ry but redone later . There is also Villa Tanzi, built St. Firmus in the mid-19th century. Since the 1950s, it has been home to the Casa dei Padri Betharramiti. The In 1609, the relics of Saints ground f loor hall has a numb er of N eoclassical Firmus, Rusticus and Pro- paintings. The layout of the surrounding park is still clus were taken to the small sanctuary on the out- very similar to the original design. skirts of Albiate. As such, Villa Campello , named after the area of town for the last 400 years, a where it stands, is only a few dozen metres from the great fete has been held in honour of St. Firmus, in- right bank of the Lambro. It was built between 1903 cluding a livestock display and 1907 using an eclectic design by the arc hitect T and other initiatives. The Giuseppe Gmur. The large park has some centuries- fla climax of the festival is on old beech, lime, horse-chestnut, monkey-puzzle and er the second T uesday after the second Sunday in Au- cedar trees. Up until 19 72, the Viganò family lived to gust, when thousands of in the villa. The family's wealth was once tied to the B people from across Brian- Manifattura Galeazzo Viganò, although only traces so za come together to hon- in our the saint. For info : remain today of this textile factory. In 1976, the vil- www.sagra-sanfermo.it la b ecame a municipal possession and, following pa restoration work, it became the Town Hall in 1991. To In the Town Hall, there is the banner from a group To of locals that fought in the Battle of S. Fermo in 1859 sm between Garibaldi's men and Austrian troops. to Slightly up in the hills you find V illa Airoldi th Caprotti, although it is often called Villa S. Valerio. w It was built in the 1 7th century on the site of a ru- w ined medieval fort. A part of a tower was even in- im corporated into the more modern construction. In Vi 1667, an Oratory was built next to the villa. It was ce initially named after the Blessed V irgin of the Im- maculate Conception, but it was later dedicated to ch St. Valerius and still contains the saint's relics. K

Villa Campello, now home to Albiate's Town Hall; above, a view of the entrance S

Monza and its province 100 Monza 074-113:Layout 1 20-05-2009 18:34 Pagina 101

ilt as Sovico he Municipal website: www.comune.sovico.mi.it Distance from Monza: 8 km. Distance from Milan: 25 km al Map reference: C 4 ill wn he 03 his town lies in the southern, central section of ct TBrianza where the hills and hilloc ks gradually s- flatten out into the great plain and the Lambro Riv- nd er gentle washes by. The first known mention of the ed town was in the Arc hbishop of Milan da he Biassono's will, when he left the land to his grand- es son, a deacon, in 879. A castle was built in this area il- in the 13th or 14th centuries. It would have b een ng part of the ongoing battle between the Visconti and 1. Torriani families for dominance over the Milan area. up Today, the only remnants of this castle are some Famous people 59 small sections in the V ecchia Osteria section of The list of famous people town. The old town has a former country mansion from Sovico includes Gio- di that once belonged to the Viscontis. It has a notable vanni da Sovico, after whom o. window with a pointed arc h, a cornice decorated the m ain s treet i s n amed. with small arches against a white bac kground and He was elected as one of u- the twelve "Captains and n- imposing walls. Villa Giovio della T orre, later Defenders of Liberty" under In Villa Rossi-Martini (private), is from the 17th/18th the Ambrosian Republic (1448). There is also the as century and has an annexed garden. Dominican Friar Teodoro da m- The town's main square is notable for having two Sovico, author of Il Confes- to churches. The Old Church, dedicated to Christ the sionario, which was pub- King and Saints Simon and Judas T haddeus, was lished in 1495, with a new version being released in Milan in 1505. In the book, he explored the importance of the sacrament of confes- sion given the nascent protestant revolution. Arturo Riva was an adopted son of Sovico. This many-sided man was a pharmacist, may- or and provincial councillor. He published various works on the local geology, result- ing in him becoming known as the ‘geologist of Brian- za’. In 2004, a piazza in the town was named after him. Sovico's Old Church

Monza and its province 101 Monza 074-113:Layout 1 20-05-2009 18:34 Pagina 102

Central Brianza

The warehouses on piazza , regenerated to become a business

created in the 16th century on the site of a religious building from the 12th century . Following the col- M lapse of the bell tower, it was rebuilt in the mid-19th tio century, but it was deconsecrated in 1935 and has L remained unused. The New Church was created be- a Feasts and events tween 1930 and 1935 by an architect from Bergamo er known as Giovanni Barb oglio. piazza Frette, now th Concert for the Immaculate Vir- the commercial and administrative hub of the town, fa gin, 8 December: an event is an excellent example of how old industrial build- op filled with religious music in the parish church of Cristo ings can be regenerated (these were 'revived' in the tr Re. Vocal Music Show, in No- 1980s and 1990s). The large warehouses that frame G vember at the Cinema Nuo- the square together with the smokestac k that tow- ily vo: this event is organised by Giulio Zappa, a local pi- ers above a small piazza nearby are reminders of the se ano maestro who invites, old Tessitura Frette factory. This textile production ic annually, friends and col- plant was located right in the town and, as such, from w leagues (internationally 1865 to 1983, it was central to the town's fate. In renowned singers) to Sovi- tu co to delight audiences with 1983, the factory was moved to Concorezzo. B the best-known arias from An old millstone, known as Molino Bassi, is a is operas and some tradition- reminder of when this was a farming landscape, (p al folk songs from across Europe. This event really dotted with farmhouses named V irginia, Greppi, se should be put in the diary of Visconti and Canzi. The millstone itself is as old as fa any lover of classical music. the mills that line the L ambro, whic h were de- bo Feast of the Patron Saint , fourth S unday i n O ctober: signed in 1615 by the engineer Pietro Antonio Bar- al theatre shows, merry-go- ca. There were once five water-driven wheels and ea rounds, various exhibitions five millstones. Closed in 1966, it is now owned by m and a concert by Corpo Mu- the municipality. sicale “Giuseppe V erdi”. la Christmas Concert , 23 De- cember: a concert by the tu Corpo Musicale “Giuseppe er Verdi” at the Cinema Nuo- vo. The evening is also ta when the Luigi Cazzaniga th award is presented to an as- in sociation that has distin- guished itself for social or th volunteer work. 14 Molino Bassi na

Monza and its province 102 Monza 074-113:Layout 1 20-05-2009 18:34 Pagina 103

Macherio Municipal website: www.comune.macherio.mi.it Distance from Monza: 7 km. Distance from Milan: 24 km Map reference: D 4

us acherio lies at the foot of the Brianza hills, along ol- M the Lambro River. The oldest recorded men- th tion of the commune is in Gothofredus de Bussero's as Liber notitiae Sanctorum Mediolani (1220-1289). It was e- a part of the Martesana county and, during the mod- mo ern age, its feudal lords have included the Manriquez, w the Pallavicini (1681 on) and the Albertoni (1768 on) n, families. During the 19th century, the town devel- d- oped thanks to flourishing mulberry and vine 'indus- he tries'. Indeed, many Milanese families – Belgiojoso, me Greppi, Maggi, Taverna and Visconti – invested heav- w- ily in these parts. T oday, farming has given way to he services, metal working (engineering) and the chem- on ical industry. Simultaneously, the textile industry, m which developed in the 19th century, and the furni- In ture industry have also survived (especially in the Bareggia area). One of the most important buildings a is Villa , known as Belvedere e, (private) because it sits on a rise from where one can pi, see muc h of Brianza. T his villa was originally the as farmhouse for a 16th-century farm. It was then e- bought by Duke Guido Visconti di Modrone and was r- almost entirely rebuilt in a neo-rococo style in the nd early 2 0th century using a design by Emilio Ale- by magna. The age-old woods around the building were landscaped into English and Italian gardens. The parish church originated in the 15th cen- tury, but was changed in 1752 and then enlarged lat- er on. The dome was built in 195 2. The other no- table buildings are: the Oratory of S. Cassiano, near the cemetery; it is from the 16th century, but rebuilt in 1702 and 1725; the Oratory of S. Margherita, near the Cascina Torrette, might have b een built in the 14th century; and the 17th-century Oratory of S. An- The parish church, above, na, near the Cascina Maldura in Bareggia. and the Macherio Town Hall

Monza and its province 103 Monza 074-113:Layout 1 20-05-2009 18:34 Pagina 104

Biassono Municipal website: www.comune.biassono.org Distance from Monza: 6 km. Distance from Milan: 23 km Map reference: D 4

iassono sits on the right side of the Lambro val- B ley, at the edge of Monza Park. Excavations car- ried out in the 19th and 20th centuries showed that Th there were settlements here as early as the 10th/9th century BC, in the period b etween the Bronze and to Iron ages. At the Cascina Marianna, some finds were be made of 5th-century BC objects, while in the S. An- ow drea farmhouse zone, the ruins of a Roman villa from ist the 1st century have been brought to light. en Biassono was an important centre in the Middle st Ages, as can be gauged from the presence of Bishop of Anspert (9th cent.) and the foundation, in the 13th ap century, of two monasteries by the Humiliati (only G the place names Corte del Monastero and Corte w degli Umiliati remain). In 1277, following the Battle ca of Desio, it was occupied by . It then gi became a fief of various families, including the tu Cravennas (1675), whose emblem is part of the mu- an nicipal coat-of-arms. F rom the 16th to 19th cen- as The church of S. Martino turies, it was a favoured destination for the Milanese N Out of interest Anspert da Biassono Appointed Archbishop of Milan on 26 Basilica o f S. Am brogio, w here t he June 868, he was, as is noted by sepulchral inscription can still be seen. Gothofredus de Bussero, a member According to Pietro Verri's History of of Milan's noble Confalonieri family . Milan, this would have been a brave One of his first acts was to found the and secret event since the Brescian church of S. Pietro in Agliate. A cul- monks had opposed the idea. On 31 tured man, he followed the example of January 876, Anspert was involved in his predecessor and used Irish monks the coronation of as from Tours to found the archbishop's King of Italy in Pavia. Shortly after- scriptorium in Milan, where elegant il- wards, he received lands in Cavena- luminated codices were created. On go, V imercate and Ornago from the 12 August 875, Anspert went to Bres- king. He died in Milan on 7 December cia to receive the body of Emperor 881 and was buried in S. Ambrogio in Ludwig II and bring it to Milan, to the Milan. A

Monza and its province 104 Monza 074-113:Layout 1 20-05-2009 18:34 Pagina 105

Biassono

The Verri family

al- The Verri family owned land in Biassono from the 16th r- century on. The villa was at The library at Villa Verri commissioned by Gabriele th (1696-1782), a jurist and president of the Senate of nd to build their country villas, with the b est example Milan. He was also the fa- re being Villa Verri. This villa, now the Town Hall, was ther of: Pietro (Milan, 1728- n- owned by the Verri family until 1913. The rational- 1797), an economist, histo- rian and founder, along with m ist shape that this famous family from the Enlight- Cesare Beccaria, of Il Caf- enment gave the villa is still clearly visible: an 'open' fè, Italy's first newspaper; le structure that develops horizontally out from a flight Alessandro (Milan, 1741- Rome, 1816), a philosopher, op of steps. Unfortunately, the frescoes (1749) have dis- man of letters, collector and th appeared, but they were said to be the work of the art merchant; and Carlo (Mi- ly Galliari brothers. R ecently, the old ice house and lan, 1743-Verona, 1823), te wine room was uncovered. Opposite the villa, you who had the closest tie to Biassono. This eclectic le can see Palazzo Bossi, which has 15th century ori- character dedicated himself en gins, but was redone in baroque style in the 17th cen- to the history of art and he tury. Nearby, you find Villa Crivelli-Sala, which has agronomy, introducing new farming techniques and the u- an 18th-century layout and portal. T his is the same cultivation of mulberries for n- as at Villa Sagramora, although the latter has some silkworms. se Neoclassical elements.

A room in the Museo Civico Carlo Verri

Monza and its province 105 Monza 074-113:Layout 1 20-05-2009 18:34 Pagina 106

Central Brianza

Visiting The parish church of S. Martino was built in the the museum 16th century on the site of a 13th-century building. Inside, you can admire some 1 7th-century paintings Museo Civico Carlo V erri (St. Ambrose and the Bishop Saints, The Nativity) and a (via San Martino 11) is statue of the Madonna of the B elt. The s acristy has open on Friday from 9.30am to noon and 3 to some wooden furnishing from the same period. The 6.30pm and Saturday from side aisles were added in 1903. The Sanctuary of the 3 to 7pm; other days on re- Madonna della Brughiera is another key local reli- quest. Group and school visits must be booked. The gious building. It was constructed in 1834 as a votive "Segno, Scrittura, Stampa" offering, following a cholera epidemic, on the site of T section is open daily from the ancient oratory of S. Carlo. The altarpiece of the ne 9.30am to 5.30pm. En- Virgin Mary is said to be by the school of the Bologne - th trance is free. For informa- tion: www.museobiassono. se painter Francesco Francia (1450-1517). The paint- th it, [email protected], ing of the Annunciation has been attributed to Panfi- A tel. 0392201077. lo Nuvolone or one of his followers (early 17th cent.) be and the Passion of Christ and Pietà to Montalto. co The Cascina Cossa has been home, since 1994, pa to the Museo Civico Carlo Verri. This museum was an created in 1977 with the bac king of the Gruppo di D Ricerche Arc heostoriche del L ambro (G RAL). It C has a collection of arc haeological finds and coins al from the zone and an ethnological collection ab out co local folk culture. 19 In the environs, in the Mondina section of San m Giorgio al Lambro, some finds were made that are ni now kept in Milan's arc haeology museum. In the ip centre of this district, the presence of the river meant that numerous mills, loc ks and wash-houses were si Festivals once built. The town also has a portico (14th/15th co in Biassono cent.) and the church of S. Giorgio. It was the birth- fr st Great Bonfire of St. Anthony place of Gaetano Osculati (18 08-1894), an explorer and his pig in January; Dis- and map-maker known as the Marco Polo of Brazil. ca trict Palio, a pedal-car race through the streets of the old centre on the third Sun- day in September; Feast of St. Martin , in November , a traditional animal fair that now has a wid e range of stalls selling various pro- duce and products as well as stands run by local asso- ciations, collectors, glass- makers, ironworkers and other traditional craftsmen. Sanctuary of the Madonna della Brughiera Th

Monza and its province 106 Monza 074-113:Layout 1 20-05-2009 18:34 Pagina 107

he g. gs Municipal website: www.vedanolambro.it Distance from Monza: 3 km. Distance from Milan: 20 km a Map reference: D 4 as he he li- ve he municipality sits on the right bank of the Lam- of Tbro, in a somewhat raised position. Finds (from a he necropolis and other items) made in 1880 show that e - there was once a R oman settlement here. Much of nt- this land was owned by the Arc hbishop of Milan fi- Anspert, as can be seen from his will of 11 Decem- t.) ber 879. The Order of the Humiliati founded two Duchess Litta convents here in the Middle A ges. It later b ecame 4, part of the Martes ana county, falling under the fief as and country church of Desio. As such, it was tied to di Desio's fate until 1729, when, following the death of It Count Giovanni Battista Scotti, it passed to the Roy- ns al Chamber. In the 19th century, a section of the ut commune covered what is now Monza Park, but in 1928 that area, including the modern site of the fa- Eugenia Attendolo Bologni- mous race circuit, was assigned to the Monza mu- an ni was born in 1837 to Eu- re nicipality. Many of the older buildings in the munic- genia Vimercati Sanseveri- he ipality are from the 19th century. no and Count Gian Giaco- Villa Litta was built on the site of an older man- mo, a well known collector. nt In 1855, she married Duke re sion owned by the Gallarati Scotti family . It was Giulio Litta, who was part th commissioned by Duke Giulio Litta Visconti Arese of the 1848 revolutionary movement. The duchess, h- from t he a rchitect Lu igi C hierichetti. The c hosen an extraordinary beauty, er style was an unusual combination of lines that re- shared her husband's il. calls English neo-Gothic. Inside, there are some love- views and had an intellectu- al circle in Milan. She was the mother of two sons – Pompeo and the favoured Alfonso, who died in 1891 – that came from her long love story with King Hum- bert I. Benefactor of the Main Hospital in Milan, she dedicated a wing to her son who died prematurely. She died in V edano al Lambro as the Great W ar was about to break out. The old centre of Vedano al Lambro

Monza and its province 107 Monza 074-113:Layout 1 20-05-2009 18:34 Pagina 108

Central Brianza

S. Maria delle Selve

The Oratory of S. Maria delle Selve, on the outskirts of Biassono, dates back a long way. The chapel might Villa Zendali, once Humbert I's hunting lodge A be the same one that exist- ed in the bush land that cov- T ered this area prior to the ly decorations by Luigi Scros ati with romantic th 14th century. The courtyard tastes and the sculpture of Morning Prayer by Vin- of in front of the church was cenzo Vela. The sizeable park is a continuation of to the setting, each year, for a festival during carnival that Monza Park. It consists of farming land and is home th involved much merry-mak- to the Arc hduke irrigation ditc h, which supplied us ing by people from the water to Villa Reale. to Monza area. This feast was abolished in 1574. In 1604, At the edge of Biassono, you find the church de Cardinal Frederick Bor- of S. Maria delle Selve, a neo-Renaissance build- th romeo visited the church ing by Pier Fausto Bagatti Valsecchi. Villa Zendali, T and wrote: "In the niche, there is an outstanding de- also known as “Villa Reale di Vedano”, was proba- in piction of t he Blessed V ir- bly built in the 18th century, but it was redone af- ce gin w ith h er s on C hrist, a ter Humbert I bought it to use it as a hunting lodge. statue in white marble The property remained in the hands of the royal sculpted w ith a rt. O n t he door, one can imagine an Savoy family until 1902. Today, it is part of the or- image of the sculpted atory of Vedano. Blessed V irgin". In 1842, The parish church of S. Stefano, rebuilt in the the building was complete- ly r edone as p art o f t he last decade of the 19th century, has four frescoes on project to build Villa Litta. the vault above the nave. These were created in 1955 The Tudor-style tower is al- by a painter from Monza called F iorentino Vilasco. so from that period. The oratory was restored in One of the characters in the frescoes is the Blessed 1891 i n L ombard R enais- Gentile da V edano. Luigi T agliaferri created the sance style by Eugenia Lit- paintings in the dome, apse and the lunettes in the ta. She also had the tomb aisles. Some of the baroque paintings are from the in t he t ower c reated t hat now holds the mortal re- previous church, which dates from at least the 16th mains of her, her husband century. One of the most notable religious buildings and her son. Today, the or- is the Sanctuary of the Misericordia , built on the atory is owned by the Main Hospital ( Ospedale Ma g- site of a chapel that was documented in the 16th cen- giore) in Milan and it also tury. In 1896, Tagliaferri restored the fresco that com- gave its name to one of memorated the apparition of the Virgin Mary. the e ntrances t hat l eads directly onto the Monza The town gate, flanked by a N eoclassical oc- race circuit. tagonal gatekeeper's house, was designed by the ar- chitect Luigi Canonica.

