Thehistory of Legnano and its municipal area has been traced back to the1st millennium BC via archaeological evidence.[7] Already in remote times, in fact, the hills that line the Olona had proved to be habitable places.[8] The town was established in 1261.[9]
Because of the historicvictory of the Lombard League over Frederick Barbarossa at Legnano, it is the only town other thanRome named in theItalian national anthem ("[...]Dall'Alpi a Sicilia dovunque è Legnano [...]", en. "From theAlps toSicily, Legnano is everywhere").[10] Every year the people of Legnano commemorate the battle withPalio di Legnano. In the institutional sphere, on 29 May, the date of the battle of Legnano, it was chosen as the regional holiday of Lombardy.[11]
Located in the south of theVarese Prealps along theOlona valley [it], thecomune of Legnano has an area of 12.72 square kilometers (4.91 sq mi), has an elevation of 192–227 meters (630–745 ft) abovesea level,[12] and isseismically classified [it] in Zone 4 (Irrelevant seismology).[13]
Legnano is crossed by theOlona River, which cuts Legnano into two nearly equally sized portions. The Olona has a number of deviations both natural, such as theOlonella [it], located nearVisconti Castle, and artificial. The latter of these are the diversionary channels andlevees that encase much of the river as it flows through Legnano, especially around the formerCantoni [it] andDell'Acqua [it] cotton mills.
These were built because the Olona was prone to damagingfloods,[16][17] but consequently made the Olona one of the mostpolluted rivers in Italy. The pollution of the river is gradually lessening, however,[18][19] while the last damaging flood occurred on 13 September 1995,[20] and the last in chronological order occurred in July 2014.[21]
For the vast majority of the city's stretch, the waterway is pernilted intolevee or stone embankments, which were built to minimize flooding. The Olona, before the construction of embankments anddrainage channels, was in fact a river that scourged with frequent floods the areas it crosses.[22]
In the past there were deviations of the course of the river: natural, such as the Olonella, and artificial, such as the canals and the disclaimed by the peasants. The latter were necessary to reach, forirrigation purposes, the land farthest from the Olona. The extraction of water from the river, and more generally the activities related to the exploitation of the Olona, were regulated over the centuries, by contracts and regulations.[23]
The mosaic ofvia dei bambini, located on the area once belonging to the Cantons cotton mill. In the background, the church of San Domenico.
The urban fabric of Legnano has developed around theold town; its growth was influenced by three barriers: theOlona River, thestrada statale del Sempione and theDomodossola–Milan railway.[24]
The city was the protagonist of a progressiveurbanization that led to a considerable expansion of the population center.[25] At the origin of this phenomenon was the birth of manyindustries that attracted workers from different parts of Italy. As can be seen from thedemographic evolution, between 1871 and 1921 the population of Legnano quadrupled. Due to the need for water, the mussel industries born in the 19th century sprung up along the shores of the Olona.[24] As a result, the new residential districts have occupied the free areas beyond the river valley.
As a result of the growth of Legnano, the companies have built their locations more and more on the outskirts. Then, the variouseconomic crises that followed in the decades of the 20th century led to the birth of manybrownfield sites that are recovering.[26] The most important urban intervention, which was carried out at the beginning of the 21st century, was the recovery from the formerCotonificio Cantoni, an area of 110,000 square meters that was destined toresidential andcommercial area.
In Legnano there is a historical subdivision intoneighborhoods. The historic neighborhoods of Legnano areMazzafame,Ponzella,Frati,Olmina,Canazza,Gabinella,Legnanello,Colli di Sant'Erasmo andCosta San Giorgio. The part of the town to the west of the railway is calledoltrestazione, while the part to the east of thestrada statale del Sempione is calledoltresempione. Theeight historicalcontrade competing at thePalio di Legnano areSan Bernardino,La Flora,Legnarello,[b]San Domenico,San Magno,San Martino,Sant'Ambrogio andSant'Erasmo.
According tothe climatic classification of Italiancomunes [it], Legnano is in Zone E with a rating of 2451 GR/G.[27] Due to its location in the upperPo Valley, Legnano has aContinental climate with cold winters characterized by many days of snowfall and fog. Summers are hot humid, and moderately wet; temperatures can exceed 30 °C (86 °F) and humidity 80%. That humidity persists for the entire year because of precipitation brought on bycyclones originating in theMediterranean or in theRussian north.[28] That precipitation itself remains in thePo Valley because of its poor ventilation.[29]
Data from theMilan Malpensa meteorological station [it] indicates that, based on the more than thirty years (1961–1990) of reference accumulated by theWorld Meteorological Organization, that the average temperature of the Milan area the coldest month, January, is −4 °C (25 °F) and that of the hottest month, July, is 28 °C (82 °F). Rainfall averages at 1,000-millimetre (39 in) and has peaks in spring and autumn, countered by a relative drop during the winter.[30][31]
The basic climatic data of Legnano are:[32][33][34]
Roman finds, dating to the 1st century AD, discovered in Legnano in 1925–26. They are preserved at theMuseo civico Guido Sutermeister in Legnano.
