Abbiategrasso

Abbiategrasso is in Lombardy, a town of 30-odd thousand which is part of the metropolitan city of Milan.

Understand

Abbiategrasso is entirely included in the Lombard Park of the Ticino Valley. It is along the "line of the fountains", which divides the upper Po Valley from the lower Po Valley.

The Abbiatense area, like the whole western Po valley, has been inhabited since the Bronze Age. It grew during Roman times; one battle between Hannibal and the Romans took place in the area, and the territory of Abbiategrasso was crossed by an important Roman road, the Via Gallica. Later the area was invaded by Celts and Lombards, and raided by Huns.

By 1034 Abbiategrasso was a possession of the Archbishop of Milan, who had a defensive outpost built. After that, the area was ruled by an assortment of feudal lords, changing hands fairly often. The village developed not only around the church of San Pietro, but also towards the south, where a small castle stood near the current church of Santa Maria Vecchia. The latter area became the main center, while the older village continued to grow with a certain autonomy, still recognizable today.

In 1870 the Milan - Mortara railway line was opened, which caused the decline of river transport on the Navigli. A railway station was built in Abbiategrasso thanks to the contribution of local traders, who self-taxed to ensure that the route of the railway line passed through the municipality. On March 31, 1932 Abbiategrasso was awarded the title of city.

Get in

By car

- from the north: A4 Milan-Turin motorway, Marcallo - Mesero exit

- from the south: state road 526 from Pavia, connected with the A7 Milan-Genoa

- from Milan: west ring road of Milan - Lorenteggio exit and continue along state road 494

See
  • Castello Visconteo, Piazza Castello. The castle was built starting from 1381 on the traces of a previous building, the castrum novum, owned by the archbishops of Milan. It was in a point of strategic importance between the Naviglio Grande and the Milan - Vigevano connection road. The castle became the summer residence of some duchesses. Until 1635 it played a defensive role for the Duchy of Milan. A few years later, the Governor of Milan began to dismantle it, so that it did not fall into the hands of the French. It has been subjected several times to important changes in the 15th, 17th and 19th centuries, the last of which aimed at using the remains of the castle as a private dwelling. It then became municipal property, first as a school and then as the seat of associations in the town of Abbiategrasso. An important restoration in 1995 recovered and enhanced the different superimpositions of the architectural structure and the various decorative elements. An attempt was made to bring the ancient Visconti structure back to light, recovering the large pointed arches that delimit the refined internal courtyard and leaving broad traces of an older cladding to be seen, such as in the round windows on the facade. On the inside we find the frescoes commissioned by the Visconti who marked the building's transition from a military outpost to a stately home. The castle is the seat of the Romeo Brambilla civic library and seat of meetings, exhibitions and cultural and social initiatives. (updated Jun 2021)
  • Fiera di Abbiategrasso, Via Ticino n ° 72 (by car, train or bus, enter from Viale Mazzini and go towards the centre, passing the level crossing you will find yourself in front of the Castle and on the left the station; buses stop at the station; by car, from the station, continue and follow the main road, turn right into via Carlo Cattaneo, then right again into via Edmondo de Amicis and then at the traffic lights turn left into via Ticino, after 400 m you will see the fair on the right; on foot, from the station, continue towards the castle and the centre, take via Matteotti, P.zza Golgi, and finally via Annoni which arrives right in front of via Ticino; take via Ticino and continue for 400 m, the fair can be seen on the right). The first fair was held in the late 15th century as an agricultural fair. The Abbiategrasso Regional Agricultural Fair is one of the oldest fairs in the province of Milan. (updated Jun 2021)
  • Convento dell'Annunciata (just outside the historic centre of Abbiategrasso, near the ring road towards Magenta at the end of Via Pontida). The convent was begun in 1469 and finished in 1472, while the church was consecrated with the title of S. Maria Annunziata in 1477. In 1810 the convent was suppressed and the following year it was transformed into a hospital. The convent complex was then divided up and sold to private individuals, changing its destination several times use, to the point of becoming a complex of small social housing. The Municipal Administration acquired the entire building and its restoration was completed in 2007. The complex is used by the Municipal Administration for cultural events such as conferences, courses, exhibitions, theatrical performances and concerts. (updated Jun 2021)
  • Piazza Marconi. (updated Jun 2021)

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