Barona
Encyclopedia
Barona is a border district ("quartiere
") of the city of Milan
, Italy
. It is part of the Zone 6 administrative division, and it is located south of the city centre. Its population can be roughly estimated to 85,000 (official data are not available as districts are not formal divisions). It borders on the comune
s of Buccinasco
, Assago
, and Corsico
and the districts of Lorenteggio and Torretta
. Its boundaries are marked by the Parco Agricolo Sud Milano
nature reserve to the south, by the Naviglio Grande
and Naviglio Pavese
canals to the east and to the west, and by the Circonvallazione ring road to the north (more specically, by the Viale Cassala and Viale Tibaldi avenues.
Barona is a mainly residential district, and one of those having a higher proportion of green areas still devoted to agriculture. The most typical features of the agricultural areas in Barona, as well as in the neighbouring semi-rural districts and comunes, are the water-meadows and paddy fields.
It has two main urban sub-districts, Sant'Ambrogio I and Sant'Ambrogio II. Sant'Ambrogio I has landmark, curvy buildings, constructed in the 1960s, housing about 5,000 people. Sant'Ambrogio II developed between the 1960s and 1970s and has prefabricated apartment buildings of simpler design. The district includes two well known community centre
s, Barrio's and Villaggio Barona.
, when the area was inhabited by Ligures
; archaeological findings from this early settlement are exhibited in the Sforza Castle Museum. The older reference to the name "Barona" is from a 973 document, now preserved in the Curia Arcivescovile di Milano archives, where the place is mentioned as Vicus Baronis, i.e., "town of the Baron". In Roman times, the area including Barona and adjacent rural towns was called "Pomerio", meaning "after the walls", with reference to the Walls of Milan
; later on the area was renamed Corpi Santi
("Holy Bodies"), as the Milanese would bury their dead past the city walls, in the surrounding country. Corpi Santi formally became a comune
in the 18th century, and in the 20th century it was annexed to Milan.
Until the early decades of the 20th century, Barona was an agricultural area, characterized by water-meadows established by the Benedictine
monks. After World War I
the district quickly turned into an urban and industrial area.
In the 1960s, the Barona district received much media attention as it was the scene of many killings by far left-wing terrorist Cesare Battisti.
subway, tramways, and buses, connecting it to the city centre. There are also interurban buses connecting the district to Corsico, Rosate
and Buccinasco.
, the church of Saints Nazarius and Celsus
, dating back to at least the 14th century, and the church of San Marchetto (16th century). In the southern part of the district, that is partially included in the Parco Agricolo Sud Milano reserve, there are several notable cascine
(ancient farmhouses), some of which date back to the 17th century.
Quartiere
A quartiere is a subdivision of certain Italian towns. The word is from quarto, or fourth, and was thus properly used only for towns divided into four neighborhoods. The English word "quarter" to mean a neighborhood A quartiere (plural: quartieri) is a subdivision of certain Italian towns. The...
") of the city of Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. It is part of the Zone 6 administrative division, and it is located south of the city centre. Its population can be roughly estimated to 85,000 (official data are not available as districts are not formal divisions). It borders on the comune
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
s of Buccinasco
Buccinasco
Buccinasco is a comune in the Province of Milan in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 7 km southwest of Milan.-History:...
, Assago
Assago
Assago is a town and comune in the province of Milan, in the northern Italian region of Lombardy.----- Sport :Football Teams: and O.S.M....
, and Corsico
Corsico
Corsico is a comune in the Province of Milan in the Italian region Lombardy, bordering on Milan to the South-West.Corsico received the honorary title of city with a presidential decree on July 22, 1987.-Twin towns - Sister cities:...
and the districts of Lorenteggio and Torretta
Torretta
Torretta is a comune in the province of Palermo located on the Mediterranean island of Sicily.This town is situated on a mountainous area overlooking Palermo....
. Its boundaries are marked by the Parco Agricolo Sud Milano
Parco Agricolo Sud Milano
Parco Agricolo Sud Milano is a park in Milan, Italy.Since 1990 Milan is surrounded by the regional Parco Agricolo Sud Milano which forms a half-circle around the south of the city connecting the Ticino Park in the west and Adda Park in the east...
nature reserve to the south, by the Naviglio Grande
Naviglio Grande
The Naviglio Grande is a canal in Lombardy, northern Italy, joining the Ticino river near Tornavento to the Porta Ticinese dock, also known as the Darsena, in Milan. It drops 34 m over 49.9 km. It varies in width from 22 m to 50 m from Tornavento to Abbiategrasso, dropping to 15 m between there...
and Naviglio Pavese
Naviglio Pavese
The Naviglio Pavese is one of the canals making up the Navigli system in Lombardy, Italy. Once navigable, it is 33 km long and connected the city of Milan to Pavia, and through a flight of six locks to the River Ticino....
canals to the east and to the west, and by the Circonvallazione ring road to the north (more specically, by the Viale Cassala and Viale Tibaldi avenues.