Thetoponymy of the name "Legnano" is uncertain, as the early settlement was known by several names, but it is obvious that Legnano's name is older than that of the surrounding municipalities. "Legnano" could have originated as apredial adjective, formed from the name of the most prominentlandowner in the area. In Legnano's case, this landowner's name could have beenLemennius orLimenius, to which was adjoined thesuffix -anum. This land ownership was more extensive than the moderncomune of Legnano having a surface corresponding to his modern urban area, the "Legnanese".[35]
This would confirm the completeLatinization of the Legnano area around 1st centuryAD; in other places whereCeltic influence was still substantial, the suffix-acum would have been used.[36] Thus, the ancient name of Legnano becameLemoniano,Leminiano orLemegniano, laterLimnianum and finallyLegnanum.[37][35]
Another theory advances that one of the names that Legnano was known by in theMiddle Ages,Ledegnanum, derives from the name for the region,Latinanium. Therefore, any suppositions linking the name of the city to the Celtic toponymLemonianum ("place of thesacred grove") or the predial adjectiveLaenianum, referring to a potential landowner namedLaenius are false.[37]
The period of foundation Legnano is unknown: the name would have at least medieval origins.[36] According to the most important hypotheses, the genesis of ancient Legnano, whose most likely name isLatinanium, dates back tobefore the birth of Christ, inRoman times.[38]
The origin of thiscoat of arms can be clearly traced back to a coat of arms reproduced on page 193 of theStemmario Trivulziano. In this ancient volume it can be read that the coat of arms of Legnano is very similar to that ofStemmario Cremosano.[39]
The subject and the colors in the coat of arms of the municipality of Legnano are linked to alegend. In an unspecified historical period, in today'sPiazza San Magno, a largeTurkey oak. On the day of thepatron saintsan Magno, 5 November, afarmer began to contemplate the tree admiring its ability to withstand frost and snow. The farmer thus expressed a desire to be able to withstand the difficulties of life in the same way. At that moment, san Magno appeared, offering to satisfy man's desire by giving him the vigour, recklessness, and power of a lion.
The saint ordered the farmer to kill a rabbit and advance on the snow-soaked ground, where the animal's blood had been shed. The farmer followed orders and then san Magno fulfilled his dream by turning him into alion. After the prodigy, the saint suddenly disappeared without appeasing the farmer who asked to return man, thus chastising his pride. The tree and the lion, along with the white of the snow and the red blood of the rabbit, became the symbols of Legnano, and were included in the coat of arms and in the municipal skirt.
On 15 August 1924, the municipality of Legnano was granted thetitle of city.[40]
Findings linked to the Culture of Golasecca recent (V sec. BC) found in 1937 in Legnano and preserved at the Museo civico Guido Sutermeister.
The most ancient evidence ofsettlement in Legnano dates to theRemedello culture (21st–19th centuries BC). Later it was aCeltic center, conquered by theRomans in the 1st century BC.
Since ancient times the inhabitants of Legnano lived on the edge of the riverOlona Valley. These land, higher than the river, were notflooded by the regular floods of the waterway.[41] As a result, the most importantarchaeological finds, fromprehistory to Roman rule, were discovered along the edges of the Olona valley; these finds mainly refer toinhumations.[42][43]
The oldestfurnishings found in Legnano are fragments of a vase that can be traced back to Remedello's culture.[7] They were born between 1926 and 1928 near the border betweenCastellanza and Legnano, dating from between34th century BC and 22nd century BC.[44]Bronzes dating back to the 4th century BC and 1st century BC (linked toLa Tène culture) have been found from an archaeological site near thestrada statale del Sempione.[8]
A map of Legnano from 1850: it can still see the two inhabitants of Legnano (on the left) and Legnanello (on the left) at the time still distinct and divided by the Olona and the Olonella. The two towns then settled into a single urban conglomerate with the construction expansion of the 20th century.[c]
The first document received on the history of Legnano concerns thequartier ofLegnanello.[36][41] This act, which refers to atrade in land located in the small neighbour, is dated 23 October 789.[36][41] Within this written testimony can be read:[36][41]
[...]curtem proprietatis nostre in Leunianello [...]
— Longobard diplomatic code, LIV number
This written testimony in English means "[...] with our properties inLegnanello [...]". It seems thatLegnanello existed as early as 687, when the religious celebration of theCandlemas (theCandelora) began, introduced byPope Sergius I, who officiated every 2 February.[49]
The first mention of the main settlement of Legnano is related to the capture ofArialdo, head of thepataria, which took place inside thecastle of the Cotta in Legnano, that was built in 10th century and demolished in 13th/14th century[50] (this fortification was one of military outpost ofLombard League during theBattle of Legnano, fought on 29 May 1176).
On theHistoria Mediolanensis written byLandulf Junior in the 11th century which deals with the history ofMilan in the Middle Ages, it can in fact be read that Arialdo was captured:[50]
[...]iuxta locum Legnani [...]
— Historia Mediolanensis
This testimony in English means "[...] nearLegnano [...]".Leone da Perego,Bishop of Milan from 1241 to 1257, also stayed in Legnano. He lived in the palace of the same name,Palazzo Leone da Perego, where he died on 14 October 1257. At first he was buried in theChurch of Sant'Ambrogio, but then the body disappeared.[51] In 1258, the community of Legnano approved its first statutes, a deliberation that formally gave birth to the municipality of modern Legnano.[52]
A video showing the stages of the Battle of Legnano, highlighting the movements of the troops
In April 1273, theVisconti Castle of Legnano hosted the royalsEdward I of England andEleanor of Castile on their way back from their trip to theMiddle East.[53][54]Bonvesin da la Riva, the greatest poet and writer of Lombardy in the 13th century and one of the exponent more prominent of the didactic poetic movement of northern Italy, lived in the city until 1288. The literary man described Legnano with these verses:[8]
[...]Among all the cities of Lombardy is lauded as the rose or lily among the flowers, such as cedar in Lebanon, as the lion among the quadrupeds, like the eagle among the birds, so as to appear as the sun among the celestial bodies, for the fertility of the soil and the availability of the necessities fundamental for the men [...]