Monza and its province 108 Monza 074-113:Layout 1 20-05-2009 18:34 Pagina 109

Lissone Municipal website: www.comune.lissone.mb.it Distance from Monza: 4.5 km. Distance from Milan: 21 km Map reference: D 4

rchaeological finds have shown that the history Aof Lissone b egan in ab out the 1st century AD. The growing importance of this hamlet, located in ic the Martesana country and under the country church n- of Desio, can be gauged from the presence, from 13th of to 16th centuries, of no less than five monasteries of me the Order of the Humiliati. T hese monks and nuns ed used to process wool and produce textiles. T he town's coat-of-arms still bears the emblem of this or- ch der: a lamb with the motto Omnia vincit humilitas. In d- the late 18th century, the first carpentry studios open. li, This production of furniture later developed and was a- industrialised in the 19th century. By the end of that af- century, it reached what could be termed internation- Lissone's art museum e. al Out of interest r- Museo d’Arte Contemporanea and the Premio Lissone Lissone's contemporary art museum begun in 2006, that is for creative young he (Museo d’Arte Contemporanea) was people in the design sector . The muse- on opened in 2000 and has numerous works um's schedule also includes some major 55 related to the extraordinary Lissone temporary exhibitions, a range of educa- Award (Premio Lissone, 1946-67), which tional ac tivities f or s chools a nd a dults, o. was originally an Italian award but from events, conferences and concerts. The ed 1953 became international. The initiative museum, in viale Padania 6, is open on involved emerging artists and some of Eu- Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from he rope's top critics and historians. Over the 3-7pm, Thursday from 3-11pm, and Sat- he years, a wonderful collection of some in- urdays, Sundays and holiday from 10am he formal paintings was built up, with works to noon and 3-7pm. For info : tel. by people like Birolli, Morlotti, Moreni, Ve- 0392145174. th dova, Francese, Dorazio, Scanavino, gs Romiti, Adami, Schifano, Appel, Tàpies he and Dufrêne. The museum also has a sec- tion on Gino Meloni, a local maestro who n- died in 1989, and a section of works that m- were acquired more recently. The Premio Lissone was awarded once again in 2002 and since then, it has alternated on an an- c- nual basis with the Premio Lissone De- r- sign, another international competition, Inside the art gallery

Monza and its province 109 Monza 074-113:Layout 1 20-05-2009 18:34 Pagina 110

Central Brianza

Events in Lissone al levels. The industry developed even further after the Great War, with the items b eing sent as far as Every two years (odd South America. T he town's vocation for furniture years), at the end of June and beginning of July, there making meant that as early as 19 41, the Library of is the Palio di Lissone , an Furniture and Furnishing was established. This spe- event involving competi- cialised library is unique in Italy and has about 6,500 tions and folk games. On works in various languages as well as 4 0 sectoral the Sunday before Christ- mas, there is a Nativity magazines. Together, these elements document the Play, a costume parade history of furniture and styles over the centuries, the (sta r ting from the Oratory evolution and theory of design, the recent history of of Maria Bambina) and var- T ious historical pageants or- furniture manufacturing, arc hitecture, urbanisation la ganised by the “Gruppo and engineering. Since 2 002, the library has b een lo Amici del Presepe”. On 6 housed in P alazzo Vittorio Veneto, a building on fo January, the same associ- ation is behind the Corteo pia z za IV Novembre that was once home to the lo- m Storico dei Re Magi (histori- cal junior school. St cal parade of the Wisemen). There are various religious buildings in the old H centre: the provost church of Ss. Pietro e Paolo , in built between 1904 and 19 26 in eclectic style, with 17 Lombard R omanesque and Gothic elements; the no Oratory of the Assunta or Madonna del Borgo, from m the 16th century, with a wooden statue of the Virgin fe Mary with Child (this remains a much loved work); sp the Oratory of S. Carlo, begun in 1630 and complet- is ed a century later, it was often used as a leper colony th where sick people could go to recover. Two non-re- of ligious buildings stand out. F irst, there is an Villa Baldironi Reati, which was built by a family in ch the Arese circle that owned the villa from the mid- 15th century to the late 19th century . The building The church of Ss. Pietro e Paolo has b een redone on numerous occasions over the centuries. From the b eginning, the complex con- tained the family chapel as well as the villa. In 1981, it was acquired by the local municipality . Painstak- ing restoration work made it possible to reopen the ground and first floors to the public, allowing many people to enjoy the splendid frescoes and the won- derful decorations that adorn the rooms. The second is Palazzo Terragni, once known as the House of Fas- cism, designed by Giuseppe T erragni and Antonio Carminati (1938-1940). This structure has a theatre, a tower and a communal assembly space. The lines are rationalist. Today, it is owned by the municipal- Palazzo Terragni ity and used for a range of purposes. V

Monza and its province 110 Monza 074-113:Layout 1 20-05-2009 18:34 Pagina 111

er as Muggiò re Municipal website: www.comune.muggio.mi.it of Pro Loco Muggio: viale della Repubblica 2. Tel. and fax: 0392144335 Website: www.muggio.it E-mail: [email protected] Distance from Monza: 4 km e- Distance from Milan: 18 km. Map reference: D 4 00 al he he he first record of Muggiò comes from 8 79. Like of Tmany other towns in Brianza, the presence of Mi- on lan meant that during the 18th century it somewhat en lost its rural farming vocation as it b ecame a centre on for country residences built by the Milanese elite. The o- most notable of these buildings is Villa Casati Stampa di Soncino in the old centre. Now the Town ld Hall, it was built on the site of a 16th century build- o, ing that was already owned by the Cas ati family. In th 1780, Leopold Pollack was commissioned by Agosti- he no Casati to turn the residence into a N eoclassical m mansion (the small rear tower is the most notable in feature). This Viennese architect also designed the k); sprawling English park. Another notable residence The Casati et- is Palazzo Isimbardi, a 19th-century holiday home Mausoleum ny that was built by Pietro Antonio Croce (on the site The local cemetery of Mug- e- of a home he already owned) when he married Gi- giò has the mausoleum is an Pietro Isimbardi's daughter. The name of the ar- (1830) of the Casati Stam- in chitect is unknown, but the date of construction pa di Soncino family . This group of Milanese nobles, d- first documented in 1030, is ng closely tied to local history he since they bought land here from the 15th centu ry on . n- The structure is like a clas- 1, sic temple with a crypt and k- it houses the mortal remains he of various members of the line o f the family t hat de- ny scended from Giambattista n- Casati (1557-1617). Some nd of the most famous mem- bers include: Gabrio Casati s- (1798-1873), First Minister io for Public Education of the e, , and Tere- sa Casati (1785-1846), with es her consort Federico Con- al- falonieri (1785-1846). Villa Casati Stampa di Soncino

Monza and its province 111 Monza 074-113:Layout 1 20-05-2009 18:35 Pagina 112

Central Brianza

is co of

tr qu Ba ya da Fa M sh The 19th-century parish church of Ss. Pietro e Paolo 16 th might well be 1783, since this date is etched into the no attic. One of the rooms has some notable N eoclas- pl sical motifs. Next to Palazzo Isimbardi, you can see w Palazzo Brusa , or Cas a Mariani- Gasparoli, whic h was built in the second half of the 18th century us- yo Museo del Fumetto ing a 15th-century structure as the basis. Palazzo ly (cartoon museum) Bolagnos Andreani Santambrogio (private), on the ea square by the parish church, has clear baroque traits. fr Franco Fossati, a journalist Unfortunately, the original geometric garden no sa from Monza and editor of longer exists. In the T accona district, on the road tu Topolino (Mickey Mouse) who died unexpectedly in from Muggiò to Cinisello Bals amo and Milan, you In 1996, left his extraordinary find Palazzo Taccona Bertoglio d’Adda. Annexed to lia collection of cartoons to his the palazzo is the Re Magi (Wisemen) chapel, which friends and brother . 500 thousand magazines, books is older than the main building. T he main building and volumes from all parts is from the second half of the 18th century and it has of the world over a period of a classic U-shaped layout, whic h was very popular more than 50 years have been catalogued and now for 17th- and 18th-century villas. belong to the Franco Fos- The parish church of Ss. Pietro e Paolo was sati Foundation. The foun- built from 18 95-97 on the side of an old Barnabite dation, an excellent source college (and former residence of the Counts Porro). for researchers and aca- demics, is really a study and Designed b y t wo a rchitects f rom M ilan, A ngelo resource centre. It has car- Savoldi and Giambattista Borsani, it recalls the Basili- toons from dozens of coun- ca of S. Andrea in (1219-1297). The bell tow- tries along with essays on the history of cartoons, on er was built in 1920/22 and the façade was complet- animation techniques, on ed in 1968. Inside, you could once see a canvas paint- science fiction and on the ing of Christ on the Cr oss with Mar y Magdalene by cinema in general. Premises: via Montegrappa 32, www. . This work was commissioned in fumetti.org/fondazione 1827 by the Isimbardi family (it is now part of the Diocesan museum in Milan). T he S. Rocco chapel Th

Monza and its province 112 Monza 074-113:Layout 1 20-05-2009 18:35 Pagina 113

Muggiò

is located in the centre. Construction on the c hapel Feasts and commenced in 1524 to honour this saint, protector of those afflicted with the plague. festivals There are some notable aspects linked to coun- Folk Festival: last Sunday in try life: in the old centre, you can see the Curt di June, a multi-ethnic festival filled with music, dancing quaranta martir, the Curt nova and the Curt de and folklore topped by chur- Barus, which are good examples of enclosed court- rasco meat. Feast of the Pa- yards with porticoes and balconies used for every- tron Saint, the V irgin Mary of Castano: s econd a nd t hird day activities; outside of town, you can see thePrati , weeks in September, a town Faipò and S. Giuliana farmhouses. The church of the fete linked to the celebra- Madonna del Castano is linked to the ancient wor- tions for the patron saint of ship of Our L ady of Sorrows and was built in the Muggiò. There is a range of entertainment and events: 16th century. According to tradition, a sculpture of sports competitions, cultur- the Pietà appeared on a chestnut tree. This sculpture, al i nitiatives, s mall m arkets he now inside, was reshaped in the 19th century and and the amazing cake "that is the length of the street". s- placed on a polyc hrome baroque marble altar that Sagra della Castagna : t hird ee was donated by Count Giuseppe Bolagnos. Sunday in October, a chest- ch On the road (heading south, you get to Milan), nut festival organised by the Italian Alpine Club and s- you find the oldest sacred building in Muggiò, name- backed by the local munici- zo ly the small church of S. Giuliana. Documented as pality. You can buy a range he early as the 13th century, at least one of the bricks of local products, enjoy ts. from the building comes from the year One thou- some roasted chestnuts, chestnut cake and vin brûlé. no sand. The building has b een altered over the cen- Corteo dei Magi: on 6 Janu- ad turies, but it is still a good example of a rural chapel. ary, the Wisemen Parade ou Indeed, it was once annexed to the Cascina S. Giu- is a religious event involv- ing music. It is about the to liana (hence the farmhouse's name). theme of the Legend of the ch Fourth King. This is fol- ng lowed by a concert of tra- ditional Christmas music as provided by musicians ar playing a type of bagpipe from the Bergamo area. as te o). lo li - w- et- t- by in he el The church of the Madonna del Castano and, right, the S. Rocco chapel

Monza and its province 113 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:58 Pagina 114

Eastern Brianza and the noble villas

fter Monza, Vimercate is the most important centre, with a truly long Ahistory and a substantial wealth of cultural heritage. The list of its no- table features is long: Roman archaeological materials, the Romanesque ruins of the rural church of S. Stefano, the church of S. Maria Assunta in Ruginello (with a 16th-century Romanesque section), the S. Rocco sulla Molgora bridge (a rare example of a medieval civil construction), the hunt- ing lodge at Villa Borromeo in Oreno that has profane 15th-century fres- coes, the rebuilt 17th-century church of S. Stefano and the wonderful baroque section of the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Rosario, and Morte di Ruginello (18th-cent. charnel-house). The ‘villa culture’ is central to the entire layout of the modern town and can be clearly seen in numerous buildings: the rococo nature of Palazzo Trotti and Villa Sottocasa, and the Neoclassical work in Villa Casanova, Villa Melzi, Villa Besozzi in Ruginel- lo and, especially, Villa Borromeo Arese and Villa Gallarati Scotti in Oreno. The area is just as rich in important religious sites. The Middle Age has left traces in the names of old churches like S. Anastasia in Villasan- ta, and S. Antonio and S. Eugenio in Concorezzo. The churches of S. Giorgio in Caponago and S. Ambrogio in Sulbiate have survived, with the latter being a precious remnant of a monastic complex with Romanesque and Gothic frescoes. There is also some Renaissance work by the Mas-

Monza and its province 114 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:58 Pagina 115

Eastern Brianza

ter of Camuzzago, who created the paintings in the Oratory of S. Maria Maddalena (Bellusco). The modern age is represented by the 17/18th- century Ornago sanctuary, the Germanic restyling of the church of S. Giu- liana in Caponago on German baroque patterns (one of Carlo Giuseppe Merlo’s best works, 1738-1742), the decoration of S. Salvatore in Ron- cello and S. Giovanni Evangelista in Busnago, the Neoclassical statue of St. George in Cornate by Pompeo Marchesi and the refurbishment of Con- corezzo’s p arish c hurch ( the w ork o f o ne o f t he l eaders o f M ilan’s Napoleonic age, namely Luigi Cagnola). The age of communes is repre- sented by the Germani tower in Busnago (12th cent.), the Bellusco cas- tle, an example of military architecture from the late Middle Ages, and the sections of Palazzo Olgiati Lampugnani in Sulbiate (15th-cent.) There was also the explosion of the villa culture in the 17th to 19th centuries. Large areas of land are marked by this: Aicurzio, Bernareggio, Lesmo (especial- ly the elegant Gernetto), Arcore (with the Neoclassical V illa S. Martino, Villa Borromeo D’Adda with sculptures by Vincenzo Vela, and the unusu- al Villa Ravizza). There are excellent villas, although they are somewhat more isolated: V illa Rasini in Cavenago (with a series of frescoes that drawn on the paintings of the Arese Borromeo Palace in Ceseno Mader- no and 18th-cent. decorations that are epitomised by the rococo work of Mattia Bortoloni), Villa Trivulzio in Omate di Agrate (by Giovanni Ruggeri), Villa Porro Schiaffinati in Busnago, Villa Biffi Soriani in Cornate (designed by Carlo Amati) and Villa Mylius in Burago Molgora.

Monza and its province 115 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:58 Pagina 116

Eastern Brianza

To learn more In 2001, the Vimercate town council purchased the Neoclassical Vil- la Sottocasa, marking the start of a multi-year refurbishment and restora- tion project that will turn these buildings into a cultural centre. The first phase of this project will be to set up a museum of the local area, called MUST (Museo del Territorio) in the villa’s southern wing. This is due to open in the autumn of 2009. The museum will be spread across 720 m 2 and divided into two sections: Museo delle Tracce, which will use items, symbols and tales to tell the history of the peoples that have lived and shaped the Vimercate area; and Museo del Futuro, which will look more at contemporary times. For information: toll-free phone 800333722, www. villasottocasa.it 1978 saw the launch of the Vimercate Library System , which was one of the first efforts in Italy to have a library system involving multiple municipalities. This is now the head of the libraries in 27 municipalities, meaning it reaches somewhere in the region of 190,000 people. This en- sures true economies of scale and high quality services. Indeed, it is seen Th as a national symbol of excellence. For information: www.sbv.mi.it Molgora Park is a local park that covers a number of municipalities and is recognised by the Lombardy Regional Administration. In total, it has about 1,000 ha of land, largely on either side of the north-south run- O ning Molgora River. The park is managed by a consortium that has rep- ca resentatives from the various municipalities. For information: www.parco tle molgora.it 3r za (fo do

Monza and its province 116 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:58 Pagina 117

Vimercate Municipal website: www.comune.vimercate.mi.it Distance from Monza: 11 km. Distance from Milan: 25 km Map reference: D 5

Vil- a- st ed to m2 s, nd re w. as le s, n- en The S. Rocco bridge over the Molgora River es it ver the years, numerous finds have b een made – n- Oaltars, noble tombs, tombstones and coins – indi- p- cating that the area was once home to a Roman set- co tlement. Two of the most notable discoveries are the 3rd-century BC necropolis (found in 19 33 on Piaz- zale Marconi) and 22 tombs, filled with grave goods (found from 19 98/99 on, s ame area). T he oldest document is the will of R otpert di A grate (745). It The church of S. Stefano Getting there By car, Vimercate can be reached from Mi- trains to Carnate, Bergamo or Lecco (on- lan along the Tangenziale Est (eastern ring ly the ones via Carnate); Arcore stop, road) in the direction of Usmate V elate; then Autobus NET Nord Est T rasporti Vimercate Nord, V imercate Centro and z319 or z320, Vimercate stop. Vimercate Sud exits. From Como and By bus, from Milan: from the Cologno , along the A8 or A9 motorways to Nord metro station, Autobus NET Nord Milan, then the A4 to V enice, taking the Est Trasporti z322 (Cologno Nord-Trezzo Agrate exit and the T angenziale Est as sull’Adda) or z323 (Cologno Nord-Vimer- above. From Bergamo and on the cate); from Arcore train station, Autobus A4 m otorway t o M ilan, A grate e xit a nd NET Nord Est T rasporti z319 or z320; then follow the signs for Vimercate or go from Monza: from Monza train station, along the Tangenziale Est as above. Autobus NET Nord Est Trasporti z321 to- By train, from Milan, from the Porta Gari- wards Mezzago/Trezzo sull’Adda/Porto baldi or Milano Centrale stations, taking d’Adda.

