Knowing Milan's province: History, art, nature and new architecture

Today, Milan's province includes 189 cities. This area is so rich and diverse that it deserves several itineraries: hence, the publication "Knowing Milan and its province". Cultura, arte, paesaggi, tradizioni fan- Milano, la grande capitale della laborio- Dopo aver avviato, ormai nel lontano Conoscere Milano e la sua provincia. Un This project aims at promoting and enhancing the Milan no parte del patrimonio turistico, spes- sità italiana, ha una lunga storia da rac- 2002, i primi itinerari alla scoperta di invito che AIM rivolge a tutti i cittadini area; it was conceived by the Department for Tourism so sottovalutato, della provincia di contare e da leggere nei segni che dal una Milano in profonda trasformazio- della città centrale a diventare "viandan- of the Provincial Administration, together with the Milano. Eppure il nostro territorio è al passato ad oggi e nelle prospettive del ne,e in particolare dei nuovi quartieri ti nella loro terra", ad uscire dalle mura Urban Center of the City of Milan and the Chamber of sesto posto nella graduatoria italiana futuro segnalano gli interventi dell'uomo con nuovi parchi sorti su aree industria- urbane e a ritrovare nei segni del passa- Commerce of Milan. per le presenze turistiche e, anche se sul territorio, con le diversificate forme li dismesse, Urban Center promuove to e nelle realtà della vita odierna il per- gran parte di queste vengono generate di agricoltura e di produzione e nelle questo nuovo Conoscere Milano esteso corso che l'uomo ha condotto occupan- AIM designed and dal flusso di visite per affari, vi è un infrastrutture. E poi la rete dei centri a tutto il territorio della provincia. do e facendo fruttare un territorio fra i co-ordinated sempre crescente numero di cittadini urbani divenuti centri dell'industria Gli itinerari, disegnati a corolla attorno più fertili e ricchi dell'Europa. the itineraries. Ten interessati a scoprire inaspettati luoghi lungo le linee del trasporto viario, d'ac- a Milano, con tappe molto diverse tra Il percorso di conoscenza del moderno guided tours, di interesse a poca distanza da casa. qua e ferroviario, e accanto alle fonti di loro, toccheranno il ricco patrimonio viandante incontrerà poi, pur nella ricor- diverse and Per questo motivo presentiamo con energia. E ancora gli snodi del commer- storico e artistico insieme a trasforma- rente congestione di un territorio fitto interesting, soddisfazione, insieme alla Camera di cio, dell'incontro e della residenza dalle zioni e recuperi contemporanei, parten- di presenze abitative, produttive e infra- to unveil an area that Commercio e con il patrocinio di più lontane forme di insediamento ai do spesso da luoghi storici, nuovi quar- strutturali, i segni evidenti di nuove has a rich heritage Urban Center, questo programma di iti- nuovi quartieri. Negli itinerari per "cono- tieri o progetti di recupero realizzati a politiche di recupero e riassesto dei and a strong nerari attraverso la storia e l'arte nei scere Milano e la Provincia" si leggono Milano, a sottolineare il ruolo baricen- centri storici, di restauro di beni monu- drive towards the dintorni della città senza tralasciare le stratificati tutti questi interventi e si vede trico che il capoluogo detiene. mentali pubblici, privati ed ecclesiasti- aree dedicate all'agricoltura, all’indu- anche quanto lavoro ancora si possa e Urban Center si dimostra ancora una ci, nuove tipologie di parchi tutelati e future. stria e quelle degli ambienti naturali. si debba promuovere per migliorare la volta il luogo dedicato alla comunica- aperti ad utilizzi vari per il tempo libero Brevi visite per scoprire che, per "fare qualità della vita e dell'ambiente e per zione e all'informazione sul territorio, in e lo sport. Segnali concreti di un diffu- turismo", non sempre è necessario dare nuovi impulsi economici e sociali questo caso con l'obiettivo rivolto alle so rinascimento e rinnovamento am- affrontare lunghi viaggi in terre lontane. allo sviluppo. tante mete ricche di storia e di tesori bientale promosso e gestito dagli enti ITINERARY 6 disseminati nella provincia milanese locali che sono anch'essi una ricchezza Direttore centrale Hanno collaborato Filippo Penati Carlo Sangalli del nostro territorio. Cultura e Turismo Roberto Barelli NEW SERVICE INDUSTRY, ART AND Presidente Presidente Pia Benci Alessandra Costarpa NATURE ALONG THE LAMBRO RIVER Provincia di Milano Camera di Commercio di Milano Silvia Iantorno Responsabile Servizio Loretta Sangalli Sesto San Giovanni Turismo Luisa Zanardi From abandoned industrial sites to the Monica Giudici Anna Zetti brand-new "Mediapolis" service centre NEW SERVICE INDUSTRY, ART AND NATURE ALONG THE LAMBRO RIVER Monza Unique history, from Queen Theodelinda This itinerary in the heart of Brianza is marked by the two largest towns in Lombardy, Sesto San Giovanni and Monza: Area Programmazione Renato Mattioni to the Augsburg and King Umberto I together, they have over 200,000 inhabitants. This is a densely urbanised area, with towns lining up one after another Comunicazione Federica Villa uninterrupted, along an axis that has been heavily industrialised until recently. Brianza is a land that has its own e Relazioni Istituzionali Laura Colombo Canonica economic and cultural identity, so much so that the Province of Monza and Brianza has been created, that will come In the Parco della Valle del Lambro, in force in 2009. In the 20th century, Sesto San Giovanni saw the thickest cluster of industrial sites in Lombardy: Falck, among rich atmospheric buildings Breda, and Marelli are now being deeply transformed. The former Falck site is going to be redeveloped in the next ten Research and copy General co-ordination years to