Although the presence of the enemy in the surroundings was already known to both sides, they met suddenly without having time to plan anystrategy. The Battle of Legnano was crucial in the long war waged by theHoly Roman German Empire to try to assert its power over the municipalities of northern Italy, who decided to put aside each other's rivalries by allied themselves in a military-led union symbolically byPope Alexander III, theLombard League, whose symbol was theCarroccio.
The battle ended the fifth and final descent into Italy of Emperor Federico Barbarossa, who after the defeat tried to resolve the Italian question by attempting thediplomatic approach. This resulted a few years later in thepeace of Constance (25 June 1183), with which the Emperor recognized the Lombard League by granting administrative, political and judicial concessions to the municipalities and officially ending his attempt to hegemonize Northern Italy.
Already in theMiddle Ages Legnano was not considered a village, but aborgo, a denomination reserved in Italy forcomuni with a market and afortification.[55] These infrastructures generally stood in the most populous centers and also served the neighboring centers.
During theRenaissance, Legnano was dominated by severalnoble families. The main ones were the Lampugnani, Vismara,Visconti, Crivelli, Maino and Caimi.[56] During the 15th century Legnano was enriched with many noble dwellings, which built to the Visconti Castle of Legnano, that replaced in the role of fortification of theborgo the already mentionedcastle of the Cotta, and the Palazzo Leone da Perego, that was built by the eponymous archbishop.
The only civil built in the 15th century that has not been demolished isTorre Colombera, which is now located betweencorso Garibaldi andvia Del Gigante, near theChurch of San Domenico, embedded in a building over the street.[57]
In 1549 the population, decimated by theplague epidemics of 1529 and of 1540, was 576 inhabitants, spread to 184 families.[58] Already in these centuries the agriculture was very diverse. The main crops werecereals (millet andwheat),grapevine andmulberry, which is the basis of the breeding ofsilkworms. In addition to cereal farming, thewood economy was also based on livestockfarming andcrafts.[59]
The construction of theconvents and most of the churches of Legnano, on the other hand, dates back to theCounter-Reformation: the noble families of the time competed to win the favor of the Milanese archbishops by tying their name to works ofcharity or to works for the benefit of the community.[60]
The demolishedMulino Arcivescovile in Legnano in 1849.
The hallmark of the 18th and 19th centuries was the construction of manywatermills along the Olona. In the period of maximum expansion of the activity of watermills, in Legnano, seventeen mills could be counted, exploiting the driving force of the Olona river. The last seven in Legnano were demolished between the 19th and 20th centuries to be replaced by more modern plants, which exploited the driving force of the Olona river more efficiently.[61]
The low incomes that were provided by theagricultural andlivestock economy of these centuries stimulated the peasants to integrate the use in the fields with other jobs, in which women also participated during the day. In the evening, the farmers becamespinners andweavers ofsilk,wool andcotton, as well asdyers.[62]
Corso Garibaldi toPiazza San Magno in Legnano. On the extreme left, the balcony from whichGiuseppe Garibaldi spoke to thelegnanesi urging them to erect a monument to remember theBattle of Legnano, which was later built.
During theNapoleonic era, a work was enhanced that would be decisive, together with theartisanal activities above, for the birth of industries. The government improved thestrada statale del Sempione road that connectedMilan withParis on theRho – Legnano –Gallarate –Arona –Domodossola –Brig crossing theAlps. Nowadays in Legnano thestrada statale del Sempione still exists. This important communication route also greatly contributed to the strategic importance of Legnano, the secondmail station from Milan.[63]
In the 19th century the municipal administration of Legnano was governed by large landowners and members of the wealthiestbourgeoisie. She was often forced to intervene to dictate rules on agriculture,grazing and land protection, and to resolve heated disputes between farmers andmillers, especially during lean Olona river periods.[64]
On 16 June 1862, from a balcony of a building no longer existing (there was later built the headquarters of theBanca di Legnano), Giuseppe Garibaldi urged thelegnanesi to build a monument in memory of the famous battle of 29 May 1176.[65] The municipality of Legnano, stimulated by the speech of Garibaldi, erected a statue in honor of the battle, initially created by the sculptor Egidio Pozzi and then replaced in 1900 by the nowadaysMonument to the Warrior of Legnano, which is the work of Enrico Butti[66] and that it is often mistakenly associated with the legendaryLombard League leaderAlberto da Giussano.[67]
In 1882 the city was invaded by a disastrous flood of the Olona: for the courageous andphilanthropic actions of its inhabitants, as can be read in the motivation of the honor, Legnano was awarded theGold Medal of Civil Valor.[68]
The first documentedmanufacturing activities date back to the 12th century and are linked to theprocessing ofwool inconvents,[69] while the firstproto-industrial activities, in the modern sense of the term, arose around 1830, with the opening of the nucleus ofCotonificio Cantoni.[70] The process of industrialization in Legnano lasted from 1820 to 1880. The secular traditions ofcraftsmanship and homecrafting, practiced to integrate work in the fields, played a decisive role in thebirth of the industry in Legnano.
Thespinning soured in the first decades of the 19th century thenturned into real industries.[71] Some of them grew steadily to become among the maincotton mills inLombardy. Legnano was ideal for opening uptextile industries thanks to the presence of important communication routes and that of the Olona River, which provided the energy necessary to move thehydraulic wheels before the installation ofsteam engines. By the second half of the 19th century, thetimber companies achieved a wider production, thanks in part to the technological improvement that led some industries to have an importance that transcended national borders.[72]
Among the Legnano's industries, the main, for organization and technology, was the Cotonificio Cantoni, according to an 1876 document kept in the archive of the municipality of Legnano.[71] Among the largest companies operating in Legnano between the 19th and 20th centuries were, in addition to those already mentioned, theCotonificio Bernocchi,Cotonificio Dell'Acqua,De Angeli-Frua, theManifattura di Legnano, the mechanical companiesFranco Tosi Meccanica, theMario Pensotti andAndrea Pensotti, theFIAL, who mainly produced cars, and the cycling companyLegnano.[73] Some of these industrialists also made contributions to the construction of the hospital and high schools.