Monza and its province 117 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:58 Pagina 118

Pa

“G M

la m si mentions the c hurch of S. Stefano, whic h was in B charge of a country c hurch that, for centuries, gov- erned the religious, economic and social life of a vast area. Eventually, this area was incorporated into the Martesana county (931), which consisted of 12 dif- ferent country churches and was, in terms of admin- istration and justice, under V imercate. Throughout the Middle Ages, Vimercate was an important cen- tre, especially for trade. In the 14th and 15th cen- turies, the Visconti and then the Sforza families for- tified the town. In the 15th century, the V imercate fief was initially entrusted to Gasparo da V imercate and then to Seccoborella. In the 18th century, it came into the hands, via hereditary right, of the Trotti fam- ily. Numerous ‘noble villas’ were built in the 1 7th, 18th and 19th centuries and a numb er of these are still around. During the Napoleonic era, silkworms became a major industry and, a few decades later, the early textile industry was b orn, lasting until the mid-20th century. In the last few decades of the 19th century, two tramways were built, linking Vimercate to the major regional centres: in 18 80 the so-called

Monza and its province 118 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:58 Pagina 119

Vimercate

Palazzo Trotti, now home to the Vimercate municipality

“Gamba del legn” led to Milan; 10 years later, the Monza-Trezzo-Bergamo line came into existence. In 1929, Vimercate was joined by Oreno con Ve- lasca and Ruginello con Oldaniga (these were for- merly autonomous municipalities). During the R e- sistance, t he 1 03rd d etachment o f t he G aribaldi in Brigade, under the command of Iginio R ota, distin- v- st Out of interest he Illustrious locals if- Just how thriving the city was in the Mid- was a favoured student of Leonardo da n- dle Ages and the Renaissance can be Vinci and followed him to . How- gauged from its ‘illustrious sons’. Pina- ever, thus far no painting has been un- ut monte da Vimercate (1120-1187) is often deniably attributed to him. The Risorgi- n- credited with being one of the key mem- mento involved some people from the Gaetano de Castillia n- bers of the l eague of Lombard co m- Vimercate area: munes that fought Frederick Barbarossa (1794-1870), who was jailed in Spiel- r- and was one of the authors of the Peace berg (1824), exiled to the te of Costanza (1183). In 1171/72 he was (1835), and became a Senator of the Consul of Milan and then, in 1177, Italian Kingdom; and Francesco Vigo Pel- te Podesta of Bologna. Stefanardo da Vimer- lizzari (1836-1863), who joined an Italian me cate lived in the 13th century. This histo- band of revolutionaries (Cacciatori delle m- rian, poet, chronicler and praise singer Alpi) in 1859 and was part of Garibaldi’s for the adventures of Ottone Visconti in famous thousand men, where he was h, his poem Liber de gestis in civitate Benedetto Cairoli’s lieutenant and one of re Medio lanensi was also a Dominican Garibaldi’s commanders, before losing ms monk and became a professor of moral his life on the Mentana battlefield. Final- theology and canon law in 1289. The fol- ly, Antonio Banfi (1886-1957), an illustri- er, lowing year, he was appointed Prior of ous philosopher, university lecturer, was he the convent of S. Eustorgio in Milan, a the creator and first editor of the journal role he held until 1292. Gian Giacomo Studi filosofici as well as being a found- th Caprotti (ca. 1480-1524) was born in ing member of Milan’ s Casa della Cul- te Oreno and known as Salaino or Salai. He tura (House of Culture). ed

Monza and its province 119 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:58 Pagina 120

Eastern Brianza

guished itself. Local partisans are remembered for having arrested the former secretary of the F ascist Party, Roberto Farinacci, who was tried and execut- ed in Vimercate. In 1950, the municipality became a city and, from the mid-2 0th century on, the sur- rounding area, whic h was traditionally a farming Technology Hub area, came to be a part of the manufacturing sector with the arrival of the VI.MA S and O BM factories and the Bassetti textile industry. In the 1960s, the city experienced further social, cultural and urban devel- opment with the opening, in 1965, of the T elettra plant, which was a company that made telephone equipment, and later with the arrival of the IT giant In the early 1960s, a num- IBM. I n the f inal years o f t he 2 0th c entury, t he ber of businesses in the growth of the services sector led to the construction A electronics sector set up in the Vimercate area, includ- of a new district, known as T orri Bianc he, that is ing Telettra, IBM, STM and south of the centre and the regeneration of parts of m Alcatel. Consequently, from the old centre (notably, the building of the "south- O the 1970s on, this area was a highly sought after zone – ern gate", designed by Mario Botta). ou and space was not always The centre of V imercate lies around piazza in easy to come by – leading Unità d’Italia. The southern side is bordered by the an to it becoming known as 18th-century Palazzo Trotti, which was actually built M the Lombard ‘Silicon V al- ley’. The 1990s, by con - by the Seccob orella family. This rococo mansion of trast, was a period of de- has, in the rooms on the ground f loor and the pi- 16 cline for major industry , as ano nobile, some frescoes with mythological and lit- go small and medium-size en- terprises took root. In re- erary themes that were created throughout the 18th an cent times, as the V imer- century. The highlights were the creations, in the (1 cate area has experienced th something of a crisis, the focus has turned – in an ef- fo fort to revitalise this area – T towards making this zone 18 into a new hi-tech industrial C district. Such plans have re- ceived g overnmental s up- el port, especially the creation ce of a so-called Technological th Pole in the Vimercate area. This project has the support co of the Minister for Econom- ch ic Development and the fr new companies located in the area. Turning the Vimer- ch cate area into a hi-tech hub an could open the way for the regeneration of this entire fr industrial area. Palazzo Trotti, a detail from the frescoes inside R

Monza and its province 120 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:58 Pagina 121

Vimercate or st ut- a r- ng or es ty el- ra ne nt he on A bird’s-eye view of the centre of Vimercate and the church of S. Stefano is of middle of the century, by a team led by Antonio Feast of St Anthony h- Orelli. The mansion, with painted ceilings, numer- ous paintings, fireplaces and other historical furnish- the Abbot za ings, was b equeathed to the town council in 186 2 This traditional local feast he and is now the City Hall. T he Sanctuary of the is held from 10-17 January. via Cavour and the old cen- ilt Madonna del Rosario stands on the opposite side tre are the settings for nu- on of the piazza. It was rebuilt in the 17th century (1622- merous events, ranging pi- 1644), using designs by the arc hitects Fabio Man- from concerts to exhibi- tions and, of course, eating t- gone and Francesco Maria Richino, on the basis of tortelli and drinking vin th an existing structure. On the baroque high altar brûlé. There are also reli- he (1677-1688, Serafino Tencalla), there is a statue of gious ceremonies at the the Virgin Mary (1609) that is held to be miraculous church of S. Antonio, with a blessing of the saint’ s for having stopped the spread of the plague in 1630. shrine and a procession to- The elegant wooden furnishings (1770) are from the wards the S. Rocco bridge 18th-century s acristy that was built by F rancesco that is marked by light ing the "St. Anthony bonfire". Croce. The wooden c hoir and the organ, with an elegant rococo singer’s gallery (1759), are also 18th century. The Salvatore chapel has a fresco cycle by the Nuvolone brothers and late -mannerist stuc- cowork by Mic hel Angelo de Prevosti. T he Magi chapel has a 17th-century altarpiece and a scagliola frontal (1757) by L orenzo R etti. The S. Caterina chapel is decorated with baroque stuccowork (1672) and an altarpiece by Giulio Campi. The Basilica of S. Stefano , which is probably from the 8th century, is a short distance away . This Romanesque building (10th/11th cent.) has been re-

Monza and its province 121 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:58 Pagina 122

Eastern Brianza

Out of interest id on Oreno Potato is The Oreno potato is a white kennec tu- they can be grown and how. Such reg- ber that has a distinct taste and origi- ulations also take into account environ- m nated in Canada. It has a very compact mental sustainability and the trans- er texture, making it easy to handle and parency and traceability of the produc- thus ideal for cooking, especially items tion process. These same regulations w like potato gnocch i or croquettes. It govern t he e nvironmental c haracteris- pr does have one rather unusual aspect: tics, specify the climate and soil com- it doesn’t absorb oil and it doesn’t turn position, the planting cycles, the meth- golden (meaning it is only good for light ods used to prepare the land, the choic- C frying). The somewhat unusual nature of es of which varieties to use, the equip- fo this potato is linked to the soil where it ment that can be used, fertilisation, ir- br is grown. The land in the Oreno area rigation, pest control and harvesting. has a particularly good balance between This potato is planted between 15 and ca minerals and humus for such potatoes 25 March and harvested in late August R since this soil retains moisture without or early September. After the harvest, any water stagnation. The result is an every two years, there is the Potato M especially rich and tasty potato. Feast, which is probably the most ea- ce The designation of "made in Brianza" gerly awaited event in Oreno. The his- er for this potato is the outcome of a proj- torical role of this potato as a basic food ect designed to certify and enhance stuff in the local diet along with the re- sa quality local products. As such, the pro- newed importance of this tuber mean te duction regulations define what quali- the event still merits its place on the lo- se ties these potatoes must have, where cal calendar. am is ol furbished and enlarged on numerous occasions, al- of though traces of the original structure remain visi- ble: the 11th-century crypt, given a baroque C makeover in the 18th century, the b ell tower (built 13 on a Roman base in 1261 and restored in 15th-cent. co style) and a 14th-century sculpture of theVirgin Mary 19 with Child and Sts Stephen and Damian, on the façade. ‘n Frescoes from the first half of the 14th-century have th been discovered in the modern sacristy. The entrance portal has various elements that are from the Count- er-. The presbytery has some frescoes in 16th-century style, while those in the nave are 1 7th century and are by the great classicist Antonio Bus- ca. In 1805-1807, under the supervision of L eopold Pollack, a number of changes were made inside the church, including the creation of a new high altar and pulpit. Not far from the basilica, near piazza Castellana, is the 16th/1 7th-century convent of S. Lorenzo , The triad of 14th-century statues on the façade which was changed substantially in the 19th centu- of S. Stefano ry to use the buildings for industrial, trading and res- V

Monza and its province 122 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:58 Pagina 123

Vimercate

idential purposes. Villa Casanova lies on what was once Contrada S. Lorenzo (now via Garibaldi) and is a late -Neoclassical building constructed in the mid-19th century. Opposite this villa stands anoth- er v illa, n amely Villa Visconti G argantini P iatti, whose construction work started in 18 05 using a project by Pollack. The old Corsia di S. Rocco – now known as via Cavour – was the main road linking Milan to the ford at Trezzo sull’Adda. Along it lies the S. Rocco bridge, across the Molgora River (symbol of Vimer- cate), with its two towers and a gate. The ruins of a Roman bridge (3rd cent. AD) were the basis for the Moriano gate (on the city side), built in the late 12th century and completed with the addition of a tow- er in the 14th century. The outer tower is from the same period, although some later work on the ex- terior gave it a 16th-century appearance. This whole The S. Rocco bridge series of structures is one of the b est surviving ex- amples of medieval civil and military architecture. It is also the only medieval gate that survived the dem- olition work of the 18th century, although one span al- of the bridge was removed. si- There are other notable buildings along via ue Cavour: the Oratory of S. Antonio Abate , from the ilt 13th century but redone, inside, in baroque style and nt. conserving some 14th/15th-century frescoes; the ry 19th-century Palazzo Mandelli; and a 15th-century e. ‘noble mansion’. The list of original buildings from ve the 15th century includes the tower-house on via ce t- in th s- ld he nd a, o, Portrait of Elisabetta u- Sottocasa (Mosè Bianchi, s- Villa Sottocasa 1874)

Monza and its province 123 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:58 Pagina 124

Eastern Brianza

th an in G

S. al Pi la th to fr

M (1 Fo Villa S. Maria Molgora Paveri Fontana So 16 Crispi, home to the V icario della Martes ana, and by Casa Corio, which was redone in the 19th century It and once hosted Francesco Sforza (1450). m Villa Sottocasa overlooks via Vittorio Emanuele Archivio Plebano II. This 17th-century building, with a horseshoe lay- m out, was transformed in the early 19th century into T Archivio Plebano di Vimer- cate is an ecclesial archive a grand Neoclassical mansion, with a façade adorned ex that has religious and his- by a tympanum and a large f light of steps decorat- m torical documents from the ed with copies of classical statues. It has various 19th- cy late 16th to the 20th cen- turies that came into the century paintings by Mosè Bianchi and Eleuterio w possession of the parish Pagliano. A part of the Italian garden, set behind the hu church of S. Stefano and villa, has survived, complete with fake caves, statues w Sanctuary of the Beata Vergine del Rosario. It is and water features. It also has a large park that ex- an excellent source for re- tends down to the banks of the Molgora River and constructing what life was encompasses a large lemon grove, a small tower and like in the V imercate area some neo-Gothic stables. It was b ought in 2001 by in the past and it is also one o f t he m ost i mpres- the Vimercate municipality to house MUST -Museo sive a rchives s till i n e xis- del Territorio (see p. 116). tence in the Milan Dio- The church of S. Francesco is located quite near cese. One of the highlights is the musical section, Palazzo Trotti as are the ruins of an old convent which has around 700 (Casa Banfi). These were founded in the 13th cen- compositions and manu- tury by from Oreno, but suppressed in scripts for religious music, some dating back to the 1798, which is when the Banfi family (current own- 16th century. ers) took possession. T he complex has been refur- bished on various occasions, but still b ears traces of La

Monza and its province 124 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:59 Pagina 125

Vimercate

the original medieval structure. Both the convent and the c hurch have 14th-century frescoes, includ- ing a notable Crucifixion and S aints (1354) tha t is Giottoesque. The modern hospital is built over the original S. Damiano hospital (12th cent.). This building was altered in the late 18th century, using a design by Pietro Castelli and renovated in 1825 by Pietro Gi- lardoni. Nowadays, you can see the combination of the early 20th-century appearance (the work of An- tonio Corbetta, 1901-03) and the enlargement work from the 1960s. Casa Banfi, the ruins of the South of Vimercate, at the b order with Burago old convent of S. Francesco Molgora and on the side of an old pilgrim hospice (1248), you find Villa S. Maria Molgora Paveri Fontana, sometimes called Villa Melzi Meli Lupi di Soragna (private). This building is a combination of 16th-century style – the result of work commissioned nd by Count Aloisio Melzi – and N eoclassicism. The ry Italian garden and the English-style park, with nu- merous tall trees, are superb. le In the Oreno district, you can find some of the y- most h istorically i mportant b uildings i n the z one. to The 15th-century Borromeo Hunting Lodge is a good ed example of a type of architecture that was once com- at- mon in Milan and the environs. It also has a fresco h- cycle from the 15th century – in late -Gothic style io with t ouches of H umanism – o f b ear a nd f alcon he hunting. This lodge belongs to Villa Borromeo Arese, es which is from the 16th century, but redone on vari- x- nd nd by eo ar nt n- in n- r- of Late-Gothic frescoes at the 15th-century Borromeo Hunting Lodge

Monza and its province 125 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:59 Pagina 126

Eastern Brianza

po w th fo ca ce bu B ce

M st de th ba ch The nymphaeum of Neptune The façade of Villa Gallarati Scotti ce ad ous occasions up to the 19th century, when it was 15 given its current neo-rococo look. T he 19th-centu- la ry park, the result of altering the early Italian garden, ch forms a vast area of greenery that adjoins the area st around Villa Gallarati Scotti, which is probably the Fa grandest of the noble villas in the zone. The original in baroque structure can still b e seen in various parts, of namely the traditional U-shaped layout and various Gi other interior areas that now have 18th-century fres- coes. It was changed into Neoclassical style, includ- ing the addition of the monumental entrance, in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, by Simone Can- Potato Feast toni. The 19th-century work also altered the park, creating an English-style landscape where you can This is a traditional feast in still see traces of the baroque garden with its precious the Oreno district that is nymphaeum of N eptune (located at the northern held in the 2nd and 3rd weeks of September (every edge of the garden). R estoration work on the villa 2 years; even years). There was completed in 2008 and it now houses a congress are food and drinks stalls, and training centre. concerts, dancing, shows, exhibitions, conferences, Some of the most notable buildings, on piazza S. games and a large parade in Michele, are the 19th-century parish church, done the streets of the old cen- in late Neoclassical style, using a project by Giaco- tre. It is an ideal chance to mo Moraglia (1856), and the rococo Palazzo Foppa, savour local dishes made with potatoes. built in the 18th century by Marquis Cesare Augus- to Foppa. To the east of the centre, in a dominant Th

Monza and its province 126 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:59 Pagina 127

Vimercate

position, stands the convent of S. Francesco, which The “Agrifoppa” was built in the early 13th century. It was altered over farm the centuries (15th-18th cent.) until the Franciscans, following the suppression, withdrew into the Vimer- This farm (Oreno di Vimer- cate monastery, returning to Oreno in the mid-20th cate, Cascina Foppa, tel. 3203163625, giulio.f@agri century. To the west of Oreno, the Cavallera farm foppa.it, www.agrifoppa.it), buildings, constructed in 15 91 by the brothers located in the Cavallera Bernardino and Ottaviano Scotti, now have a 19th- Farming Park, produces top quality cereal and ‘gar- century appearance. den’ crops, such as Oreno The Ruginello district is home to the ostentatious potatoes and a range of Morte di Ruginello complex, which was recently re- pumpkins. You can buy po- tatoes, courgettes, cauli- stored to its 18th-century appearance. This building, flower, broccoli, tomatoes dedicated to death, is an unusual example of an issue and much more, either that preoccupied muc h of religious thought in fresh or stored in oil, di- baroque times. T he cemetery has the R omanesque rectly from the farm. V eg- etables, though, are not church of S. Maria Assunta, redone in the 17th/18th the only thing on sale, with century. This was also when the b ell tower was cured meats, cheeses, added; it now has various religious frescoes from the rice, jam and honey – all from local farms – also as 15th and 16th centuries (the most notable are the available. Of note: an initia- u- late-Gothic ones in the Ss. Antonio e Caterina tive called “Raccolta fai da n, chapel). The 18th-century Oratory of the Addolorata te” that allows people to actually harvest or pick ea stands in the old centre. Villa Besozzi (now Cas a their produce. he Famiglia S. Giuseppe) is another 18th-century build- al ing and enjoys a panoramic setting in the old centre ts, of Oldaniga. Next to it, you find the local church, Ss. us Giacomo e Cristoforo chapel , which is 13th centu- s- d- he n- k, an us rn la ss

S. ne o- a, s- nt The entrance road to the convent of S. Francesco in Oreno

Monza and its province 127 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:59 Pagina 128

Villasanta Municipal website: www.comune.villasanta.mi.it Distance from Monza: 4.5 km. Distance from Milan: 21 km Map reference: D 5

his municipality shares a b order with Monza Tand is but a few kilometres from the Brianza hills. The north-west border is washed by the Lam- bro River. It is likely that the old heart of the cen- tre (La Santa) is of Roman origin, arising as a stop- pa ping point on the road from Milan and Monza to to Olginate at the height of the fork leading to Vimer- la cate. The church and annexed hospice are from 961 (xenodochium in L atin) and are dedicated to St. in Alexander (S. Aless andro), in the district b earing bu the same name. The name "La Santa", used to in- in dicate the centre around S. Anastasia, comes from tic the Middle A ges; while the modern districts of la Sant’Alessandro and San F iorano were known as th Villola or Coliate, and later Villa, according to me- cif dieval documents. During the modern age, La San- of ta continued to belong to Monza and Villa to Con- ea corezzo. Later, Villa became an independent com- sa mune with the name of Villa San Fiorano. In 1929, (1 The Town Hall La Santa was removed from Monza, b ecoming bu (n ch pu th m

fo a fa th th C cl B Villa Camperio, the oldest lordly home in Villasanta

Monza and its province 128 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:59 Pagina 129

Villasanta Out of interest Abitatori del tempo (time dwellers) Abitatori del tempo is an initiative that and universities was initially backed by the V illasanta getting involved. and Monza municipalities in an effort The ‘intellectuals’ to give people a chance to reflect are some of th e thanks to meetings with some of the great thinkers and top contemporary intellectuals, who leading philoso- are invited each year to give a speech phers in Italy, in- on a theme of interest to society . In cluding Emanuele Severino, Giulio Gio - za 2007, the initiative took a stride for- rello and Umberto Galimberti. For infor- ward, with the provincial government mation:www.provincia.milano.it/ za and other local municipalities, bodies monzabrianza m- n- p- part of Villa San Fiorano. This led to the decision Famous people to to "merge" the two names and the result was V il- r- lasanta. The list of famous sons of Villasanta includes Manfre- 61 The parish church of S. Anastasia, recorded do Camperio (1826-1899), St. in a document from 7 68 AD, was completely re- who was involved in the fa- ng built from 1768 to 1796 and then enlarged further mous five days of Milanese n- in the following two centuries. It houses a fantas- rebellion against Austrian occupation and the war of m tic organ created by the Prina brothers from V il- independence. He was an of lasanta (1884), a 16th-century fresco (no longer on explorer and geographer, as the wall) of the Madonna of the Rose and the Cru- making numerous journeys to Africa and Australia. He e- cified said to be by Panfilo Nuvolone. The church founded and edited the n- of S. Alessandro , built in 1603 on the site of an magazine L’Esploratore n- earlier religious building dedicated to the s ame (The explorer). Umberto No- tari (1878- 1950), who was m- saint, was enlarged in 1951. T he parish c hurch actually born in Bologna but 9, (1967) in S an Fiorano replaced a 1 4th-century ‘adopted’ by V illasanta, ng building that had been rebuilt in the 19th century was a publisher and writer. (now a private residence). This is also the site of a He founded the Istituto Edi- toriale Italiano (Italian pub- chapel dedicated to St. Roch and the souls of lishing institute) and various purgatory that is often called the "small chapel of newspapers, including L’Am - the dead". It was built in the 15th/16th century in brosiano. Giulio Oggioni (1916-1993), priest, was Bi - memory of plague victims and then rebuilt in 1948. shop of Lodi from 1972 to The town’s oldest residence is Villa Camperio, 1977 and of Bergamo from formerly Casnedi, which was built in 1696 and has 1977 to 1991. Andrea Oggioni (1930-61) was one of the a large park. In 1815, the patriot F ederico Con- great mountain climbers of falonieri was ‘imprisoned’ here by the Austrian au- the 1950s. He accompanied thorities. It now houses the town library; much of the m ore f amous W alter the library’s patrimony actually comes from the Bonatti on numerous climbs. He died on Colle dell’Innom- Camperio family. The Town Hall, complete with a inata, on Mont Blanc, during clock tower (rationalist style) designed by Piero a climb that ended in tragedy Borradori in 1934, is also worth seeing. due to bad weather.