Barona is a mainly residential district, and one of those having a higher proportion of green areas still devoted to agriculture. The most typical features of the agricultural areas in Barona, as well as in the neighbouring semi-rural districts and comunes, are the water-meadows and paddy fields.
It has two main urban sub-districts, Sant'Ambrogio I and Sant'Ambrogio II. Sant'Ambrogio I has landmark, curvy buildings, constructed in the 1960s, housing about 5,000 people. Sant'Ambrogio II developed between the 1960s and 1970s and has prefabricated apartment buildings of simpler design. The district includes two well known community centre
Community centre
Community centres or community centers or jumping recreation centers are public locations where members of a community tend to gather for group activities, social support, public information, and other purposes. They may sometimes be open for the whole community or for a specialised group within...
s, Barrio's and Villaggio Barona.
History
A settlement in the area of Barona is reported since the 2nd millennium BC2nd millennium BC
The 2nd millennium BC marks the transition from the Middle to the Late Bronze Age.Its first half is dominated by the Middle Kingdom of Egypt and Babylonia. The alphabet develops. Indo-Iranian migration onto the Iranian plateau and onto the Indian subcontinent propagates the use of the chariot...
, when the area was inhabited by Ligures
Ligures
The Ligures were an ancient people who gave their name to Liguria, a region of north-western Italy.-Classical sources:...
; archaeological findings from this early settlement are exhibited in the Sforza Castle Museum. The older reference to the name "Barona" is from a 973 document, now preserved in the Curia Arcivescovile di Milano archives, where the place is mentioned as Vicus Baronis, i.e., "town of the Baron". In Roman times, the area including Barona and adjacent rural towns was called "Pomerio", meaning "after the walls", with reference to the Walls of Milan
Walls of Milan
The city Milan, Italy, has had three different systems of defending walls. The oldest, Roman walls were developed in two stages, the first in the Republican and the second in the Imperial era. The second wall system was realized in the Middle Ages , after the destruction of the city by Frederick...
; later on the area was renamed Corpi Santi
Corpi Santi di Milano
Corpi Santi di Milano is a former Italian comune, established in 1782 and annexed to Milan in 1873. It comprised the rural territory around the city walls of Milan...
("Holy Bodies"), as the Milanese would bury their dead past the city walls, in the surrounding country. Corpi Santi formally became a comune
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
in the 18th century, and in the 20th century it was annexed to Milan.
Until the early decades of the 20th century, Barona was an agricultural area, characterized by water-meadows established by the Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
monks. After World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
the district quickly turned into an urban and industrial area.
In the 1960s, the Barona district received much media attention as it was the scene of many killings by far left-wing terrorist Cesare Battisti.
Transportation
The district benefits several public transportation services, including two stops of the Milan MetroMilan Metro
The Milan Metro is the rapid transit system serving Milan, Italy, operated by Azienda Trasporti Milanesi. Milan metro is the longest metro system in Italy, and is the core of the Milan Transportation System...
subway, tramways, and buses, connecting it to the city centre. There are also interurban buses connecting the district to Corsico, Rosate
Rosate
Rosate is a comune in the Province of Milan in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 20 km southwest of Milan. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 5,116 and an area of 18.7 km²....
and Buccinasco.
Services
Barona houses one of the leading hospitals of Milan, Ospedale San Paolo, as well as branches of three universities, the Università degli Studi di Milano (faculty of Medicine), IULM and NABA (academy of arts).Monuments
The district has several relevant churches, including a sanctuary named after Saint Rita of CasciaRita of Cascia
Saint Rita of Cascia is an Italian Augustinian saint.-Early life:St. Rita was born at Roccaporena near Spoleto, Umbria, Italy....
, the church of Saints Nazarius and Celsus
Nazarius and Celsus
Saints Nazarius and Celsus were two martyrs of whom nothing is known except the discovery of their bodies by Saint Ambrose.According to Paulinus the Deacon's Vita Ambrosii, Ambrose, at some time within the last three years of his life, after the death of the Emperor Theodosius Saints Nazarius and...
, dating back to at least the 14th century, and the church of San Marchetto (16th century). In the southern part of the district, that is partially included in the Parco Agricolo Sud Milano reserve, there are several notable cascine
Cascina
Cascina is a comune in the Province of Pisa in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 60 km west of Florence and about 13 km southeast of Pisa....
(ancient farmhouses), some of which date back to the 17th century.