The Milan-Gallarate tramway in Legnano
Between 1885 and 1915, the originalagricultural economy of Legnano finally became an industrial system.[74] However, industrial development led to an agricultural crisis in the area, as manyfarmers abandoned their activities in the fields to work in the factories of Legnano. At the turn of the two centuries there was therefore a strong industrial andcommercial development. For this expansion, the infrastructure for the transport of people andgoods was very important. Next to thestrada statale del Sempione was built therailway station of Legnano along theDomodossola–Milan railway line and, along the latter, the Milan-Gallarate tramway, which connected Legnano to Milan. The Milan-Gallarate tramway was later abolished in the second half of the 20th century.[75]
Palazzo Malinverni, Legnano town hall. It was built from 1908 to 1909 in the medieval style.
In 1915, whenItaly entered intoWorld War I, Legnano had a population of 28,757.[77] Between the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, there was a strong population increase due toimmigration, driven by the development of industry, which constituted a lure of workers and service workers. During the war, the industries of Legnano also converted their plants for the production of war supplies.
Franco Tosi Meccanica, in particular, helped equip theRoyal Italian Army'sartillery units. Two natural disasters, in 1917, worsened the situation caused by the war: the epidemic ofSpanish flu, which mowed down the population, and a devastating flood of the Olona River, which broke the embankments and invaded the town.[78]
View of one of the building of the former sanatorio Regina Elena.
At the end of the World War I, in 1918, Legnano was also embroiled in deep social tensions that led, at the national level, into theBiennio Rosso period first and thenfascism. The first groups inspired by the political movement founded byBenito Mussolini were formed in 1920.[79]
In the early post-war years, the timber industry resumed its strong growth which had characterized it until before the outbreak of the conflict;[78] this development took place despite the transformation of the Italian economy fromliberal tocorporate. In addition to the growth of thetextile andmechanical industries, in 1927 the company Emilio Bozzi took over the bicycle construction business from Franco Tosi Meccanica, relaunching thebrand Legnano.
According to a 1927 census, the population of Legnano was about 30,000, with 677 industrial and artisanalestablishments. The workforce consisted of 9,926 textile plant employees, 4,056 mechanical factory workers, 1,762 employees in commerce,credit,insurance and other services, and 287 workers intransportation andcommunications.[40]
The constant economic growth and strong population growth (Legnano passed, from 1881 to 1924, from 8,098 to 29,117 inhabitants) led to theelevation of the municipality to the city, which was conferred byroyal decree on 15 August 1924 by king Victor Emmanuel III of Savoy.[40]
During fascism, many public works were conceived, designed and performed. The most important one that touched Legnano was the first section of theAutostrada dei Laghi, connecting to the timeMilan withGallarate. It was inaugurated on 20 September 1923 in the presence of king Victor Emmanuel III.
In 1940 Italy entered theWorld War II alongsideNazi Germany, and the events of the war were also reflected in Legnano. Many soldiers died on the battlefield, and the effects of deprivation became more acute as the months and years passed. The industries of Legnano were converted formilitary orders. On the night of 13–14 August 1943, planes dropped bombs on the town, resulting in a dozen deaths.[81]
The decisive turning point of the war was thearmistice of 8 September 1943 between Italy and theAllies. The next day, Germanarmoured cars began menacing lytry through the streets of Legnano. The industry of Legnano, now controlled by theNazis, began supplying theThird Reich with the artifacts needed to continue the war.[82]
In October 1943, the first armed teams made up of workers, students and soldiers were formed in Legnano, and in neighbouring countries after 8 September. Thepartisan brigades "Carroccio" were formed,Catholic-inspired, "Garibaldi", ofsocialist-communist extraction, and some autonomous compatriots, among them the "Sicilia". The "Carroccio" and "Garibaldi" operated together with the partisan compatriots of Northern Italy under the provisions of theNational Liberation Committee.[82]
Legnano is one of the cities decorated after the war, having been awarded the BronzeMedal of Military Valor for the sacrifices of its people and for its activity in the partisan struggle duringWorld War II.[83]
A glimpse of thelegnanese plant of the Manifattura di Legnano.
After the war Legnano was hit, like the rest of Italy, by the severeeconomic recession following the conflict. Basic food was insufficient, public transport was limited and roads were rough. On 2 May 1945, for the first timesince the fascist dictatorship, the municipal council met. The time for a return to democracy and reconstruction, after the destruction of the war, was long and tiring.[84]
After regularized national political life, Legnano's economy returned to growth, resuming the strength of the period before the World War II. During Italy's strong economic growth during the economic boom, Legnano achieved, between 1951 and 1961, the Italian record of the highestemployment index inindustry compared to the total population (65.2%), second afterSesto San Giovanni.[85][86]
The golden age of the Legnano industry began at the beginning of the 20th century and ended in the 1960s. Thecrisis progressively worsened, damaging the economy, employment and the industrial fabric. Many companies closed, especially intextiles,clothing andfootwear, and many others were involved in a downsizing process, such asFranco Tosi Meccanica. The latter is the only major timber industry still active having closed its doors, in 2014, Giovanni Crespi.[87]
Attempts were made to target thetertiary sector.[88] In 1977 in Legnano was foundedAntenna 3 Lombardia that was, that time, the most important private TV station in Italy.These alternative fields did not, however, lead to a sufficient rate of development to make up for the closure of large industrial activities. An exception to this dynamic was the foundation in Legnano, in 1985, of the fashion companyDolce & Gabbana.[89] A phase began with the birth of small businesses.[90] These processes continue to this day, makingLegnanese a highly developed and industrialised area.