Monza and its province 129 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:59 Pagina 130

Concorezzo Municipal website: www.comune.concorezzo.mi.it Distance from Monza: 7 km. Distance from Milan: 21 km Map reference: D 5

In

St tu T ni ba The church of S. Eugenio M oncorezzo’s origins lie in the age of Imperial C CRome. Over the centuries, it has b een tied to Vi the fortunes of the neighb ouring Monza. In the no 12th century, Concorezzo was the only area un- m der the country church of Vimercate to be given ag Parco della the title of ‘hamlet’, even though the exact b or- ar Cavallera ders of this hamlet are not recorded. fa The most notable religious building is the m The Cavallera Park was founded by the municipali- parish church of Ss. Cosma e Damiano, a gigan- st ties of Concorezzo, Ar- tic Neoclassical construction designed by Luigi T core, Monza, V illasanta Cagnola in 1810 and built from 1818 on. T he and V imercate. It covers small church of S. Antonio , once dedicated to 650 ha and gets its name from the old Cascina Caval - lera that is located on the land. This park, covering a lot of farming land, is dot- ted with a number of oth- er o ld f armhouses. T here are various cycle and walk- ing t rails a s w ell as en vi- ronmental education pro- grammes and plenty of ac- commodation at the vari- ous farms. Villa Melzi Zoia, home to the town library P

Monza and its province 130 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:59 Pagina 131

Concorezzo

Inside and outside the Oratory of S. Antonio

St. Salvator, probably dates from the 16th cen- Feast of tury, but it was redone in the early 20th century. the Patron Saint The church of S. Eugenio, restored at the begin- ning of the last century, is documented as far Held on the first Sunday in November, it is dedicated to back as 853 AD. Saints Cosmos and Da- The most notable historic mansions are Villa mian. Shops are open, stal- Melzi Zoia (mid-19th cent.), often called Villa del ls set up and desserts and al Carretto, and now housing the town library, and other goods are on sale. In the morning, during mass at to Villa Teruzzi, b uilt i n t he l ate 1 8th c entury a nd the parish church, a ball of he now the Residenza Sanitaria Assistenziale (type of cotton wool – symbol of all n- medical centre). The Concorezzo area is notably that is bad in the world – is burnt a nd, a t t he S . L uigi en agricultural, with a numb er of small villages that theatre, the "Ago d’Oro" r- are dotted around and often centred on old awards are given out. At the farmhouses. A major effort is underway to learn edge of town, there are, for a number of days, some he more about and improve the local historical, arti- merry-go-rounds and others n- stic, arc hitectonic and arc haeological heritage. games for children. gi This is being led by the local archive, which was he to

Piazza della Pace and Concorezzo’s Town Hall

Monza and its province 131 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:59 Pagina 132

Agrate Brianza Municipal website: www.comune.agratebrianza.mi.it Distance from Monza: 7 km. Distance from Milan: 21 km Map reference: E 5

arious digs (1880) uncovered Roman archaeolo- Vgical ruins in A grate and other items, including a granite altar (now built into an arc h over a farm gate) and a Christian epigraph from the late 5th or A early 6th century. The centre appears in a document in 745 AD, namely the will of R ottopert “de vico Agrate”, who founded a hospice for the poor and for pilgrims. It also appears in a document from 835 Sc recording a donation by the Arc hbishop of Milan, no Angilbert II. ce The parish church of S. Eusebio stands on the ra main square and probably has 7th- or 8th-century tin origins. T he modern building was completed vu between 1925 and 1934, which is also the year when th it was consecrated. The most notable buildings are: vi the parish church of S. Zenone (Omate district), ge Agrate, the Town Hall which dates from at least the 13th century and was ra refurbished in the 16th; the church of S. Pietro L Famous people (13th cent.); and the church of S. Anna (Cascina T Agrate was the birthplace Morosina district), built in the 15th century. ba of Gian Matteo Ferrario, doc- It tor to Duchess Bianca po Maria Sforza and a lectur- de er at the University of Pad- ua, and Marco d’Agrate, cre- ator of a famous statue of St. Bartholomew in the Mi- lan cathedral. More recent- ly, in 1923, Clemente Vis- mara was born there. He was a papal missionary in Burma, where he lived and eventually died in 1988. In October 1996, Cardinal began proceedings to beatify Vis- mara; these have nearly been concluded. The parish church of S. Eusebio A

Monza and its province 132 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:59 Pagina 133

Agrate Brianza

Feasts and events

Feast of St. Anthony the Abbot: held in January , in the Omate district, it ends on the 17th, which is the feast of St. Anthony the Abbot, protector of country life. o- Bonfires are lit to symboli- ng cally repel the hardships of winter and to recall the leg- m end of the saint stealing em- or bers from hell to give them Aldo Moro Park nt to man, thus protecting co farmhouses from fires. The bonfire becomes the centre nd There are numerous villas in the area. Villa of dancing, drinking vin brûlé 35 Schira-Corneliani, from the 16th/17th century, is (wine with spices) and eat- n, now home to the town library . There is one ex- ing some local delicacies. Palio degli Asini (Donkey ceptional balcony with a baroque wrought iron palio): held on the first Sun- he railing. It conserves a number of old books, pain- day in June in the Omate ry tings, period furnishings and documents. Villa Tri- district, it includes a cos- tume parade, a race for don- ed vulzio is in the Omate district. The building, from keys, games, shows, a culi- en the early 16th century, was turned into a noble nary competition and much e: villa using a design by the architect Giovanni Rug- more. t), geri (early 18th cent.). The current eclectic appea- The Feast of the Gallarana : held on the last weekend in as rance is the 19th-century work of the arc hitect June, this feast in the park ro Luigi Majnoni. T he scenic gardens are notable. (on via Offellera) is organ- na The 18th-century Villa d’Adda-Salvaterra has a ised by residents and spon- sored by the municipality . baroque imprint, with some Neoclassical touches. There is dancing, with the It has some painted ceilings, frescoes and an im- option of eating in the park. posing fireplace topped by wonderful friezes and The main dish is a mixed fish dish, although sandwiches, decorations. hamburgers, sausages and desserts are also available. Feast of the Melonera: held on the Fridays and Saturdays of the first three weeks of July, this traditional feast in the Omate district, focuses on fresh fruit and evenings of dancing. Feast of St. Anne : held in the last week of July, this feast for the patron saint of the Oratory of Cascina Morosi- na combines religious with popular music. A view of Villa Trivulzio and the gardens

Monza and its province 133 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:59 Pagina 134

Burago di Molgora Municipal website: www.comune.buragodimolgora.mi.it Distance from Monza: 11 km. Distance from Milan: 25 km Map referenc: D 5

arious arc haeological remains of the Imperial Vera have b een found in this area, including C locules, coins and s arcophaguses, suggesting this lo was once a Roman settlement. In 1860, Burago, fol- T lowing an order from the King of Italy, b ecame a w municipality (or commune) with a population of A Burago in Festa nearly a thousand. This former farming settlement B saw major industrial growth in the 20th century. In the 2nd and 3rd weeks Today, it is home to a number of small and medi- re of September, there is the um-sized enterprises and one of Europe’s most fa- in small “Profumi e sapori” craft market, with local mous nurseries. One of the best-known companies is products, hobby items and to have been based here was Folgora, which pro- ce art exhibitions. Events for duced toy guns in the 1960s and 70s. The other fa- la children, comedy shows and dancing and fireworks mous names in the world are: Burago model cars, ho in the evening. long the international leader in this sector; and fr Pasini L aboratorio, (chemistry laboratory) which G made the Crystal Ball. M The most famous residential buildings are the ba 17th-century Villa Penati Ferrerio (redone in lat- ea er centuries), although it is now used as the Town en Hall and library and the Neoclassical Villa Mylius w Oggioni, which was owned by the German busi- ness man Enrico Mylius (1769-1854). Mylius was one of the first business leaders in L ombardy to make use of technology in his spinning mills and to realise the value of educating and training his The church of Ss. Vito e workers. The villa, with a traditional U shape, has Modesto a tympanum on the front and also has the origi- nal English garden. In the Santa Maria district, you can see the beautifully set 18th-century Villa Melzi and the Cascina Magana and Cascina Baraggia. It is also worth seeing the parish church of Ss. Vito e Modesto, with origins dating from 1106. Villa Penati Ferrerio A

Monza and its province 134 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:59 Pagina 135

Cavenago di Brianza Municipal website: www.comune.cavenagobrianza.mi.it Distance from Monza: 13 km. Distance from Milan: 27 km Map reference: E 6

al avenago lies b etween the Molgora River and ng C Rio Vallone, on the plain to the north of the Vil- is loresi canal, halfway between Bergamo and Milan. ol- The first records of this area are from 8 73 AD, a when certain plots of land were b ought by the of Archbishop of Milan, Anspert, from the Albuzzi di nt Biassono family. y. Palazzo Rasini, owned by the municipality, is of The Rasini family di- real interest. The 17th-century section of the build- This family rose to power a- ing might have involved work by Martino Bassi and in the 16th century and be- es is built over a 16th-century structure. In the late 18th- came part of the Consor- o- century alterations were carried out (creation of a teria Arese, which exer- cised s ubstantial po litical a- large lounge) using a project by Simone Cantoni. It power in Milan in the 17th rs, houses two decorative cycles: the large numb er of century under the Presi- nd fragments from a 17th-century cycle coordinated by dent of the Senate, Bar- tolomeo III Arese. The fam- ch Giovanni Ghisolfi and the 18th-century lounge by ily lived for three centuries Mattia Bortoloni, who was the most famous L om- in P alazzo d i C avenago. he bard artist working in Tiepolo’s rococo style. The ar- Even today, in Milan near piazza San Babila, you can t- eas open to the public are on the ground floor. You see via Rasini, where they wn enter through a large entrance courtyard and a door- owned a house. us way located on one side of the portico. All of the si- as to nd is as gi- he he so e

A part of the interior and exterior of Palazzo Rasini, including the entrance

Monza and its province 135 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:59 Pagina 136

Eastern Brianza

T A pa ch lik The 18th-century parish church of S. Giulio at Cavenago di Brianza C th Town feasts floors are made with polychrome Venetian marble re granules. Behind the house, you can see the garden On the first Sunday in Oc- (partially transformed). tober, there is the feast of za the patron saint, St. Julius. The key religious buildings are: the 18th-centu- ce The day includes craft and ry parish c hurch dedicated to St. Julius and the pa charity markets, art exhibi- church of S. Maria(in the Campo district), that was tions, puppet shows, read- lia built in the 12th century by the Humiliati and redone ings in the library, fireworks A and a parade. in the mid-15th century. The cycle of frescoes, in the style of Luini, are found both inside and in the parish fu church (removed from the wall). T he Lazzaretto – an a private funerary chapel built where victims of the gl plague in 1630 were buried – is also worth seeing. ne m Out of interest fa Parco del Rio Vallone From via Manzoni, you can head, along the dormouse and the harvest mouse. in cycle paths or on foot, into the Rio Val- The park also includes some notable lone Park. This is the starting point for buildings, such as the Sanctuary of an a number of protected areas that bor- Ornago and t he C avenago d i B rianza Ou der, to the west, with the Molgora leper colony. It also has the Le Foppe fo Park, to the south, with the Sud Milano protected area: a former clay quarry, it Farming Park, to the east with the Ad- has recently been regenerated by the Ca da Nord Park, and to the north with the municipality and the Consorzio Pubbli- Montevecchia e Val Curone Park. The co d’Igiene Ambientale (C.E.M.) to en- park covers a total of 480 ha along the able the public to enjoy it. The head- tu Rio Vallone (r iver), forming a ‘green quarters is in the Cascina Sofia. no lung’ in a heavily built-up area. The veg- There a re c ycle, w alking a nd r iding etation is quite ab undant and the ani- paths in the park as well as bird watch- mal life is remarkable diverse, with 13 ing hides and other outdoor education bo species of small mammal s, inclu ding activities. ci nu

Monza and its province 136 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:59 Pagina 137

Ornago Municipal website: www.comuneornago.it Distance from Monza: 15 km. Distance from Milan: 29 km Map reference: D 6

he oldest records of the municipality are from T876, when it was mentioned in the will of the Archbishop of Milan, Anspert da Biassono. It was part of the country church of Vimercate and, as su- ch, tied to its history. The municipality of Ornago, like Biassono, is strongly tied to the V erri family. Count Pietro Verri (1728-97) particularly favoured this centre, living out the final stage of his life the- le re and undertaking numerous farming experiments. en The Sanctuary of the Beata Vergine del Laz- zaretto, built in the 18th century, has an altarpie- u- ce by Carlo Verri portraying St. Martin, a canvas he painting of The Prodigal Son by Francesco Corne- as liani (a favoured artist of Milan’s nobility) and an ne Amati organ from the 19th century. he The Verri chapel, an exceptional example of a sh funerary c hapel, is located outside the s anctuary – and was built for Pietro by his wife Marietta Casti- he glioni. It is the resting place for this famous expo- . nent of the Enlightenment and memb ers of his fa- mily. The monument was inspired by the one of the famous German philosopher Kant in Kaliningrad. The other buildings of historical and artistic interest are: the parish church of S. Agataand the annexed 17th-century rectory; the small chapel of Our Lady of Sorrows , built in 1777; the Miracolo fountain, a 18th-century votive location; and the Cascina Borella. At the beginning of the 20th century, a sanc- tuary was built on the expansive woodlands. It has now become the Vimercate hospital. The modern economy of the town is linked both to small and medium-sized enterprises (espe- cially in the mechanical sector) and to devices for The Sanctuary of the Beata nurseries. Vergine del Lazzaretto

Monza and its province 137 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:59 Pagina 138

Bellusco Municipal website: www.comune.bellusco.mi.it Pro Loco: via Rimembranze. Tel.: 3922586438. Fax: 039623669 Website: www.prolocobellusco.it E-mail: [email protected] Distance from Monza: 14 km. Distance from Milan: 29 km. Map reference: D 6

ellusco lies in the middle of the plain, near the B glacial hills of Brianza and Lombardy’s Alpine foothills, with the most notable peaks being Grigna (2,410m) and R esegone (1,975m). This In centre lies on a major crossroad between the Mi- pa lan, Como and Bergamo areas. T he land is marked by a number of hills and rises that origi- (y Educational farm nated in the Quaternary period due to torrential la rain. Today, the area is washed by two water- to The Ronchia Lorenzo Maria courses: Cava and Rio Vallone. The south-west- farm (via San Nazzaro 40, tel. 039623216, email: ern section of the municipality, a "hunting re- be [email protected]) serve", has some local wildlife: hares, pheas ants di is a farm that special ises and starlings. le in growing cereal crops The first documents ab out the centre, from ya and small fruits. It has un- dertaken the experimental Bergamo’s Chapter Arc hives, are from the 9th ya cultivation of sweet peas century. Until a few decades ago, the local econ- Po to produce F1 seeds (first omy was based on cereal crops and silkworms. In an generation, completely white or red flowers). Var- recent times, the textile, metalworking, plastic and to ious educational events electronic industries have taken off. and activities are organ- The Da Corte castle , in the old centre, is a bu ised. It is part of a series of educational farms. robust medieval structure that was redone in the by Sforza era (around 14 67) by Martino Da Corte St br T in 18 go M th is st te no th The Da Corte castle, in the centre of Bellusco

Monza and its province 138 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:59 Pagina 139

Bellusco

he ne Feasts and events ng Feast of San Nazaro : on the is Inside the Oratory of Camuzzago and, right, the last weekend in July , it is i- parish church of Bellusco held in the barn of Cascina is S. Nazaro; singing, danc- ing and tasting of local gi- (you can still see the coat-of-arms). It has a square dishes. al layout, with an entrance marked by a ravelin and Feast of the Patron Saint and r- towers. the S. Giustina palio, second Sunday in September , for t- Around the main piazza, you can see a num- the feast of the patron e- ber of 17th-century courtyards. To note: “Stalle saint: the S. Giustina palio ts di Mantova” ( stables), the Lazzaretto (or is organised by a specific leper colony) courtyard, the Tegole (or tile) court- committee with the back- ing of the municipality. The m yard, the V ismara courtyard, the Mis ani court- feast was originally organ- th yard, Dosso, the Lattaio (or dairy) courtyard, the ised b y a yo ung g roup o f n- Pozzo (or well) courtyard, the Sangalli courtyard parishioners (1955) and cli- maxes with a parade of In and the Frati (or friars’) courtyard, which is home floats inspired by biblical nd to the “Mario Rigoni Stern” library. themes. The parade is led The eclectic parish church of S. Martino , by the S. Giustina float and by the standard bearers a built in 1864, has frescoes ab out St. Martin’s life from each district. The he by Luigi Tagliaferri, the much venerated shrine of route takes in most of the te St. Justina and a mechanic pipe organ built by the main town streets. A jury , brothers Pietro and L orenzo Bernasconi (1875). elected annually, chooses the best float, awarding it There are also numerous old farmhouses, includ- the Palio di S. Giustina. The ing the Cascina S. Nazaro, with a church that has actual prize is a standard 18th-century paintings. In the Cascina Camuzza- created by a local artist and a small, gilded urn that go district, you can see the Oratory of S. Maria holds a miniature copy of Maddalena (being restored). Once an abb ey for the saint. This ‘trophy’ is the monks of St. Sepulchre (the original structure looked after by families from the winning district. is from 1152), it has a vast cycle of frescoes with Feast of St. Martin: held dur- stories of the saint by an artist, known as the Mas- ing the week of 11 Novem- ter of Camuzzago, in the style of Bernardino Buti- ber: it includes a variety of none (ca. 1510). The altarpiece of the Descent from events and shows centred on the themes of solidarity the Cross is now in the Brera Gallery in Milan. and volunteer work.