accommodate a large new neighbourhood designed by Renzo Piano; some industrial facilities will be kept and Monica Torri Luisa Toeschi Tregasio and Besana Brianza Mara Martello Carlo Berizzi are candidate World Heritage sites.Monza is the main production and activity centre of Brianza, and has had a rich Claudia Galassi Green winding roads in Brianza, villas, history ever since Lombard times. Monza is also known for its Villa Reale and large Park, that includes the 1922 Massimo Tiano Milly Di Bello gardens and important religious buildings Autodromo motor racing circuit.The area between Monza and Besana Brianza is rich in art works: villas, Romanic churches and elegant atmospheric buildings. Here lies the Parco della Valle del Lambro, a 25-km regional park along Graphic and photos Itinerary guides Arcore the river. The itinerary finishes in Arcore, where some noteworthy villas are found on the lower hills of Brianza. Roberto Redaelli Società CIVITA At the foot of the hills of Brianza, an unbelievable cluster of 18th- and 19th-century villas INFORMATION www.provincia.milano.it www.conosceremilano.it Tourist Office Province of Milan Piazza Castello 1 ang. Via Luca Beltrami Tel 02 805.80.614/15/16 Monday to friday 9 a.m. - 3 p.m Mail: [email protected] Copyright: Province of Milan-AIM 2006 1. SESTO 2. MONZA SAN GIOVANNI Going northwards, thickly built areas give way to the 685- Sesto owes its name to its location on the sixth milestone hectares Parco di Monza, one of the largest enclosed parks along the Roman road leading from Milan to Brianza. It in Europe. It was first created in 1805 as an extension to is one of the towns where contemporary redevelopment the Gardens of Villa Reale, and is known both for its exotic plans are most visible, following the closure of industrial plants and for its architecture, including the 1922 factories. In the early 20th century, its convenient location Autodromo motor racing circuit. The keystone of the area and connections prompted the settlement of many is Villa Reale, designed by Piermarini for the Augsburg industrial plants here, such as Breda, Campari and Moto Court (1770-80). A boulevard leads to it and crosses it, Garelli - so much so that is was nicknamed "little thus highlighting its function as a representative residence. Manchester".Industrial Its grand rooms were frescoed by Appiani, and later development in Sesto modified by the House of Savoy. It was slowly abandoned did not spare many by the Royal family after the King's assassination in 1900. noble 16th- and 17th- The Villa is architecturally framed by the main streets in century villas in the central Monza, leading to the bridge over the Lambro that area; some were sets an unexpected view of Monza as a river city. Here, we converted into textile start to feel the ancient origins of the settlement, thanks to factories. Today, on the 13th-century Tower of Theodelinda. Monza was first the former Marelli founded by the Romans; however, it owes its splendour to site, the Mediapolis Queen Theodelinda (6th - 7th century), who made it the neighbourhood is capital of the Lombard reign. Next to her palace, the taking shape, while Duomo was built, that was then rebuilt in the 14th century the Falck site will and frescoed inside in the 16th and 17th centuries. be redeveloped The church is famous for the Chapel of Theodelinda under Renzo Piano's frescoed by the Zavattaris in 1444; it keeps the Corona design to highlight Ferrea, the Iron Crown of Lombardy (6th - 7th century), industrial memories so called because it was forged from a nail taken from in the area around 4. TREGASIO the Holy Cross. It crowned all the Kings of Italy from 5. BESANA Milan. Architect Luigi Cagnola the Middle Ages to Napoleon. obviously appreciated BRIANZA this hilly countryside; he Because of its up-and-down landscape, Besana Brianza is divided 3. CANONICA was commissioned by in several settlements gathered around Besana Inferiore and In the greenery of the Superiore. In Besana Inferiore, the most noteworthy building is Parco della Valle del the D'Adda family to build his neo-classical the 1801 Villa Filippini; its park is open to the public, and has Lambro, we reach secular trees, that look like sculptures themselves, and works by Canonica, near a ford Rotonda in Tregasio, that was completed by sculptor Aligi Sassu. Nearby, we find the Romanic church of on the Lambro river. Saints Pietro and Paolo, the core of a Benedictine Nunnery Between atmospheric A. Nava in 1842 and is now known as the Chapel established in 1102, now a retirement home. The building was buildings, through a modified in Baroque times, but still has a sumptuous grey stone Baroque gate and a of Saints Gervasio and Protasio. This little temple façade. The inside is split between the public church and the well-kept garden, we Nunnery church, and has frescoes dating back to the 16th century. see 16th-century Villa is modelled after the Taverna. The hills of Rotonda of Inverigo; it Northern Brianza start sits scenically alone on here, that afford top of a grand staircase, delightful views. with a majestic sculptured porch and a shiny dome above it. 6. ARCORE South of Besana, hills make way to plains: looking towards Milan, one can appreciate the beauty of the varied landscape. This explains why so many villas are clustered here. In particular, Arcore has some of the best-known mansions, just at the foot of the hills. These include Villa Giulini and Villa d'Adda, a neo-rococo rendering of an 18th-century "noble house" above its park; Villa Ravizza with its eclectic garden and Villa Vittadini, called "la Cazzola", now appearing in the neo-classical shape that C. Amati designed in 1812, just where Tibaldi and Richini had transformed G.B. Durini's hunting pavilion into a villa.