Basilica di San Magno and Palazzo Malinverni.Church of Sant'Ambrogio.Castello Visconteo of Legnano.Monument to the Warrior of Legnano.Palazzo Leone da Perego.Cimitero monumentale di Legnano.Museo civico Guido Sutermeister.Ospizio Sant'Erasmo.Palazzo Italia.The "Gallerie Cantoni" shopping centre in Legnano, which is partly made from the former factories of the cotton mill of the same name.
Church of Sant'Ambrogio. It is the oldest church in the city. The chapel on which the church was built was dedicated toSaint Nazaro. It was later dedicated toSaint Ambrose,Archbishop of Milan between 374 and 397. The first quotation of a church dedicated to Saint Ambrose in Legnano is contained in a document of 1389 written by Geoffrey da Bussero.
Church of Sant'Erasmo. The history of the church of Sant'Erasmo is linked to the hospice probably founded byBonvesin da la Riva, a 13th-century Lombard poet and writer. It was consecrated toErasmus of Formia and opened to worship in 1490.
Church of San Bernardino. It is dedicated toBernardino of Siena. Consecrated in the 17th century, it was built on the ruins of an ancient oratory on the proposal ofCarlo Borromeo. The first traces of documents date back to 1650.
Church of Santa Rita. The first documented reports of the church of Santa Rita (or of the Purificazione, en. "of thePurification") date back to 1584, when cardinal Carlo Borromeo elevated it to a religious building of reference for the quartier of Legnanello. On 13 August 1898 cardinalAndrea Carlo Ferrari erected it as aparish priest, a function he had until 1902, when the newchurch of Santissimo Redentore was inaugurated. It is dedicated toRita of Cascia
Church of San Martino. Today's church of San Martino is from the 15th century, but a building with this name and dedicated toMartin of Tours was on the list left by the historianGeoffrey da Bussero, dated 1389. The church is therefore a refurbishment building of another much older one.
Church of Madonnina dei Ronchi. It was built in 1641 after a descendant of Oldrado II Lampugnani gave permission to turn the family chapel into a church. It is located alongstrada statale del Sempione. It is dedicated toMary, mother of Jesus.
Church of Santa Maria Maddalena. It was built in 1728 to give to quartier of Ponzella a church. It was the religious landmark building of the community until 1975 when the church of San Giovanni Battista was consecrated. It is dedicated toMary Magdalene.
Church of Santi Magi. Dedicated to theBiblical Magi, it is a reference to the quartier of Olmina and its construction dates back to the early 18th century. It is located near farmhouses known in legnanese dialect ascascina dul Mina, named after changed incascina Ulmina (it. "cascina Olmina").
Church of Santa Teresa d'Ávila. Located in the quartier of Mazzafame, it was built between 1728 and 1779. It was built on small oratory (11 x 5.5 m). The exteriors are simple plaster to hide the stone mixed with thebricks. Worth mentioning is awooden crucifix, the work ofTyroleancrafts from the early 1800s, preserved inside the church. There is also a processional crucifix, formerly used forrogations, which bears on the back the dates of the rites and the signatures of those who carried it in procession. It is dedicated toTeresa of Ávila.
Church of San Domenico. The original idea had been to build atannery on the area where the church is located. A priest opposed the plan and began work of church construction in April 1900. It was later dedicated tosaint Dominic.
Cimitero monumentale di Legnano. It is the most importantcemetery in Legnano. It is located alongcorso Magenta, on the southern outskirts of the city, and was inaugurated in 1898 and had an initial surface area of 18,942 square meters. The monumental cemetery was expanded in 1907 to an area of 50,000 square meters.
Legnano is also equipped with a cemeterypark, which is more recent construction and is located on the outskirts of the city in the modern quartier of San Paolo. Its construction was decided in the 1960s because the monumental cemetery had become insufficient for the needs of the community. It was inaugurated on 15 July 1979, and has an area of 60,000 square meters.
Castle Visconteo, Legnano. It was enlarged by theDella Torre in 13th century re-using a formerconvent. Later it was owned by the Lampugnani family. It is amedieval fortification located south of Legnano on a natural island of the Olona River. It is also known as Castle of Saint George (lat.Castrum Sancti Georgi) since the 13th century. The architectural complex is located alongviale Toselli, between theParco castello andpiazza I Maggio. In 1277 the building passed to theVisconti remaining in their possessions until 1437 when it passed to the Lampugnani. In 1798 the castle was purchased by the Cornaggia family. The purchase process bycomune of Legnano ended in 1973, with the acquisition of the castle, thewatermill Cornaggia and 240,000 square meters of surrounding land.
Palazzo Leone da Perego. It is a historic building in Legnano. It was rebuilt in 1898 with some decorations from the former medieval building of the same name. Located a short walk frombasilica of San Magno, it has two entrances, one incorso Magenta and the other invia Girardelli. It is named afterLeone da Perego, archbishop of Milan who died in Legnano in 1257. Together withPalazzo Visconti he forms theCorte Arcivescovile (en. "Archbishop's Court").