Monza and its province 139 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:59 Pagina 140

ab Mezzago A Municipal website: www.comune.mezzago.mi.it ce Pro Loco: via Stefano Biffi 28. Tel. and fax: 0396020288 B Website: www.prolocomezzago.it E-mail: [email protected] Distance from Monza: 17 km. Distance from Milan: 32 km. Map reference: D 6 Bo an ry

ezzago was originally a farming village cen- M tred on the churches of S. Vittore (no longer around) and S. Maria (current parish church) and the tower of Palazzo Archinto. Cereal crops were widely grown, although the local c hestnuts, oak, hazelnut and durmast woods also provided an im- portant source of income. In the 15th century, fol- lowing the wars between the Visconti family and Farms the Venetians, the Mezzago area was s acked and

Il gelso (“Le Solvette” area, suffered severely from diseases, resulting in a sub- sales outlet via Matteotti 5, stantial decrease in the population. tel. 3407772992, T uesday Some of the old dwellings, called ‘ sedine’, are and Friday, 1 to 7pm, Sat- In still around, suc h as the Cascina Orobona. This urday 9-noon. Contact: via of Unione 3, tel. 3389219171, particular structure is typical of residences centred [email protected], www.azil on a well in a courtyard, with the living quarters, gelso.it). Production and stables, barns and haylofts all around. The De Corte sale of organic, seasonal vegetables. and Biffi families were the prominent families in the Rino di Gualtiero Mattavelli area. In the second half of the 1 7th century, mul- (via Don Minzoni 8/c, tel. berries caught on as a crop along with breeding 3472232288, fax 039602 2812, [email protected], silkworms. Today, this area is known for its aspara- www.agricolarino.it. Sales gus, but this was only introduced in the 19 30s. outlet, via Marconi 1). As- Palazzo Archinto stands in the town centre and paragus and some other was once home to the Jesuits. From 1779, it housed fruit and veg. Sale of as- paragus in April and May. numerous noble families, starting with the Archin- La Valle del Re (sales outlet tos. The tower – except for the 18th-century last via Vite Lunga 1, tel. 347 floor or b elfry – and many of the older parts are 4003642, fax 0396010 707, [email protected], from the 12th century, when the complex housed www.lavalledelre.it). Corn, a thriving community of monks from the Humil- wheat and pink asparagus. iati order. The monks were famous wool makers. Sales outlet open all year (pink asparagus available in The parish church of S. Maria Assunta was April and May). built in the 18th century. It has two notable CAAM - Cooperativa Agricola chapels in the left aisle, one dedicated to the Pietà Asparagicoltori Mezzago and the other is where the Maggi family is buried. (sales outlet via V itelunga 1, tel. 3473403457). The old centre is also home to the Oratory of S. Gerolamo, founded by the De Corte family in

Monza and its province 140 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:59 Pagina 141

Mezzago

about 1674. It later passed into the hands of the Archinto family, who purchased some of the 19th- century furnishings that can b e seen inside. Villa Brasca, with its park, is also worth noting, as is Bosco della Cappelletta, a wood with lovely trees and some of the only rural chapels in the territo- ry in reasonable condition. n- er Maggio nd Mezzaghese re k, This is a traditional musi- cal, social and cultural fes- m- tival that is held throughout l- May. It includes concerts, nd sports competitions, cul- tural events, small markets nd and tasting of local dishes b- made with pink asparagus (a speciality of Mezzago). For info : www.prolocomez re Inside and outside the 18th-century parish church zago.it/maggio.htm is of S. Maria Assunta ed rs, Out of interest te he Asparago Rosa di Mezzago ul- Pink asparagus – Asparago Rosa – is a in May has been doing well since the type of asparagus that is only grown in first one held in 1960. About a year ago, ng Mezzago. Unlike other varieties that are the product received Denominazione a- entirely green, white or purple, this one Comunale di Origine status, which is has a top (3-4 cm) that is pink, while the one of the Italian labels designed to pro- rest is completely white. The colour and tect local products. It is normally abbre- nd taste are the result of the specific local viated to De.C.O. ed conditions (clayey soil that has a high For info: www.asparagorosa.it mineral content). These same conditions n- ensure that Asparago Rosa di Mezzago st is a healthy and sought after product. re The season for this asparagus starts in April and ends towards the end of May. ed It is usually gathered at the end of April il- or beginning of May using traditional methods: by hand, using an iron tool to s. lift each asparagus plant out of the as ground, one by one. Unfortunately, in le recent years, cash crops have become more popular, especially as the number tà of farmers has dropped greatly. Even d. though the asparagus itself is disappear- S. ing, the festival held for this asparagus in

Monza and its province 141 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:59 Pagina 142

Sulbiate Municipal website: www.comune.sulbiate.mi.it Distance from Monza: 16 km. Distance from Milan: 30 km Map reference: D 6

his municipality consists of the old communes Tof Sulbiate Inferiore, Sulbiate Superiore and Brentana as well as the Cà and Cazzullo farmsteads. Th The Roman origins can be guessed from the traces of ponderous walls that form part of a ‘noble house’ G (13th/14th cent.) with an annexed tower near the th Feasts and events parish church – the house has been owned by two w prominent local families, namely the Scaccabarozzi be The Committee for Cul- and the Arcimboldi – and from a 3rd-century AD ture, Sport and Free T ime organises, from 14 to 16 sarcophagus against a wall in the courtyard of Palaz- Or July, a Beer Festival with zo Baraggia. ce concerts and stalls at the The icon of the town is the 15th-century Lam- ha municipal sports centre. The town fete is held on pugnani Olgiati castle that was built from 145 2- di the last Sunday in Septem- 1455 by a Milanese merc hant (Paolo Lampugnani) fr ber and involves a series after he received a concession from Francesco Sforza S. of cultural and recreational to build a fortified residence. The castle was later en- events and initiatives. The er festival is organised by the larged, with the addition of baroque courtyards, and T local town council in con- has changed hands numerous times over the cen- ba junction with the array of turies. The involvement of Giovanni Andrea L am- 16 associations from the area. pugnani in the plot that led to the death of Duke to ce or 18 bu tio

H (a bu of ar T ro w The 15th-century Lampugnani Olgiati castle has some baroque sections th

Monza and its province 142 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:59 Pagina 143

Sulbiate

es nd ds. The church of S. Pietro and, right, of S. Ambrogio in Sulbiate es e’ Galeazzo Maria Sforza was punished, not only with Attack in Milan he the ass assins b eing executed or lync hed, but also wo with the upper section of one of the corner towers In 1476, Giovanni Andrea zi being pulled down. Lampugnani, o nce a l ead- ing light at the Sforza court, D In the Sulbiate Superiore district, you find the Girolamo Olgiati and Carlo z- Oratory of S. Ambrogio , a R omanesque building Visconti organised a pl ot centred on a large main hall. It was built in the first against Duke Galeazzo m- half of the 11th century on the site of a large Bene- Maria Sforza. The attack took place on 26 Decem- 2- dictine convent. It has a notable cycle of frescoes ber 1476 in the church of ni) from the 13th-15th centuries. The church of S. Stefano in Milan, during za S. Pietro was originally commissioned by the pow- a procession in honour of St. Stephen. The Duke was n- erful Figini family (16th cent.), but redone in 1931. assassinated, but Giovanni nd The parish church of S. Antonino , recorded way was also killed by the n- back in 1138, was rebuilt for the first time in the late crowd and the others were later put to death. This was m- 16th/early 17th centuries and then again from 1780 followed by Lampugnani ke to 1783. The interior was completed during the 19th family possessions being century, with the addition of new altars, a majestic confiscated, with many organ (1820) and paintings by Luigi Pedrazzi (1843- family members either leav- ing Milan or being exiled. 1844). The final alterations were in 19 32, with the building of the transept for the dome and the addi- tion of new decorations by Marigliani di Bergamo. Palazzo Baraggia stands next to the old T own Hall square and the church of S. Pietro Apostolo (and the annexed rural houses). T his palazzo was built by the Figini family and passed into the hands of the Biffi family in the 18th century . The coat-of- arms can still be seen in the arch over the entrance. The complex is centred on a courtyard that is sur- rounded, on three sides, by warehouses, porticoes, workshops and the villa. There is also a large garden The church of S. Antonino, that stretches out behind the villa. rebuilt in the 18th century

Monza and its province 143 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:59 Pagina 144

ca Aicurzio 16 Municipal website: www.comune.aicurzio.mi.it pr Pro Loco: via Croce 5. Tel.: 0396884181 E-mail: [email protected] C Distance from Monza: 16 km. Distance from Milan: 31 km. Map reference: D 6 th th th

th w ce pe th an The Templars st The old Templar settlements in Aicurzio, linked to the Mi- to lan churches of S. Croce and tin S. Maria del T empio, were Castel Negrino A built thanks to Friar Dalmazio da Verzario (Verderio). The ba military and religious order of icurzio was probably home to a small R oman um the T emplars, created in Agarrison. In the Middle Ages, due to its strate- bo 1118-1120, by Hugues de gic location, it remained a military outpost, Payens, Godfrey de Saint- to Omer and some other favoured by the Knights T emplar. This military ry knights, was tasked with en- vocation can be gauged by various buildings in the C suring safe passage for pil- area: Casa degli Umiliati, Castel Negrino and grims heading to the Holy pa Land, especially Jerusalem Commenda. These buildings, following the sup- ot (where the order had its first pression of religious orders, passed to the Knights G centre). In the coming cen- of Malta, and were incorporated into Villa Biffi- w turies, the order gained no- Rigorini-Colnaghi (private property), whic h is table political and economic ch power, but was eventually from the late 18th and 19th centuries. Only the lay- pl dissolved by Pope Clement out and placement of the buildings recall the old V in 1312-1314 through a medieval structure. Even the annexed church, ded- series of papal bulls. icated to St. James, was rebuilt (16 23) and dedi-

Villa Pasqualini Malacrida Aceti and, right, Villa la Commenda A

Monza and its province 144 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:59 Pagina 145

Aicurzio

cated to the Virgin Mary of the Snow. From the Feasts and events 16th century on, certain noble families came to prominence, suc h as the Paravicini, Malacrida, Town fete, last Sunday in Au- gust: this traditional local Cottini and Rigorini. The most evident remains of festival lasts for 3 days. these families are the villas dotted around. F rom One of the highlights is the the 15th century on, silkworms became central to chance to taste a number of the local economy. local delicacies, like “Pacia- rela”, or milk cake, and Villa Pasqualini Malacrida Aceti is located in sausages and beans. the old town centre. T his 16th-century building, Feast of St , with a typical U shape, was enlarged in the 1 7th the Patron, Sunday closest to 30 November: a religious century and redone on a number of occasions, es- feast centred on the church pecially in the early 19th century . The rooms on of S. Andrea Apostolo. the piano nobile have some pretty old furnishings and paintings. T he garden is currently b eing re- stored. The villa now houses the Town Hall. The 17th-century Villa Paravicini, home to the town library, has a large park that is the annual set- ting for the Sagra del Giugno Aicur ziese (Feast of Aicurzio in June). The building, with some lovely baroque decorative elements, has a small muse- an um on local customs. This museum, only open by Legends of e- booking, has photographs and farming and craft Campegorino st, tools linked to local rural culture. The 19th-centu- ry According to legend, the ry parish church of S. Andreahas a painting of St. deceased buried in the he Cecilia by , a Lombard small piece of holy ground nd painter who worked in the 17th century. There are next to the Sanctuary of p- Campegorino rose up to other paintings on loan from the famous Brera battle side-by-side with the ts Gallery in Milan. The Sanctuary of Campegorino, living to defend the town i- which has a small cemetery next to it, has a little from an attack during the War of the Spanish Suc- is chapel built in memory of those who died from the cession (1705). y- plague in 1576 and 1630. ld d- di-

A view of the Sanctuary of Campegorino and, right, the parish church of S. Andrea

Monza and its province 145 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:59 Pagina 146

Bernareggio Municipal website: www.comune.bernareggio.mi.it Pro Loco: via Prinetti 29 c/o Town Hall. Tel.: 0396900763 E-mail: [email protected] Distance from Monza: 15 km. Distance from Milan: 30 km. Map reference: D 6

ernareggio probably began life as a Roman set- Btlement in the 3rd century AD. In the Middle Ages, it b ecame a seigniory of the Bernareggio

family and 2 monasteries for the Humiliati order In were built. These remained in use until the 16th N century, when Archbishop Charles Borromeo sup- pressed them. In the modern age, the town was ruled, as a fief, by the F oppa, Seccob orella and tu Trotti families. In the second half of the 19th cen- Pr tury, the largely farming economy turned towards ie silkworms and a textile industry arose. Wood crafts also gained some importance, reaching a peaking Bo Feasts and events the 1930s. st One of the most notable religious buildings is bu Bernareggio in Fiore: on the last weekend in May , this the Oratory of Ss. Gervaso e Protaso , which is a ra flower market and exhibition 16th-century building with some frescoes from that To also has a number of other period. The adjacent parish church (1865) has a V objects. It includes an ad-lib competition for painting, painting ( St. J ohn the E vangelist) by Bernardino in called “Pennellate originali” Campi, a well-known artist from . In the sc (original brush strokes), dur- Villanova district, there is theparish church of the G ing which the participants have to draw views of the Immacolata e S. Bartolomeo. an town on the spot! Feast of the Nascent Madon- br na: the whole second week of September, this tradi- tional feast is linked to the church of S. Maria Na - scente and involves both religious and recreational events. Feast of the Corncob: second Sunday in October, this is an exhibition of farming ma- chinery and tools; there are also theme stalls, work- shops for children and the chance to taste some po- lenta dishes. The parish church of the Immacolata e S. Bartolomeo V

Monza and its province 146 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:59 Pagina 147

Bernareggio

t- le io er Inside and outside the church of S. Maria th Nascente in Bernareggio p- Famous people as The old centre has some ruins from a 10th-cen- Two important people from nd tury castle; on piazza della R epubblica and in via the Middle Ages from this n- Prinetti, you can see the ruins of the old monaster- commune bore the name of Obizzone da Bernare ggio. ds ies of the Humiliati order. The first was the secretary fts Away from religious buildings, Villa Landriani of the Milan seigniory , ng Bonacina is worth noting. This 18th-century con- Bishop Ottone V isconti, and Provost of the Country struction is now the Town Hall. There is also the Church of V imercate. The is building where Garibaldi’s staunch follower, Lau- second, feudal lord of the a ra Solera Mantegazza, lived and that was the first Martesana area a nd h ead at Town Hall. F inally, Villa De Azzi Lanfranconi in of the Melosi family , was the progenitor of the branch a Villanova (private property) was built in the open- of the family that, in the 10th no ing decades of the 18th century and has a land- century, was responsible for he scaped park designed in the 19th century by the t own’s n ame a nd b uilt the castle. Bernareggio was he Giuseppe Balzaretto. Note the small hunting lodge also the birthplace for a fa- and greenhouses. mous character in the Italian Nearby, there is the A dda River with an iron Risorgimento, namely Laura Solera Mantegazza, who, as a bridge from 1889. friend of Giuseppe Mazzini and Garibaldi, undertook to find financing for Garibaldi’s troops from 1848 on. Both of her sons were part of the Risorgimento: Paolo, a sci- entist and writer , was in- volved in the Roman Repub- lic (1849); Emilio fought with Garibaldi at the battle of Bezzecca. This noble lady was also a local benefactor, founding hospitals, schools, orphanages and the first women’s mutual aid union. eo Villa Landriani Bonacina, now the Town Hall

Monza and its province 147 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:59 Pagina 148

Ronco Briantino Municipal website: www.comune.roncobriantino.mi.it Distance from Monza: 16 km. Distance from Milan: 32 km Map reference: C 6

his town lies against a bac kdrop of mountains: TMontevecchia, Corni di , Grigna and R e- T segone. The rural vocation of this land is illustrat- ly ed in a local museum – Museo Agricolo – housed fr in the Centro S. Antonio. Set up in 19 81, the basis th of the collection was a set of farming tools from a ta farmhouse that was to b e demolished. It now has fr 400 pieces, many of which were donated by local to citizens or were saved from other unused buildings. M The museum has two real points of interest: some st of the tools are unique in that they were handcraft- ca ed solutions designed by farmers to meet specific er needs; and about 250 of the items are also described C in the local dialect of Brianza. In The 20th-century parish church is dedicated to of St. Ambrose "Ad Nemus". The original building, be- in The church of S. Ambrogio ing restored, is from 1415. T he small Morti della da Brughiera chapel, on the road to Carnate, was al- (s so built in the early 2 0th century. It lies on a foot- ho path that was used, from the 16th century on, by ol people attempting to flee from the plague in Milan. no A number of old villas provide clear evidence that this was once a favoured countryside location ic for the well-heeled Milanese. Villa Alfieri-Perego Ba is 18th-ce ntury, but is eclectic in style; the neo- The neo-Gothic Villa Brioschi Gothic Villa Brioschi, also called La Torretta, was once a lordly residence and now houses the Town Hall. The Ronco Briantino municipality became autonomous in 19 09 when it split from Bernareg- gio. The town is in the Montevecchia Regional Park, in the south-eastern Brianza section, and it covers a numb er of diverse habitats: areas of real environmental interest, urban centres, manufactur- ing zones, farming and animal rearing land, and his- Villa Alfieri-Perego torical/artistic monuments. In

Monza and its province 148 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:59 Pagina 149