Casa Corio. It is located in the quartier of Legnanello alongstrada statale del Sempione. Built in the 15th century, it has a long, all-round arched portie with columns, which is spread on two neighboring sides of the inner courtyard.
Colonia elioterapica. Designed by architecture firmBBPR and built in a few months between 1937 and 1938, it is one of the most important examples ofItalian rationalism. The function of heliothematic colonies was the cure of childhoodrickets which affected, according to some estimates at the time, about 10% of the population of schoolchildren
Cotonificio Cantoni. It was Italy's largest cotton company for a long time.[91] The original nucleus of the Cantoni cotton mill was a spinning house opened in 1828 in Legnano. In the mid-19th century, during theSecond Industrial Revolution, the artisanal business became a modern industry. The two most important facades architecturally (actually the only ones not yet demolished), those of thevelvet department of the 1931 overlookingstrada statale del Sempione, have been preserved and are an integral part of the newcommercial buildings. The rest of the complex, including other architecturally interesting buildings, was demolished.
Galleria di Legnano. It is a covered passageway inserted into a building, connectingpiazza San Magno withvia XXV Aprile. It is located in the city center. This covered passage is located within a building that was built by the INA in 1954 after the demolition of a monastery dating back before the year 1398, theconvent of theHumiliated, and which was renovated in 1991. In Galleria di Legnano is located the Gallery Theatre.
La Colombera. It is the only building of Legnano that has come to us from 15th century. It is incorporated in a Lombard court that stands betweencorso Garibaldi andvia Del Gigante, near the church of San Domenico. Also known asLa Colombera, it owes its name to one of the uses that in the past were often carried out in similar structures, namely the breeding ofpigeons (in Italian, "colombi").
Museo civico Guido Sutermeister. It is anarchaeological museum named after the archaeologistGuido Sutermeister, who wanted to be founded. It was staged in 1929 thanks to the will of Guido Sutermeister, who did a major archaeological research on the territory between 1925 and 1964. The collections were then enriched with material that came to the museum from excavations of the Archaeological Superintendent of Lombardy and donations from private individuals.
Ospedale civile di Legnano. The first pavilion of the hospital in Legnano was built in 1903 invia Candiani thanks to the contribution of the citizens of Legnano, with the local industrialists who played a leading role. During the 20th century, the nosocomio lumina, which was a lumberjack, expanded several times. The old pavilions have been replaced by the new hospital, which is located invia Papa Giovanni Paolo II in Legnano and which was inaugurated on 4 February 2010.
Ospizio Sant'Erasmo. The originalhospice, which was built between the 13th and 14th centuries, was demolished in 1926. It was replaced in 1927 by a modern building with the same function and name. It stands next to the church of the same name, the church of Sant'Erasmo.
Palazzo Malinverni. It is home to thecity hall. It is located in the centralpiazza San Magno next to the basilica of the same name and was inaugurated on 28 November 1909 during the period of the city's greatest – industrial and demographic – growth. It has amedieval style with exposedbrick andbifore to which are added parts that recall other architectural styles such asLiberty and the neo-Renaissance. The upper cornice is decorated with thecoats of arms of the municipalities that were part of theLombard League and with those of the Italian provincial capitals, including the coats of arms ofPula,Rijeka andZadar, which belonged to Italy between the two world wars.
Sanatorio regina Elena. It is a formersanatorium located in Legnano, which finished its original function oftuberculosis treatment in 1970. Later part of the building became a socio-educational centre for the physically and mentally disabled and home to some voluntary associations, as well as the headquarters of part of the offices of the localAzienda sanitaria locale. The ex-ILA park is also part of the structure once earmarked for sanatorium
Stadio Giovanni Mari. It is a multi-usestadium in Legnano. It is currently used mostly forfootball matches and is the home ground ofA.C. Legnano. The stadium holds 5,000 people. It is also used for the horse race ofPalio di Legnano. On 2 July 1994 the Giovanni Mari stadium hosted the 14th Italian Superbowl, won by theFrogs Legnano over theRhinos Milano 37 to 27, thanks to which the Frogs won their fifthscudetto.
Teatro città di Legnano. It is atheatre in Legnano that is dedicated to Talisio Tirinnanzi, a well-deserved citizen of the city. Construction work on the building complex that houses the theatre lasted from 1928 to 1929. The building continued to be used as a theatre and cinema until 2002, when it closed its doors. The theatre reopened on 31 March 2016.
Villa Bernocchi. It is a historic building in Legnano located invia Cavour, houses themunicipal library, which was later named after Augusto Marinoni. The building was built in the early 20th century. It was originally inhabited byAntonio Bernocchi, owner of the cotton mill of the same name.
Villa Dell'Acqua-Lazzati-Bombelli. The building, located in the center of the city invia Lampugnani, on the left bank of the riverOlona, is a classic example of a manorvilla of the early 20th century. Built in 1904, it was originally inhabited by the Dell'Acqua brothers, the founders of the cotton mill of the same name.
Villa Jucker. The building complex was built from 1905 to 1906. Villa Jucker was originally home to the eponymous family of executives who operated in the adjacent Cantoni Cotonificio, textile company active from 1828 to 2004. The building, located in the center of the city invia Matteotti, on the right bank of the river Olona, is a classic example of a manor villa of the early 20th century. Since 1976 it is home to the Legnanese Family Association.
In the center of the image, theTeatro città di Legnano.Parco castello.Parco Bosco dei Ronchi.Parco Alto Milanese.