Carnate Municipal website: www.comune.carnate.mi.it Distance from Monza: 13 km. Distance from Milan: 27 km Map reference: D 5

ns: he municipality, which also includes Passirano, e- Tis washed by the Molgora River and is partial- at- ly surrounded by the hills of Brianza. Various finds ed from the Roman era have been made, but despite is these, the actual origins of Carnate remain uncer- a tain. The first documented evidence only comes as from 1021. In 1483, the from Milan al took up residence in the zone (suppressed by gs. Maria Theresa of Austria in 1769) and built some Feasts and events me structures that, despite no longer being accessible, ft- can still be seen. This religious order had a pow- Maggio Incontri (May meet- ings), in May and June, is fic erful grip on the local area. F rom 1869 to 19 09, a popular event that has ed Carnate was under the Bernareggio municipality. become part and parcel of In the second half of the 19th century, like many local tradition. It includes a range of sporting, recre- to of the major centres in the Brianza area, the silk ational and cultural events. e- industry developed substantially. Indeed, even to- During the town fete, held on la day there is a complex known as "L a F ilanda" the first Sunday after East- al- (spinning mill) in the part of Carnate that was er, Carnate comes alive as many stalls are set out t- home to the most important spinning mill. T he around the church. There by old mill can actually still b e seen, although it is are also merry-go-rounds n. not in good condition at all. and the like for children and an array of other initiatives ce The most important element of the local histor- (including a typical local on ical and cultural patrimony is Villa Fornari Prinetti dinner). go Banfi, which was built in 1685. The S. Probo chapel o- as wn me g- al it al r- s- Inside and outside the 17th-century Villa Fornari Prinetti Banfi

Monza and its province 149 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:59 Pagina 150

Eastern Brianza

T de co to Villa Fornari Prinetti Banfi, surrounded by a park th no was built in 1732. This baroque structure is the final so resting place of St. Probus, who the local peas ants ar called on for help in times of drought. T he resi- fe dence, set against a b eautiful landscape, has some T ceilings with wonderful frescoes and two monumen- Pa tal fireplaces from the 17th and 18th centuries. The th typical U-shaped layout is bordered by a courtyard Pr that opens, to the west, onto the Folgora valley. This fo gently sloping landscape is home to an English park to that conserves some wonderful trees. la The 19th-century parish church was enlarged tr in the 19 30s. Dedicated to Saints Cornelius and in Caprasius, the first records of it are from 1494. The link between the parish church and the Carmelites sin is evident in the cycle of 18th-century frescoes be- by hind the current apse (it is of the Madonna of th Carmine). The other notable local religious build- ings are the Neoclassical Oratory of S. Crocein Pas- sirano (Gargantini Oratory), built in 18 44. The ‘youngest’ church in the municipality is from 1971 and is near the train station. It has a series of paint- ings by Marco Carnà and Lino Mar zulli. The for- mer, who was born and lives in Passirano, has re- ceived international acclaim for his illustrations of the Divine Comedy and of Gogol’s Dead Souls. Since 2003, the local administration has used works by The park around Villa this master to reward citizens at the town fete, Fornari Prinetti Banfi which is held on the first Sunday after Easter . U

Monza and its province 150 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:59 Pagina 151

Usmate Velate Municipal website: www.comune.usmatevelate.mi.it Distance from Monza: 11 km. Distance from Milan: 28 km Map reference: D 5

he municipality lies between Bosco della Cassinet- Tta and Noceto del Molgora, on the southern bor- der of Brianza. T he territory was long ruled by the country church of Vimercate and, as such, was tied to its fate. Guidotto da Usmate was, in 1219, one of the backers of the P eace of L ecco that allowed the nobles in exile to return to Milan. V elate also s aw Tutti in Piazza al some fighting: in 1322, Marco Visconti’s Ghibelline This event, held on the pi- army was defeated here. Some of the most famous ts azza in front of Villa Bor- si- feudal lords in Usmate include the Counts of Osio. gia, takes place on the first me The most famous memb er of this family was Gian Sunday in October in col- laboration with the munici- n- Paolo, who is better known as the man who seduced pal offices for sport, cul- he the nun from Monza in Manzoni’s famous novel ture and free time, the rd Promessi Sposi. The Usmate Velate municipality was sport council, the commit- his founded in 186 9 when U smate, already an au- tee for the former Festa della Solidarietà, the youth rk tonomous commune, was joined with V elate Mi- centre and the library. Vol- lanese. Velate only received authorisation in 1930 to unteer associations also ed transfer its municipal offices to U smate, thus result- set up stands that add to the numerous tournaments ing in the name becoming Usmate Velate. nd and sporting activities. he The church of S. Margherita, the parish church es since 1571, was rebuilt from 1930-33 using a design e- by Antonio Casati, an engineer from Milan. He gave of the building a neo-L ombard Romanesque look. d- s- he 71 t- r- e- of ce by e, Usmate, Villa Scaccabarozzi and, right, a panoramic view of the surrounds

Monza and its province 151 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:59 Pagina 152

Eastern Brianza The Barbiano family of Belgioioso Este There are paintings by Giovanni Briani in the apse and transept. It also has some of the furnishings from This dynasty, originally from the p revious c hurch, no tably t he b alustrades a nd Romagna, is recorded as early as the 11th century but polychrome marble altars in baroque style and a really rose to prominence in 16th-century fresco (removed from the wall) that is the 14th and 15th centuries, said to be by the school of Bernardino Luini and de- with a number of famous picts the Virgin Mary with Saints John the Baptist and military men, politicians and diplomats. The family be- Margaret. The Crucifix by the Milanese sculptor Sil- came part of the Milan pa- vio Monfrini (18 94-1969) is from 19 38. He created tricianship in 1456 and Lu- a number of other important works that are in the dovico (d. 1527) became T governor of Milan with the cemeteries of Monza and Usmate. The lower section w backing of Emperor Charles of the bell tower is from the 12th century. The parish pr V. T he B arbiano f amily r e- church of Velate is dedicated to Our Lady of the As- (M ceived the important Bel- gioioso fief in Lombardy , sumption and dates from the 12th century. It was en- an turning it into an elegant larged in 1884 and rebuilt midway through the 20th th mansion over the centuries. century. The Sanctuary of the Madonna del Carme- th Throughout the 17th and lo, with its circular layout, is also notable. It was built st 18th centuries, the family held important military and in the first half of the 19th century, in a zone known ar political posts, eventually as Dosso di Velate, which is the highest part of the C being granted the title of municipality (280 m). w prince in 1769. Rinaldo, who commissioned the villa in There are a numb er of summer residences, but L Velate, was an imperial the b est example is the N eoclassical Villa Scac- to chamberlain. Father Alberi- cabarozzi (former Villa Casati Stampa Giulini Belgio- co XII was an imperial coun- sellor, general, a Knight of joso) in Velate. It was built in the late 18th century sc the Golden Fleece and of by Count Rinaldo Barbiano di Belgioioso. It has a (h the Iron Crown, first prefect number of impressive halls, including the so-called sm of the , and "Hall of Columns". It has a park and a private orato- in a friend of numerous artists and writers. Uncle Ludovi- ry. Today, it is normally used for municipal functions. co, another lover of the arts, The dominance of the Belgioioso family in the followed the diplomatic ca- Velate area in the first half of the 19th century can reer path, becoming deputy governor of the Austrian be gauged from the building, in 1851, of the S. Fe- Netherlands (1784-87). lice chapel. Designed by Giacomo Moraglia, it was commissioned by Maria Beatrice Barbiano to house the mortal remains of her husband, Count Giovan- ni Giorgio Giulini della Porta. The structure, shaped like a small Neoclassical temple, has three sculptures by Vincenzo Vela. Villa Ala Ponzoni is an 18th-century palazzo that was built on the site of an older mansion. Vil- la Borgia, built in the first half of the 19th-centu- ry on the site of a (probably) medieval construc- A sculpture by Vincenzo Vela tion, has an age-old park and is now home to the in the S. Felice chapel council chamber. Th

Monza and its province 152 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 25/05/09 14:29 Pagina 153

se m Camparada nd Municipal website: www.comunecamparada.it a Distance from Monza: 11 km. Distance from Milan: 27 km Map reference: C 5 is e- nd il- ed his municipality lies in the countryside of the Col- he Tli Briantei P ark, which combines wooded zones on with farm land and sits on the b order with the sh . It consists of a number of districts s- (Masciocco, Masciocchino, Cabella, Torre, Valmora n- and California), with all of them enjoying a view of th the Alpine foothills. T he first recorded evidence of e- the town is from 139 9. A number of important and Parco dei Colli ilt stately families from Milan were feudal lords of this Briantei wn area, including the V isconti, Se ccoborella (14 75), The Colli Briantei Park cov- he Casati and T rotti families. T he actual municipality ers an impressive 550 ha ly- was instituted in 186 0. In 1865, it was annexed to ing between the V alle del ut Lesmo by royal decree, but it later became au - Lambro Park and the Mol- gora Park. This zone is c- tonomous once more. marked by the first rises in o- The presence of places like the Cascina Ma - the landscape in the east- ry sciocco, with the annexed Oratory of S. R occo ern Brianza area and it is an important part of the ‘Milan a (home to the festival bearing the same name) and the ecological network’. The ed small church of the Beata Vergine del Carmelo, are land itself is a combination o- indications of the farming vocation this land. of woodland and farming ar- eas. The two branches of ns. the Molgora River are cen- he tral to the environment here, an as they run through the east e- and w est se ctions o f t he park. Indeed, the whole area as is made up of cross valleys se and plateaux (V alfredda, n- Valfazzola), thus enriching the local plant and animal ed life. The final sections of the es park i nclude t he w etlands around Laghettone and Laghettino, two lakes in the zo Bernate forests. The park l- has numerous activities: u- environmental education, c- walking and mountain bik- ing trails, picnic areas and he agritourisms. The modern look of the Cascina Masciocco

Monza and its province 153 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:59 Pagina 154

do Lesmo al Municipal website: www.lesmo.org th Distance from Monza: 10 km. Distance from Milan: 26 km N Map reference: D 5 Be ce M id esmo lies to the east of Monza Park, on the bor- ne L der with the area where the famous racetrac k is tu located (indeed, one of the corners b ears the town tu name). There is evidence of a settlement in the P e- in gorino valley in the 1st century B C. In the 5th/6th T century, a stronghold with a tower was built on the tif Gernetto hill to defend the L ambro valley. The ter- de ritory then became part of the Martesana county. In Ca 1449, during the war between Milan and Venice, the Pe commander of the troops of the Ambrosian Repub- va lic, Iacopo Piccinino, was ambushed and defeated by cl Francesco Sforza’s men as he made his way through sc the Peregallo woods. In 1475, Lesmo (and districts) tu became part of a fief ruled by the Seccoborella fam- ry ily, who held it until 1733 when it passed into the to hands of the T rotti family. Until the middle of the la 20th century, the economy was largely based on A farming, leaving traces like the Brughiera and V ari- pa VIlla Simonetta Rapazzini ona farmhouses at Peregallo. Later, silkworms be- Vi came a major component of the local economy . la Many locals also worked in the cotton mills at Fola tio di Peregallo, which is now a site of arc haeological ov interest. Various important residential buildings are ed Out of interest la A romantic legend from Brianza co In the 19th century, a legend arose about ried with the help of Friar Lorenzo (a her- ce a dramatic love story , supposedly from mit at S. Maria delle Selve), who acted as the 14th century , involving two lovers – an intermediary between the families. All of Peregallo and Lesmo – whose surnames seemed well for a while, but then Gian pl became the town names. Two rival fami- Guidotto was killed by Guido de’ Peregal- T lies – the Peregalli family from Peregallo li, a relative of Rosa. The latter , wracked and the Lesmi from Lesmo – lived near by grief, agreed to drink poison given to in Bosco Bello (in the Monza Park). Rosa her by Gasparino de’ Lesmi, thus bring- by was a member of the former , while Gian ing her life to a tragic end. According to Guidotto was part of the latter. They se- the tradition, the tomb stones of the two B cretly fell in love and decided to get mar- lovers were kept until the 18th century. di af

Monza and its province 154 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:59 Pagina 155

Lesmo

dotted around the territory. In the heart of the actu- Famous people al town, you find Villa Ratti Fenaroli (19th cent.) and the 2 0th-century Villa Sala-Cega , Villa Fontana- Giacomo Mellerio (Domo - dossola, 1777-Milan 1847), Novecento and Villa Frattini-Tremolada. Villa closely t ied to t he V ienna Belvedere, in the California district, is from the 17th imperial court, was the century and was once owned by the poet Carlo Grand Chancellor of Vene- Maria Maggi. Gerno is home to the most notable res- tian Lombardy from 1814 to 1819. A devout catholic, he idence, known as Villa Mellerio Somaglia or Ger- used a portion of his wealth r- netto. It was built in the last quarter of the 18th cen- for charitable works. He is tury and enlarged at the b eginning of the next cen- started with where he was born, leaving various dona- wn tury by the Mellerio family. This Neoclassical build- tions in his will, including for e- ing is scenically located ab ove the L ambro valley. a junior school for girls and th There is a watchtower built over a Renaissance for- a high school for the clas- sics. He was also a major he tification. The villa (private) has a terraced Italian gar- collector and commission- r- den. The actual villa and the annexed Oratory of S. er of art. He involved Can- In Carlo house some sculptures by Antenore Fabris. toni (1739-1818) in his proj- he Peregallo is home to Villa Simonetta Rapazzini (pri- ects (these fam ilies be- came acquainted when the b- vate), built in the late 17th century but redone in Neo- Mellerio family commis- by classical style in the early 19th century . The, land- sioned a palazzo in Milan gh scaped park conserves the ruins of a Coffee House, from the architect) and also asked, in 1811, for Antonio s) turned into a small oratory in the early 2 0th centu- Canova to make memorial m- ry. There are also old caves where a spring bubbles stelae for his wife, Elisabet- he to the surface. This is the source of the Ghiringhel- ta Castelbarco, and uncle, Giambattista Mellerio, plac- he la, which was a watercourse that once ran as far as ing them in the Gerno on Agrate. Massimo D’Azeglio – a friend of Emilio Ra- chapel in 1814. T oday, fol- ri- pazzini – stayed in the villa on numerous occasions. lowing the ‘dispersion’ of e- Villa Mattioli V ismara Mazzoleni was built in the the v illa’s f urnishings (1978), they are owned by y. late 19th century by Savoy minister Giuseppe Mat- the Sicilian regional govern- la tioli. It is in neo-R ococo style and was constructed ment. Other illustrious lo- al over an 18th-century residence. cals include: Gaetano Casati, a great traveller and explor- re The parish church of S. Maria Assunta, record- er in Africa, born in 1838 in ed as early as the 13th century, was redone and en- the Boffalora district; and larged in the 18th and 19th centuries and then re - Pasquale Morganti (1853- 1921), Bishop of Bobbio consecrated in 1907. Gerno is the setting for the 18th- (1902), and Archbishop of century parish church of S. Carlo. The small church (1904) and Cervia of S. Antonio in Peregallo once belonged to the com- (1909). plex run by the Minim Friars of St. Francis of Paola. The parish church, dedicated to the Annunciation, in Peregallo is newish (196 9-1992). It was designed by Francesco Cetti Serb elloni and has works by Bruno Chersicla. The church of the Presentazione di Gesù (1964), in the California district, is named after emigrants returning from the United States.

Monza and its province 155 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:59 Pagina 156

Arcore Municipal website: www.comune.arcore.mi.it Pro Loco: piazza S. Pertini 28. Tel.: 0396013383 Website: www.prolocoarcore.it E-mail: [email protected] Distance from Monza: 7.5 km. Distance from Milan: 24 km. Map reference: D 5

he oldest documents discovered date from the T9th century and record donations to the local V churches by the people from "Vico Arcole" or "Lo- co Arculi", which lay on the left side of the L am- th bro valley. From the Middle A ges on, Arcore b e- do longed to the Vimercate country church and fief on and was, as such, tied to the fortunes of Vimercate. ni Interestingly, in the Middle A ges, there were also ca two monasteries in the area: a Benedictine one, S. tu From the farm Martino, and one belonging to the order of the Hu- br to the fork miliati of St. Apollinaire (the oratory b earing the ho same name still exists). From the 16th century, the 18 The F.lli Mapelli farm (Cascina town became a holiday destination and rural estate to Misurato, via Cascina Mis- for many noble Milanese families who built out- 20 urato 30, tel. 328 4148160, Annamaria) breeds pigs and standing residences here. The most notable of these co charolaise, Limousine and is probably Villa Giulini Casati Stampa, which has za Belgian Blue cows as well become known as Villa S. Martino since it was pur- on as breeds of Italian dairy cows. The animals, fed with chased by Silivio Berlusconi in the 19 80s. He has B home produce, are slaugh- used the villa not only as his home, but also as the fig tered on the farm. The farm headquarters of his business empire and a favoured w shop sells pork, beef, poul- meeting location since his entrance into politics try, eggs and cured meats. th (1994). The current layout dates from 1 713 when Ca ba in ily A in in B la

is (1 Villa Borromeo D’Adda and, left, a detail from the Pietà by Vincenzo Vela ce

Monza and its province 156 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:59 Pagina 157

Arcore

he al Villa Borromeo D’Adda, the chapel: dome and monuments by Vincenzo Vela o- m- the 8th-century monastery of S. Martino was re- e- done and incorporated into the villa. In the sec- ef ond half of the 18th century, Count Giorgio Giuli- e. ni gave it a N eoclassical taste, creating the typi- so cal U shape facing the town centre. The vast cen- S. tury-old park stretches almost as far as the Lam- u- bro River and contains a N eoclassical lemon- he house. The Villa passed to the Cas ati family in he 1840 through marriage and this family went on Fair and Palio te to play a prominent role in Arcore in the 19th and of S. Eustorgio t- 20th centuries. Camillo (18 05-1869) was a local se councillor who backed the building of the Mon- In September, during the as za and L ecco railway. Aless andro (18 81-1955), second weekend of the month, the feast of the pa- r- once Minister of Education and a good friend of tron saint is held. It is or- as Benedetto Croce, was involved in the partisan ganised by the local Pro he fight a gainst N azism a nd Fascism. Many locals Loco in collaboration with the municipal administra- ed were involved in the attac ks on the airfield and tion and some local asso- cs the Valaperta massacre. ciations. Marching bands en One of the oldest buildings in Arcore is Villa and traditional dance groups are all actively in- Cazzola (private). This 16th-century construction is volved. The event includes: based on an older building and was used as a hunt- photographic exhibitions, ing lodge before being modified by the Durini fam- games for children, tasting ily in 16 30 and in 1812, using a project by Carlo of traditional foods and the Palio dei Rioni, dedicated Amati. In the final decade of the 19th century, dur- to games from bygone ing major restoration work, the chapel was built us- times, including tug-of-war ing a project by the brothers Fausto and Giuseppe and a wheelbarrow race. The winning district is Bagatti Valsecchi. It is surrounded by a wonderful awarded a standard by the landscaped garden that has 18th-century elements. mayor. There are other The scenically located Villa Borromeo D’Adda events at the parish church of S. Eustorgio: religious is the result of an eclectic-rococo transformation ceremonies, theatre, musi- (1840-1845) by Giuseppe Balzaretti of an 18th- cal evenings and fireworks. century building owned by the D’Adda family. The

Monza and its province 157 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:59 Pagina 158

Eastern Brianza

villa was completed in 1880 by Emilio Alemagna, who also designed the garden now open to the public. The whole complex has belonged to the municipality since 19 80. The entrance buildings, currently housing the municipal offices, were once the wings of the lower villa. T he central part was knocked down in the middle of the 19th century to create the entrance facing the town. It is worth noting the neo-Renaissance c hapel topped by a dome. It was built by Balzaretti on the orders of C Marquis Giovanni D’Adda after his young wife died ab (1849). It houses the Pietà and the monumental th shrine of Maria di Isimbardi by Vincenzo Vela (ca. A 1853) from the canton. fa There are other interesting buildings, suc h as si Palazzo Durini, in Bernate, Villa Buttafava, built at Si the end of the 18th century and now a residence, in and the eclectic Villa Ravizza. The latter is famous to for its Italian garden designed by Mansueto Raviz- of za, with the help of the arc hitect Ludovico Bel- gioioso (1920). The garden is a sort of ‘period’ re- it. construction of a baroque garden. It is b eautifully bu terraced and decorated with a f light of steps, stat- ar ues and wrought-iron decorations, dotted among al some lovely plants. po The parish church of S. Eustorgio was first co recorded in the 13th century, although the build- al ing is from the 18th century. The façade was redone 19 in t he e arly d ecades o f t he 1 9th c entury. Inside, ve there is furniture from the 16th and 17th centuries. of in so ha co ce To pr is pa in ry sa The Italian garden at Villa Ravizza, designed in 1920 in neo-baroque style du

Monza and its province 158 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:59 Pagina 159

a, he Caponago he Municipal website: www.comune.caponago.mi.it gs, Distance from Monza: 9.5 km. Distance from Milan: 21,4 km Map reference: E 5 ce as ry th a aponago is located on the left bank of the Mol- of Cgora River, 7 km from V imercate. It was prob- ed ably founded by the Romans and is mentioned for al the first time in the will of the Milan Bishop a. Anspert da Biassono (8 74). In 14 32, the Crivelli family became the landowners, maintaining posses- as sion until the 18th century. In 1896, Senator Luigi at Simonetta opened a building for isolating cases of e, infectious diseases that was later named Ospedalet- The first balloon us to. It was amongst the first buildings entirelymade z- of concrete. On 13 March 1784, Count Paolo Andreasi, with two el- The parish church of S. Giuliana is worth a vis- technicians, Gaetano Rossi e- it. It was first altered in 1581-1584 and was then re- and Giuseppe Barzago, un- ly built between 1738 and 1742 using a project by the dertook the first trip in Italy in a balloon. He left from t- architect Carlo Giuseppe Merlo. He used an unusu- Villa Moncucco and landed ng al elliptical shape, drawing inspiration from contem- safely in the countryside porary examples in Austria and Bavaria. T he fres- between Carugate and st coes, from 1895, are by Antonio De Grada. P artial Caponago. Cardinal Ange- lo Durini even drafted a d- alterations a nd e nlargements w ere u ndertaken i n leaflet to celebrate this ne 1939/40. The organ (1768) by Antonio F ontana is achievement. e, very valuable and was restored in 1896. The church es. of S. Giorgio is another interesting religious build- ing, probably dating from the 9th century. It has some 14th century traces. The chapel of S. Vigilio has ancient origins and was turned into a leper Tomaso colony during plague outbreak of 15 76. In the old da Caponago centre, Palazzo Prata Galbiati has been home to the He lived in the 15th centu- Town Hall since 1962. It is a beautiful building with ry and was a famous jurist. precious 18th-century decorations. Palazzo Caglio He is famous for ordering, is an interesting holiday residence that eventually in 1448, the following in- scription to be placed on passed into the hands of the Counts Volta. The orig- the stairs of the then Court inal core of Villa Simonetta-Arcidini is 16th centu- of Milan ( Nuovo in ry, but its current appearance is 19th century . It is piazza dei Mercanti): "liti- said that Cardinal Charles Borromeo stayed here gations are the ruin for both litigants". during his pastoral visit in 15 84.

Monza and its province 159 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:59 Pagina 160

Cornate d’Adda Municipal website: www.comune.cornatedadda.mi.it Pro Loco: via Volta, 29 c/o Town Hall Website: www.cornatedadda.eu E-mail: [email protected] Distance from Monza: 20 km. Distance from Milan: 33.3 km. Map reference: D 6

aolo Diacono in his Historia Langobardorum re- P calls the battle b etween Alac hi’s armies and King Cunibert in Cornate (609). The archaeologi- cal excavations in the Villa Paradiso district brought to light a dozen Lombard tombs from the 7th/8th O century, on the site of a rural roman villa (1st cent. AD). Finds from the 5th century in the Rocchetta pe Naviglio area suggest that a R oman settlement once stood di The Naviglio (canal) known on this land. This was confirmed in 2 005 when a th as " Paderno" w as d e- necropolis was found in the Cascina Preti district. th signed b y L eonardo d a The items recovered from here on are conserved in Vinci f or L udovico t he Moor in 1482 to enable the by the Sovrintendenza per i Beni Arc heologici in th Adda to be crossed at Tre Milan. A tomb, dating from the 3rd century BC, ca Corni. It was only opened and a funerary urn from the s ame period are on tw in 1777, under the reign of Maria Theresa of Austria display in Cornate’s Town Hall. In 15 38, the land and the supervision of was given as a fief to Marquis P agano d’Adda and w Pietro Nosetti. It is about 6 then to the Moroni Stampa and V imercati Sozzi ce km long and has 7 basins: a major "water staircase" families. The town maintained its rural vocation un- re designed by Leonardo who til the end of the 19th century, when two power ni captured the landscape of plants – Bertini and Esterle – were built. These act- pa the Adda in his most fa- ed as the main drivers for industrialisation, provid- ci mous paintings. ing electricity for Milan. Cornate became an inde- a an th so C la

ch bu w lo on 15 The church of S. Giuseppe at Porto d’Adda and, right, Villa Sandroni in Colnago a

Monza and its province 160 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 25/05/09 14:30 Pagina 161

Cornate d’Adda

Parco Adda Nord

The Adda Nord Park is a na- ture reserve that was insti- tuted in 1983. It follows the Adda valley for about 54 km, from north to south, from e- Lake Lecco to Truccazzano nd (and the border with the Ad- gi- da Sud Park). The total area is 7,437 ha. It includes some ht large wooded areas, filled th On the Adda on the Addarella with lush vegetation and nu- nt. merous water species, birds and even terrestrial animals. ta pendent municipality in 1870 (combined with the It also has its fair share of ar- od districts of Colnago and P orto). The history of chaeological elements, such a these districts is somewhat detac hed from that of as remnants from the Cluni- ac monks (farmhouses and ct. the main town. Porto’s existence was documented monasteries), Renaissance ed in the 12th/13th century. Located near a ford of hydraulic works (Leonardo’s in the Adda River, it was of strategic importance be- locks), noble villas, and ex- C, cause, from 1428 to 1797, it was on the border be- amples of industrial archae- ology (Paderno bridge, the on tween the realms of Venice and Milan. Crespi d’Adda model work- nd The parish church of S. Giorgio, which under- ers village, spinning mills and nd went major changes in the last quarter of the 16th factories). The raised tow- path, now a cycle path, runs zi century, was enlarged in 1771 and in 1873-1887 was along t he r iver f rom L ecco n- reduced to a nave and two aisles by Felice Monzi- to T rezzo sull’Adda (and er ni. The parish c hurch also had some important then on to Milan along the Martesana canal) is an ideal t- paintings, such as the Visitation by Camillo Procac- way to explore the key parts d- cini (on loan from the Brera Gallery in Milan) and of the park easily and calm- e- a 17th-century St. being comforted by ly. The park also offers guide an Angel. The Neoclassical St. Joseph is said to b e services, bicycle hire and boat trips (rubber ducks and the work of the sculptor Pompeo Marchesi. It is al- on the Addarella, an ecolog- so worth seeing Villa Biffi Sormani , designed by ical boat that has zero envi- Carlo Amati (1802-1804) and the 18th-century Vil- ronmental impact). For info: Adda Nord Park, Villa Gina, la Comi, redone in the 19th century. via Benigno Calvi 3, Conce- The Sanctuary of the Madonna della Roc- sa district, tel. 0292273118, chetta sits on a roc ky outcrop. T he c hurch was www.visitadda.com built in 1386 by the physicist Beltrando Cornatese, who invited the hermit friars of St. Augustine to the location. This order, though, occupied the site for only a few decades, because, at the beginning of the 15th century, turned it into a fort, but left the church intact.

Monza and its province 161 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:59 Pagina 162

Eastern Brianza

Ecomuseo Adda In the Villa Paradiso district, a Jesuit college was built in the second half of the 17th century. This re- di Leonardo mained until the suppression of the order in 1773. Ecomuseo Adda di Leonar- The block of buildings has been altered substantial- do’s remit is much more ly, but the small church of S. Ignazio di Loyola than a simple museum: it is designed to ensure the (18th cent.) has survived largely intact. material and immaterial cul- In Colnago, there are two medieval towers (re- tural heritage of the Adda done on various occasions) and Villa Sandroni , River, from -V il- built in the mid-1 7th century and refurbished in la d’Adda to Cassano d’Adda, i s f ully ex ploited about 1860. A stone column in front of the parish in a positive and sustain- church of S. Aless andro records the plague years able manner by promoting of 1628-30. thoughtful tourism and lo- cal communities as well In the P orto d’Adda district, you can see Villa Pa as developing relations Monzini, which was first recorded in the mid-16th with other eco-museums. century. The annexed chapel of S. Nicola has a This e co-museum h as a trail, exploring the nature fresco that is in the style of Luini. T he parish and culture tied to the riv- church of S. Giuseppe was completed in 1937 us- U er. It runs through 10 mu- ing a project by Giovanni Maggi. The bell tower T nicipalities and can be done was designed by Oreste Scanavini. T he interior is w either on foot or by bike. For info : tel. 029091229, decorated with Stories of the Old and New Testaments lik www.addadileonardo.it by Vanni Rossi (1940-45) from Bergamo. M or to Out of interest he The Porto d’Adda power plant ed The series of power sta- produced more power w tions along the banks of than anywhere else in the the Adda are an excellent world, bar those driven th indication of engineering by the mighty Niagara ce work from the beginning Falls in the United States. pe of the last century . The In 1914, a little further power stations, originally created in the downstream, the Esterle power plant was D late 19th and early 20th centuries by pri- constructed and it is now an excellent ex- to vate industrialists, have long ceased to ample of industrial archaeology , recall- meet local power demands, necessitating ing the Lombard Renaissance. The two pa the building of an Enel power station along plants (not open to the public, but visi- th the Adda. This does not mean, though, ble from outside) lie along the Adda, off that the old power stations are no longer the tow path. From Porto d’Adda Inferi- used and, in addition, some of them can ore, head along via XXV Aprile and fol- m even be visited by the public. Porto d’Ad- low the signs for the river (‘Al fiume’) and in da, which is a district of Cornate, is home then head along the unpaved road. Next br to two of the earliest plants built by the to the Bertini plant, there is a museum, Edison company along the Adda River: in a small building, that illustrates the his- ce the Esterle and Bertini power plants. The tory of the Edison company. The Cornate in Bertini power plant , in action since 1898, d’Adda (www.cornatedadda.eu) section ar was built by Edison to supply Milan with of Pro Loco organises guided tours of power following the construction of the the power plants and museums as well th tram network. At the time, its turbines as trips along the river. sm ha

Monza and its province 162 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:59 Pagina 163

as e- Roncello 3. Municipal website: www.comune.roncello.mi.it al- Website: www.prolocoroncello.it E-mail: [email protected] Distance from Monza: 18 km. Distance from Milan: 30.4 km la Map reference: D 6 e- ni, in sh rs la Panoramic view of the Roncello countryside th a sh ntil recently this town, lying a few kilometres from Famous people s- Uthe right bank of the A dda, was a farming area. er The oldest recorded mention of this town is in the The footballer Paolo Pulici is from Roncello. This at- is will of “vir magnificus” Roberto di Agrate (745). It is tacker was born on 27 nts likely that there was a Humiliati complex here in the April 1950 and, together Middle Ages. Some sources suggest that a castle – with Francesco Graziani, formed a formidable at- or at least a fortified building – once stood in the area tacking partnership. These to the north of the Cascina Gallo, near Rio Vallone, two were responsible, in heading towards Bellusco. There is also document- no small part, for h elping ed evidence of the Benedictine convent of S. Michele, Torino to win the cup in 1970/71 and the league in which must have existed until at least the middle of 1975/76. the 14th century in the Borgonovo zone. In the 16th century, there were three noble families that lived permanently here: the Da Vimercate, Guizzardi and Da Balsamo families. In 1538, it was granted as a fief to Pagano d’Adda. In 1652, along with Busnago, it passed into the hands of the Sc hiaffinati family and then, in 1756, to the Alamagna. The old centre still has some 16th-century ele- ments, both in the way the streets are laid out and in the set up of the houses. T he church of Ss. Am- brogio e Carlo is recorded even earlier than the 11th century. It was rebuilt in 1863 and then consecrated in 1901. It only became an autonomous parish (sep- arate from Busnago) in 18 85 and, indeed, muc h of the town’s history is ‘shared’ with Busnago. T he small church of SS. Salvatore is from the second half of the 18th century. Roncello’s parish church

Monza and its province 163 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:59 Pagina 164

Busnago Inde Municipal website: www.comune.busnago.mi.it Distance from Monza: 18 km. Distance from Milan: 31 km Agrate Br Map reference: D 6 Aicurzio Albiate 9 Architect Casa R Casa V Church 155 he town lies on the plain, between the Adda and Iron br Parish Tthe Molgora, in the A dda Park. It might have – S. Gi been a R oman military settlement, but the first Parish 155 documented evidence of the commune's name is Palazzo a deed listing the possessions of the Bishop of Mi- – Terra RAI T lan, Anspert (8 73). Gothofredus de Bussero's School Chronica mentions both the church of S. Pietro and Torri B Festival in Busnago Arcore 15 of S. Giovanni Evangelista. In 1538, the fief of Bus- Industrial Sfilata dei Magi (parade of nago was granted to the D'A dda family. In 1652, Cartier the Wisemen), Epiphany: Fola di it passed into the hands of the Schiaffinati family, Fornac the traditional event in- who in 1865, through a diploma issued by the Manifa volves a parade through the Molino town's streets that ends on King of Spain, became Counts of Roncello and Mulino the parvis in front of the Busnago. In 1756, it b ecame the property of the Piazza Porto d parish church. Alemagnas. Feast of St. Anne on 26 Ju- Barlassina ly: this is the feast of the The Germani tower has some 13th-century Bellusco Bernareg town's patron saint and in- sections and was, probably, one of the four defen- Besana in volves religious events sive elements that, from the 12th century on, were Biassono and an evening proces- Bovisio M sion. There are also games supposed to have encircled the town. Briosco 7 and entertainment for The parish church of S. Giovanni Evangelista Brugherio adults and children alike on was rebuilt in about 1774 by Giovanni Cattaneo and Burago d the main square (jumping Busnago consecrated in 1814. It houses some 18th-century Camparad castles, theatre, old-fash- Caponago ioned sports). paintings. The lovely Palazzo Porro-Schiaffinati, Carate Br Feudo in Festa, end of Sep- housing the T own Hall, is 18th century . Villa Carnate 1 tember: this historical pag- Radice-Scotti was built in the early 19th century Cavenago eant takes one back to Ceriano L 1471 and the investiture of and was later used for the Busnago college for boys. Cesano M Churches Pino Ortodossi as gover- Abbey nor of some holdings in Baptist Romagna. It is organised Basilica by the “Torre dei Germani” – Ss. Si flag-throwers of Busnago. – S. Ste There are also various din- Beata V ners, using local products, Cappel Casa D that are held in the differ- Chapel ent town districts and the – S. Ro flag-throwers themselves – St. R parade through the town in (San Fi medieval garb. Chapel Palazzo Porro-Schiaffinati, now the Town Hall – Our

Monza and its province 164 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 13:59 Pagina 165

Index of places

Church of the Immacolata e Tre Fanciulli Index of places (Fornaci) 80 – Madonna del Castano (Muggiò) 113 – Madonna di Caravaggio (Verano in Brianza) 94 Agrate Brianza 132 – Vecchia (Sovico) 101 Aicurzio 144 Collegiate church of S. Giuseppe (Seregno) 72, Albiate 99 73 Architecture (20th cent.) Convent of S. Francesco (Oreno) 126 Casa Rossini (Briosco) 80 – S. Francesco (Vimercate) 124 Casa Vegni (Barlassina) 46 – S. Lorenzo (Vimercate) 122 Church of the Presentazione di Gesù (California) Duomo di S. Giovanni Battista (Monza) 9, 13, 14 155 Morte di Ruginello (Vimercate) 127 nd Iron bridge (Bernareggio) 147 New Church (Sovico) 102 Parish church of Passirano (Carnate) 150 New S. Stefano (Cesano Maderno) 57 ve – S. Giuseppe (Porto d’Adda) 160, 162 Old S. Stefano (Cesano Maderno) 57 st Parish church of the Annunciazione (P eregallo) Oratory of the Addolorata (Ruginello) 127 155 – Assunta (Lissone) 110 is Palazzo Cassa Rurale e Artigiana (Barlassina) 4 6 – Beata Vergine Assunta (Grugnotorto) 67 Mi- – Terragni (Lissone) 110 – Madonna (Mocchirolo) 48 RAI TV Broadcasting (Monza) 25 – Ss. Gervaso e Protaso (Bernareggio) 14 6 's Schools in via Colombo (Barlassina) 46 – Ss. Nazaro e Celso (Montesiro) 86 nd Torri Bianche (Vimercate) 120 – Ss. Rocco e Sebastiano (Seregno) 73 Arcore 156 s- Oratory of S. Ambrogio (Sulbiate) 14 3 Industrial and historical areas – S. Anna (Cascina Maldura, Bareggia) 10 3 2, Cartiera Villa (Briosco) 80 – S. Antonio Abate (Vimercate) 123 Fola di Peregallo (Lesmo) 155 y, – S. Carlo (Gerno, Lesmo) 155 Fornace Pizzi (Cogliate) 43 – S. Carlo (Lissone) 110 he Manifattura Caprotti (Ponte Albiate) 97 – S. Carlo (Seregno) 73 Molino Bassi (Sovico) 102 nd – S. Cassiano (Macherio) 103 Mulino Ronchi Peregallo (Briosco) 79 – S. Croce (Passirano) 150 he Piazza Frette (Sovico) 102 – S. Francesco (Limbiate) 62 Porto d’Adda power plant 162 – S. Francesco Saverio (Copreno) 48 Barlassina 45 – S. Gerolamo (Mezzago) 140 ry Bellusco 138 – S. Gregorio (Monza) 17 Bernareggio 146 n- – S. Margherita (Cascina Torrette) 103 Besana in Brianza 83 – S. Michele (Bruscò) 78 re Biassono 104 – S. Stefano (Lentate sul Seveso) 47 Bovisio Masciago 59 – S. Vincenzo (Cimnago) 48 Briosco 79 Provost church of Carate 88 ta Brugherio 33 Rotonda (Tregasio) 96 nd Burago di Molgora 134 Sanctuary of Campegorino (Aicurzio) 145 Busnago 164 – S. Fermo (Albiate) 99 ry Camparada 153 – S. Maria Assunta (Ponte di Rancate) 96 ti, Caponago 159 – S. Maria della Frasca (Cesano Maderno) 58 Carate Brianza 87 – S. Maria delle Grazie (Monza) 18 la Carnate 149 – S. Mauro (Copreno) 48 ry Cavenago di Brianza 135 – S. Valeria (Seregno) 73 Ceriano Laghetto 44 Sanctuary of the Beata V ergine del L azzaretto ys. Cesano Maderno 55 (Ornago) 137 Churches and religious buildings – Beata Vergine di Caravaggio (Lazzate) 39 Abbey of S. Benedetto (Seregno) 73 – Madonna dei Vignaioli (Seregno) 73 Baptistery of S. Giovanni (Agliate) 88 – Madonna del Carmelo (Usmate Velate) 152 Basilica of Ss. Pietro e Paolo (Agliate) 87, 88, 89 – Madonna del Rosario (Vimercate) 121 – Ss. Siro e Materno (Desio) 6 9 – Madonna della Brughiera (Biassono) 106 – S. Stefano (Vimercate) 117, 121, 122 – Madonna della Rocchetta (Cornate d’Adda) 161 Beata Vergine del Carmelo (Camparada) 153 – Misericordia (Vedano al Lambro) 108 Cappella Espiatoria (Monza) 23 S. Agata (Ornago) 137 Casa Don Bosco Martire (Triuggio) 95 S. Alessandro (Copreno) 48 Chapel of S. Nicola (Porto d’Adda) 162 S. Alessandro (Villasanta) 129 – S. Rocco (Muggiò) 112, 113 S. Ambrogio (Brugherio) 34 – St. Roch and the souls of Purgatory S. Ambrogio ad Nemus (Ronco Briantino) 148 (San Fiorano) 129 S. Anastasia (Villasanta) 129 Chapel of the Madonna del Rosario (Birago) 48 S. Andrea (Aicurzio) 145 – Our Lady of Sorrow (Ornago) 137 S. Anna (Agrate Brianza) 132