Parco castello. It is a localpark that develops around the Olona. It has an area of about 25 hectares and extends entirely over the territory of thecomune of Legnano. Located on the edge of the city, it borders the municipalities ofCanegrate andSan Vittore Olona and extends around theVisconti Castle of Legnano. Established in 1976 as a local park of super-communal interest, since 2008 it is part of the Park of theMills, a park of super-communal interest that extends for about 500 hectares.
Parco Bosco dei Ronchi e Parco ex-ILA. The two parks are not adjacent but are located a short distance away. The Parco ex-ILA and the Parco Bosco dei Ronchi are part of a single urban protected area established by the decision of City Council in 1992. The Parco Bosco dei Ronchi extends entirely within the city limits and is not enclosed by any fence. This allows free access by citizens. The boundaries of the ex-ILA Park are delimited by a belt enclosing the entire perimeter ofsanatorio Regina Elena. The access of the ex-ILA Park is opened to the citizenship every weekend.
Parco Alto Milanese. It is recognized by the Lombardy Region with deliberation of 27 October 1987 on the proposal of the three municipalities concerned. The area covers about 360 hectares, of which about 178 on thecomune of Legnano, 126 on thecomune ofBusto Arsizio and 53 hectares on thecomune ofCastellanza. The borders are bounded by the peripheries of the three municipalities and include a large area with a predominantly agricultural vocation.
As of 31 December 2014, foreigners living in Legnano with regular residence permits (ISTAT data) amounted to 7,236[93] corresponding about 12% of the total population. Over the years, there has been a steady increase in the number of foreigners in 2005 with residence permits living in Legnano amounting to 3,451 corresponding to 6.1% of the total population.[94] The ten most represented nationalities as of 31 December 2014 were (ISTAT data[93]):
The patron saint of Legnano isSaint Magno, archbishop of Milan from 518 to 530, whose anniversary is celebrated on 5 November. The majority of the population isCatholic Church. The immigration of EU and non-EU citizens has led to the establishment of largeOrthodox,Muslims andChristian minorities. There is also a smallPresbyterian community in the city.[citation needed]
Legnano has an exit along theHighway of the Lakes, is crossed by twostate roads (strada statale 33 del Sempione andstrada statale 527 Bustese) and is crossed by theprovincial road SP12 Legnano-Inveruno. Legnano is connected withMilan and the neighboring municipalities by several long-distance bus routes operated by the companiesMOVIBUS andFNM Autoservices.
Agricultural area near thelegnanese quartier of Mazzafame.
Agriculture of Legnano has been the basis of the economic development of the territory. First, it was affected by the process of mechanization and restructuring. Mechanization, thanks to the use of increasingly complex machinery, has led to an increase inagricultural production. In the 21st century[97] it is no longer an important activity for the timber economy. The few areas free of construction and infrastructure are grown fromcereals, mainlywheat andmaize.
Thegolden age of Legnano's industry began at the beginning of the 20th century and ended in the 1960s. The crisis progressively worsened, damaging the economy, employment and the industrial fabric. Many companies closed, especially intextiles,clothing andfootwear, and many others were involved in a downsizing process. Between the 1980s and the 1990s there was a real phenomenon ofdeindustrialization of the territory, which was not accompanied by the birth of new activities.
Attempts have therefore been made to target thetertiary sector.[88] In 1977 in Legnano was foundedAntenna 3 Lombardia that was, that time the most important private TV station in Italy. However, these alternative fields did not lead to a sufficient rate of development to make up for the closure of industrial activities. It began at a time when the number of small businesses grew considerably.[88] These processes continue to this day.
The municipality was home to theBanca di Legnano, a regional lender. Founded on 11 June 1887, on 14 September 2013 it merged withBanca Popolare di Milano. In 2008 it had 846 employees employed in 119 branches, mostly located in Lombardy.[98]
On 4 February 2010 the new hospital was inaugurated, located in the area ofvia Novara, which replaced the previous nosocomium ofstrada statale del Sempione.
The non-profit cultural associationFamiglia Legnanese, which is based in the historicVilla Jucker, is active in the municipality. One of the first and most important achievements of the association was to restore, from May 1952, thePalio di Legnano. In fact, this event, created in 1935, had been interrupted after the 1939 edition because of theWorld War II events.
In Legnano is home to theSocietà arte e storia, a cultural association that deals with the dissemination and promotion of the history and art of Legnano and which was founded in 1927 by Guido Sutermeister, who wanted the museum of city too,Museo civico Guido Sutermeister.
TheBattaglia di Legnano (en.Battle of Legnano) byAmos Cassioli (1860), a painting preserved at the Gallery of Modern Art atPalazzo Pitti inFlorence.[99]A 17th-century fresco by Francesco e Giovanni Battista Lampugnani decorated the basilica of San Magno and depicting theAssumption of Mary.The horse race of thePalio di Legnano 2014A.C. Legnano 1956–1957.Ossobuco served withrisotto alla milaneseBruscitti served withpolenta porridgeThe Legnano racing bicycles team of 1963.Coppa Bernocchi 2014. In the background, the church of Saints Gervasio and Protasio inParabiago.The "Little Stelvio", which is located betweenCastiglione Olona andMorazzone and which is called in this way because there is a difference of about 153 meters:[100] it is one of the fixed passages of the Coppa Bernocchi.
The winning contrada of the Palio has the right to keep in its church, until the following year, a copy of thecrucifix ofAriberto da Intimiano, a sculpture of 1936 by the artisan of the worker of Luciano Sai, on a scale original medieval cross.[103]
Another notable exhibition space in Legnano is the Alfa RomeoFratelli Cozzi museum, which is housed in the basement of the dealership of the same name. The museum, strongly wanted by Pietro Cozzi, founder of the dealership, was opened in 2015 and houses about fiftyAlfa Romeo models, including two models with unique features.[104]
Every year, since 2017, for about ten days, starting from the end of June, theRugby Sound Festival takes place inside theVisconti Castle,[105] after being relocated from the municipality ofParabiago.[106] This festival is an annual music and cultural event featuring a diverse lineup of musical genres. The event is able to combine musical performances with a variety of street food offerings
The fashion houseDolce & Gabbana was founded[107] and has its administrative offices in Legnano.[108] Founded in 1985, by the end of the 1990s the company's revenues were aroundUS$500 million and in 2003 their revenue reached $633 million. By 2005, their turnover was€600 million.[109]
Around Legnano it's spokenLegnanese dialect,dialect of theLombard language (belonging to thewestern branch), spoken by about 30% of the population of the area where it is spread.[110] Like all Western Lombard dialects, legnanese is aRomance language derived fromLatin with aCelticsubstrate andlongobardsuperstratum.[111] In Legnanese dialect there are those who find traces of the languages of the peoples prior to theLatinization of the region, in particular theancient Ligurian, although the data on the actual influence of this linguistic substrate are few and of varying interpretation.[112] The linguistic influence of the Celts on the local speakers of Altomilanese was conspicuous, so much so that even today the dialect of Legnano is classified as "Gallo-Italic".[113] However, it was the Roman domination, which supplanted the Celtic one, that shaped the local idiom spoken in Legnanese, so much so that thelexicon andgrammar of this dialect is of Romance derivation.[111]
In the dialect of Legnano are written the performances of the Italiandialect companyI Legnanesi. Founded by Felice Musazzi and Tony Barlocco in 1949, it is the most famous example ofen travestitheatre in Italy:[114] it is one of the best-known companies in theEuropean dialectal theatre scene.[114]
Among the most important American football teams in Italy, they were European champions in 1989 (with two appearances in theEurobowl) and won 6 league titles (with 11 appearances in theItalian Superbowl) and aCoppa Italia (1993). The youth team won 2 Youngbowl (1991, 1992).
Thesoftball team won an Italian Serie A2 Cup (2005), ascudetto (2007), four Coppa Italia (2006, 2007, 2008 and 2015), a Cup Winners' Cup (2007) and a European Cup (2008).
In Legnano held theCoppa Bernocchi, aEuropeanbicycle race. Since 2005, the bicycle race has been organised as a1.1 event on theUCI Europe Tour. It is the last race ofTrittico Lombardo, which includes three races held around the region of Lombardy in three consecutive days. These races areTre Valli Varesine,Coppa Ugo Agostoni and Coppa Bernocchi. Coppa Bernocchi is one of the most historic cycling races in Europe, with nearly a hundred years of history, and one of the most important in Italy.
"Legnano" is a brand of lightweight racing bicycles, named for the city in which they were produced. Notably, celebrated racersAlfredo Binda,Learco Guerra,Gino Bartali andFausto Coppi rode Legnano bicycles. Active from 1906 to 1966 was its racing team.[115][116] The "Legnano" cycling team is ranked as the 6th most successful cycling team in history.[117]
^Legnàn has more cultured origins, whileLignàn is the most popular version: this distinction, however, has disappeared during the 20th century, and now the only diction used is the first[4]
^Legnanello is theneighbour,Legnarello is thecontrada
^See the twotopographic maps of Legnano (dated 1925 and 1938) which are present in the text of D'Ilario, Gianazza, Marinoni and Turri (1984) at p. 352 and p. 353.
^"Il clima della Lombardia".centrometeoitaliano.it (in Italian). Centro Meteo Italiano. Archived fromthe original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved20 November 2014.
D'Ilario, Giorgio; Pierino, Cavalleri; Josti, Gianfranco; Negri, Rino; Serantoni, Ildo; Tajè, Marco (1993).Ciclismo a Legnano (in Italian).Famiglia Legnanese [it]. SBNIT\ICCU\MIL\0252489.
D'Ilario, Giorgio (2003).Dizionario legnanese. Artigianservice. SBNIT\ICCU\MIL\0625963.
D'Ilario, Giorgio; Gianazza, Egidio;Marinoni, Augusto; Turri, Marco (1984).Profilo storico della città di Legnano (in Italian). Edizioni Landoni. SBNIT\ICCU\RAV\0221175.
D'Ilario, Giorgio (2003).Ospedale di Legnano, un secolo di storia (in Italian). Il guado. SBNIT\ICCU\LO1\0728856.
Ferrarini, Gabriella; Stadiotti, Marco (2003).Legnano. Una città, la sua storia, la sua anima (in Italian). Telesio editore. SBNIT\ICCU\RMR\0096536.
Fontanelli, Carlo; Zottino, Gianfranco (2004).Un secolo di calcio a Legnano (in Italian). Geo Edizioni.ISBN978-88-6999-047-2.
Grillo, Paolo (2010).Legnano 1176. Una battaglia per la libertà (in Italian). Laterza.ISBN978-88-420-9243-8.
Macchione, Pietro; Gavinelli, Mauro (1998).Olona. Il fiume, la civiltà, il lavoro (in Italian). Macchione Editore. SBNIT\ICCU\LO1\0479205.
Di Maio, Paola (1998).Lungo il fiume. Terre e genti nell'antica valle dell'Olona (in Italian). Teograf. SBNIT\ICCU\PUV\0677891.
Vecchio, Giorgio; Borsa, Gianni (2001).Legnano 1945 -2000. Il tempo delle trasformazioni. Nomos Edizioni. SBNIT\ICCU\CFI\0528579.
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