Monza and its province 165 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 14:15 Pagina 166

A province to be explored

S. Anna (Brugherio) 34 S. Vittore (Meda) 49, 50 Lentate s S. Antonino (Sulbiate) 143 S. Zenone (Omate, Agrate Brianza) 132 Lesmo 15 S. Antonino Martire (Nova Milanese) 66, 67 Ss. Ambrogio e Carlo (Roncello) 163 Libraries S. Antonino Martire (Triuggio) 95 Ss. Ambrogio e Simpliciano (Carate Brianza) 8 9 Archiv S. Antonio (Concorezzo) 130, 131 Ss. Cornelio e Capriano (Carnate) 15 0 Library S. Antonio (Peregallo, Lesmo) 155 Ss. Cosma e Damiano (Concorezzo) 130 Local a S. Apollinare (Desio) 71 Ss. Cosma e Damiano (Limbiate) 6 2 Limbiate S. Bartolomeo (Brugherio) 33 Ss. Donato e Carporforo (Renate) 81, 82 Lissone 1 S. Bernardo (Cascina Meda) 67 Ss. Filippo e Giacomo (Giussano) 91 Macherio S. Bernardo (Misinto) 41 Ss. Gervaso e Protasio (Seveso) 5 4 Meda 49 S. Carlo (Gerno, Lesmo) 155 Ss. Gervaso e Protaso (Macherio) 103 Mezzago S. Caterina d’Alessandria (Besana in Brianza) 85 Ss. Gervaso e Protaso (Tregasio) 95, 96 Misinto 4 S. Damiano (Cogliate) 42, 43 Ss. Gervaso e Protaso (Vergo Zoccorino) 86 Monume S. Desiderio Martire (Correzzana) 98 Ss. Immacolata e Bartolomeo (Villanova) 146 Monum Seminario Minore (Seveso) 52, 53 Ss. Nazaro e Celso (Meda) 51 War M S. Eugenio (Concorezzo) 131 Ss. Nazaro e Celso (Verano in Brianza) 94 War M S. Eurosia (Canonica) 97 Ss. Pietro e Paolo (Brugora, Montesiro) 86 Monza 9 S. Eurosia (Cesano Maderno) 58 Ss. Pietro e Paolo (Lissone) 110 Monza A S. Eusebio (Agrate Brianza) 132 Ss. Pietro e Paolo (Muggiò) 112 Muggiò 1 S. Eustorgio (Arcore) 158 Ss. Pietro e Paolo (Varedo) 64 Museums S. Felice chapel (Usmate Velate) 152 Ss. Pietro, Marcellino e Erasmo (Besana in Duomo S. Francesco (Vimercate) 124 Brianza) 84, 85 Ecomu S. Gerardo al Corpo (Monza) 17 Ss. Quirico e Giulitta (Camnago) 4 8 Museo S. Giorgio (Caponago) 159 SS. Salvatore (Roncello) 163 Museo S. Giorgio (Cornate d’Adda) 161 Ss. Vito e Modesto 134 Museo S. Giorgio (Limbiate) 62 St. John the Evangelist (Albiate) 99 Museo S. Giorgio (San Giorgio al L ambro) 106 Verri chapel (Ornago) 137 (Bovisi S. Giovanni Evangelista (Busnago) 164 Cogliate 42 Museo S. Giuliana (Caponago) 159 Concorezzo 130 Museo S. Giuliana (Muggiò) 113 Cornate d’Adda 160 Rossin S. Giulio (Campo) 136 Correzzana 98 Small m S. Giulio d’Orta (Barlassina) 45, 4 6 Courtyards and mills Swatch S. Ignazio di Loyola (Villa Paradiso) 162 Courtyards of Bellusco 139 Nova Mil S. Lorenzo (Lazzate) 39 Curt de Barus (Muggiò) 113 Ornago 1 S. Margherita (Brugherio) 34 Curt di quaranta martir (Muggiò) 113 Palazzos, S. Margherita (Usmate Velate) 151 Curt nova (Muggiò) 113 Arenga S. Maria (Cavenago di Brianza) 136 Mills of San Giorgio al L ambro (Biassono) 106 Borrom S. Maria (Desio) 71 Mulino del Cantone (Monza) 24 Bridge S. Maria Assunta (Lesmo) 155 Mulino di Occhiate (Brugherio) 35 Casa C S. Maria Assunta (Mezzago) 140, 141 Desio 69 Casa d S. Maria Assunta (Ruginello) 127 Farmhouses (Cascine) Casa G S. Maria Assunta (Usmate Velate) 152 – Baraggia 134 Casa S S. Maria del Carrobiolo alle Umiliate (Monza) 13 – Borella (Ornago) 137 Castel S. Maria della Neve (Canonica) 97 – Canzi (Sovico) 102 Collegi S. Maria delle Selve (Vedano al Lambro) 108 – Cavallera (Oreno) 127 Da Co S. Maria in Strada (Monza) 12 – Caviana (Verano in Brianza) 93, 94 Germa S. Maria Nascente (Bernareggio) 146, 147 – Comasina (Verano in Brianza) 94 Hospit S. Maria Nascente (Meda) 51 – Faipò (Muggiò) 113 Lampu S. Martino (Bellusco) 139 – Farga (Seveso) 54 Lazzar S. Martino (Biassono) 104, 106 – Greppi (Sovico) 102 Leoni b S. Martino (Bovisio Masciago) 59 – Magana 134 Momb S. Martino (Veduggio con Colzano) 78 – Masciocco (Camparada) 153 Palazzo S. Maurizio (Monza) 16 – Mulini Asciutti (Monza) 25 – Arch S. Mauro Abate (Renate) 81 – Orobona (Mezzago) 140 – Arese S. Michele (Oreno) 126 – Prati (Muggiò) 113 – Arese S. Pancrazio (Bovisio Masciago) 59, 60 – Regondella (Correzzana) 98 – Barag S. Pietro (Agrate Brianza) 132 – S. Ambrogio (Brugherio) 34 – Bola S. Pietro (Sulbiate) 143 – S. Fedele (Monza) 25 112 S. Pietro Martire (Monza) 13 – S. Giuliana (Muggiò) 113 – Bossi S. Siro (Misinto) 41 – S. Nazaro (Bellusco) 139 – Brusa S. Stefano (Capriano) 74 – Virginia (Sovico) 102 – Cagli S. Stefano (Vedano al Lambro) 108 – Visconti (Sovico) 102 – Carc S. Vito (Lentate sul Seveso) 48 Giussano 90 – degli S. Vittore (Ceriano Laghetto) 44 Lazzate 39 – di Gi

Monza and its province 166 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 14:15 Pagina 167

Index of places

Lentate sul Seveso 47 – Durini (Bernate, Arcore) 158 2 Lesmo 154 – Foppa (Oreno) 126 Libraries and cultural centres – Ghirlanda Silva (Brugherio) 34 rianza) 89 Archivio della Memoria (Nova Milanese) 68 – Isimbardi (Muggiò) 111 Library of Furniture and Furnishing (Lissone) 110 – Maggi (Misinto) 41 30 Local archive (Concorezzo) 131 – Mandelli (Vimercate) 123 Limbiate 61 – Porro-Schiaffinati (Busnago) 164 82 Lissone 109 – Prata Galbiati Simonetta (Caponago) 15 9 Macherio 103 – Rasini (Cavenago di Brianza) 135 Meda 49 – Rezzonico (Barlassina) 45 Mezzago 140 – Taccona Bertoglio d’Adda (Muggiò) 112 6 Misinto 41 – Tomini (Albiate) 99 o) 86 Monuments – Trotti (Vimercate) 119, 120 va) 146 Monument of Pius XI (Desio) 70, 71 Royal waiting room (Monza) 17 War Memorial (Monza) 17 S. Gerardo bridge (Monza) 12 94 War Memorial (Renate) 81 S. Rocco bridge (Vimercate) 117, 123 ) 86 Monza 9 Torre civica (Cesano Maderno) 55 Monza Autodromo 26 Tower-house in via Crispi (Vimercate) 123 Muggiò 111 Tower in Masciago (Bovisio Masciago) 59, 60 Museums Tower of Barbarossa (Seregno) 72 Besana in Duomo Treasure and museum (Monza) 9, 11 Town gate of Vedano al Lambro108 Ecomuseo (Nova Milanese) 68 Town Hall (Giussano) 90 Museo Agricolo (Ronco Briantino) 148 Town Hall (Monza) 17 Museo Civico Carlo Verri (Biassono) 106 Town Hall of Agrate 132 Museo d’Arte Contemporanea in Lissone 109 Town Hall of Villasanta 128, 129 Museo degli attrezzi per la lavorazione del legno Tur (Ceriano Laghetto) 44 (Bovisio Masciago) 60 Villa Agnesi (Valera, Varedo) 64, 65 Museo del Fumetto (Muggiò) 112 – Ala Ponzoni (Usmate Velate) 152 Museo Galbiati (Brugherio) 35 – Alfieri-Perego (Ronco Briantino) 148 Rossini Collection (Briosco) 80 – Antona Traversi (Meda) 51 Small museum on local customs (Aicurzio) 145 – Bagatti Valsecchi (Varedo) 64 Swatch Museum (Cesano Maderno) 56 – Baldironi Reati (Lissone) 110 Nova Milanese 66 – Bazzero Mella (Limbiate) 62 Ornago 137 – Belvedere (California) 155 Palazzos, villas and historical buildings – Besozzi (Oldaniga) 127 Arengario (Monza) 12 – Bianca (Seveso) 54 ono) 106 Borromeo Hunting lodge (Oreno,) 125 – Biffi Sormani (Cornate d’Adda) 161 Bridge of the Grazie Vecchie (Monza) 18 – Biffi-Rigorini-Colnaghi (Aicurzio) 144 Casa Corio (Vimercate) 124 – Boffi (Giussano) 92 Casa di Alessandro Volta (Lazzate) 40 – Bolognos Sormani Andreani (Brugherio) 35 Casa Gualtieri (Monza) 12 – Borella de Sabata (Besana in Brianza) 84 Casa Scanzi (Monza) 16 – Borgia (Usmate Velate) 152 Castel Negrino (Aicurzio) 144 – Borromeo D’Adda (Arcore) 156, 157 Collegio Bosisio (Monza) 16 – Bosisio Castiglioni Rasini (Limbiate) 6 2 Da Corte castle (Bellusco) 138 – Brasca (Mezzago) 141 Germani Tower (Busnago) 164 – Brioschi (Ronco Briantino) 148 Hospital of Circolo (Vimercate) 125 – Buttafava (Arcore) 158 Lampugnani Olgiati castle (Sulbiate) 142 – Campello (Albiate) 100 Lazzaretto (Cavenago di Brianza) 136 – Camperio (Villasanta) 128, 129 Leoni bridge (Monza) 11, 16 – Carcassola (Ceriano Laghetto) 44 Mombello Psychiatric Hospital (Limbiate) 61 – Casanova (Capriano) 80 Palazzo Annoni (Capriano, Briosco) 80 – Casanova (Vimercate) 123 – Archinti (Mezzago) 140 – Casati Stampa di Soncino (Muggiò) 111 – Arese Borromeo (Cesano Maderno) 55, 57, 58 – Cazzola (Arcore) 157 – Arese di Seveso (Cesano Maderno) 55 – Clerici (Copreno) 48 – Baraggia (Sulbiate) 143 – Comi (Cornate d’Adda) 161 – Bolagnos Andreani Santambrogio (Muggiò) – Crivelli-Sala (Biassono) 105 112 – Crosti Colombo (Nova Milanese) 68 – Bossi (Biassono) 105 – Cusani Confalonieri (Carate Brianza) 89 – Brusa (Muggiò) 112 – Cusani Tittoni Traversi (Desio) 71 – Caglio (Caponago) 159 – D’Adda-Salvaterra (Agrate Brianza) 133 – Carcano Cabiate (Cesano Maderno) 55 – De Azzi Lanfranconi 147 – degli Studi (Monza) 16 – De Barzi (Nova Milanese) 68 – di Giustizia (Monza) 16, 17 – Dho (Seveso) 54

Monza and its province 167 Monza 114_168:Layout 1 21/05/09 14:15 Pagina 168

A province to be explored

– Dragoni Volta (Besana in Brianza) 85 – Teruzzi (Concorezzo) 131 – Erba Odescalchi Scotti (Bovisio Masciago) 59 – Trivulzio (Capriano, Briosco) 80 – Filippini (Besana in Brianza) 83, 84 – Trivulzio (Omate, Agrate Brianza) 133 – Fiorita (Brugherio) 35 – Trotti Bentivoglio (Verano in Brianza) 93, 94 – Fontana-Novecento (Lesmo) 155 – Valdettaro (Lentate sul Seveso) 48 – Fornari Prinetti Banfi (Carnate) 149, 150 – Verri (Biassono) 105 – Frattini-Tremolada (Lesmo) 155 – Vertua (Nova Milanese) 66, 67, 68 – Gallarati Scotti (Oreno) 126 – Visconti di Modrone (Macherio) 103 – Giovio Rossi-Martini (Sovico) 101 – Volta-Sannazzaro (Lentate sul Seveso) 48 – Giulini Casati Stampa (Arcore) 156 – Zari (Bovisio Masciago) 60 – Jacini (Canonica) 97 – Zendali (Vedano al Lambro) 108 – Landriani Bonacina (Bernareggio) 147 Parks, gardens and nature reserves – Litta (Vedano al Lambro)107 Adda Nord Park (Cornate d’Adda) 161 – Marina (Bovisio Masciago) 60 Aldo Moro Park (Agrate Brianza) 133 – Mattioli Vismara Mazzoleni (Peregallo) 155 Boschi di S. Andrea (Misinto) 41 – Medici di Marignano (Varedo) 63, 64 Bosco della Cappelletta (Mezzago) 141 – Medici Giulini (Briosco) 80 Bosco delle Querce (Seveso) 54 – Mellerio Somaglia (Gerno) 155 Brianza Centrale Park 30, 32 – Melzi (Burago di Molgora) 13 4 Brughiera Briantea Park 30, 32 – Melzi Zoia (Concorezzo) 131 Colli Briantei Park 30, 32 – Mirabellino (Monza) 25 Cavallera Park 32 – Mirabello (Birago) 48 Cavallera Park 32, 130 – Mirabello (Monza) 24 Foppa di S. Damiano (Cogliate) 4 3 – Molinari Medolago (Limbiate) 62 Groane Park 29 – Monzini (Porto d’Adda) 162 Grugnotorto Villoresi Park 31, 32 – Mylius Oggioni 134 Media Valle del Lambro Park 32 – Paravicini (Aicurzio) 145 Molgora Park 31, 32 – Pasqualini Malacrida Aceti (Aicurzio) 144, 145 Monza Park 18, 19 – Penati Ferrerio (Burago di Molgora) 134 Oasi Lipu in Cesano Maderno 29 – Peruviana (Seveso) 54 Parco delle Rimembranze (Misinto) 41 – Pusterla Arconati Crivelli (Limbiate) 61, 6 2 Parco Est delle Cave 32 – Radice-Scotti (Busnago) 164 Rio Vallone Park 31, 32, 136 – Raimondi (Lentate sul Seveso) 48 Roccolo di Lazzate 40 – Ratti Fenaroli (Lesmo) 155 Roseto in Villa Reale (Monza) 22 – Ravizza (Arcore) 158 Stone of Guidino (Besana in Brianza) 86 – Reale (Monza) 21 Valle del Lambro Park 29 – Riva (Misinto) 41 Valletta Park 30, 32 – Rovella (Agliate) 89 Valletta Park (Renate) 82 – S. Maria Molgora Paveri (Vimercate) 124, 125 Railway of Brianza 86 – S. Valerio (Albiate) 100 Renate 81 – Sacro Cuore (Zuccone San Giovanni) 96 Roncello 163 – Sagramora (Biassono) 105 Ronco Briantino 148 – Sala-Cega (Lesmo) 155 Seregno 72 – Sandroni (Colnago) 160, 162 Seveso 52 – Sartirana (Giussano) 91, 92 Sovico 101 – Scaccabarozzi (Usmate Velate) 151, 152 Sulbiate 142 – Schira-Corneliani (Agrate Brianza) 133 Triuggio 95 – Simonetta Rapazzini (Peregallo) 154, 155 Usmate Velate 151 – Simonetta-Ardicini (Caponago) 159 Varedo 63 – Sonzogno Mariani (Bovisio Masciago) 5 9 Vedano al Lambro 107 – Sottocasa (Vimercate) 123, 124 Veduggio con Colzano 77 – Tanzi (Albiate) 100 Verano in Brianza 93 – Tanzi (Bovisio Masciago) 59 Villasanta 128 – Taverna (Canonica) 97 Vimercate 117

Iconographic references. Mario Erlotti: 9, 16, 17, 49 bottom, 50, 59, 60, 93 bottom, 97, 80, 81 left, 88, 93, 98, 104, 105 bottom, 102, 128, 153; SPIN 360/Distretto Bioculturale dell’Adda 161, 162. Thanks to the parks and municipalities described in the guidebook for providing material.

Printed by Castelli Bolis Poligrafiche SpA - Cenate Sotto (B G) - Italy in Aprile 2009 - Printed in Italy

Monza and its province 168