Gratosoglio
Encyclopedia
Gratosoglio is a district ("quartiere
") of the city of Milan
, Italy
, part of the Zone 5 administrative division. It is located at southernmost end of the city, bordering on the comune
of Rozzano
, and it is traversed by the Lambro
river.
The district has an area of about 400,000 m2, centered on the main thoroughfare "Via dei Missaglia". Having started as a commuter town
in the 1960s, with large prefabricated apartment blocks destined to house immigrant workers coming from the South of Italy, the district is usually listed among those most degraded (e.g., having the highest crime rates) in the surroundings of Milan.
The name "Gratosoglio" is derived from the Latin words gratum solium, which apostle
Barnabas
(founder of the Milanese church), according to a local legend, pronounced when he was about to leave Milan.
monastery
that was founded between 1107 and 1130 on the road connecting Milan to Pavia
. Despite being a very little community (less than a dozen monks), the monastery became very wealthy, and for about three centuries it also actively influenced the city of Milan. In the mid 15th century the community fell in decay, and by 1545 the monastery was abandoned by the Benedictine. Both Carmelites
and Franciscans would later be sent to officiate in the monastery's church and would thus inhabit the monastery.
The local rural community survived the decay of the monastery, and in the 18th century was annexed to the Corpi Santi
comune.
The area was urbanized in the early 1960s, in response to the increasing demand of low price residential areas caused by immigration from the south of Italy. Between 1962 and 1965, over 50 large buildings (9 to 16 floors high) were constructed, largely using prefabricated blocks. Gratosoglio thus earned its fame of a degraded and marginal dormitory district
.
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...
, part of the Zone 5 administrative division. It is located at southernmost end of the city, bordering 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:...
of Rozzano
Rozzano
Rozzano is a comune in the Province of Milan in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 9 km south of Milan. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 38,493 and an area of 12.3 km²....
, and it is traversed by the Lambro
Lambro
For the river in Cilento, see Lambro . For the genus, see Lambro .The Lambro is a river of Lombardy, northern Italy, a left tributary of the Po....
river.
The district has an area of about 400,000 m2, centered on the main thoroughfare "Via dei Missaglia". Having started as a commuter town
Commuter town
A commuter town is an urban community that is primarily residential, from which most of the workforce commutes out to earn their livelihood. Many commuter towns act as suburbs of a nearby metropolis that workers travel to daily, and many suburbs are commuter towns...
in the 1960s, with large prefabricated apartment blocks destined to house immigrant workers coming from the South of Italy, the district is usually listed among those most degraded (e.g., having the highest crime rates) in the surroundings of Milan.
The name "Gratosoglio" is derived from the Latin words gratum solium, which apostle
Apostle
An apostle is a messenger and ambassador.Apostle and apostles may refer to:-Religion:* Apostle , one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ, named in the New Testament...
Barnabas
Barnabas
Barnabas , born Joseph, was an Early Christian, one of the earliest Christian disciples in Jerusalem. In terms of culture and background, he was a Hellenised Jew, specifically a Levite. Named an apostle in , he and Saint Paul undertook missionary journeys together and defended Gentile converts...
(founder of the Milanese church), according to a local legend, pronounced when he was about to leave Milan.
History
Gratosoglio developed from a BenedictineBenedictine
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...
monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
that was founded between 1107 and 1130 on the road connecting Milan to Pavia
Pavia
Pavia , the ancient Ticinum, is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 35 km south of Milan on the lower Ticino river near its confluence with the Po. It is the capital of the province of Pavia. It has a population of c. 71,000...
. Despite being a very little community (less than a dozen monks), the monastery became very wealthy, and for about three centuries it also actively influenced the city of Milan. In the mid 15th century the community fell in decay, and by 1545 the monastery was abandoned by the Benedictine. Both Carmelites
Carmelites
The Order of the Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel or Carmelites is a Catholic religious order perhaps founded in the 12th century on Mount Carmel, hence its name. However, historical records about its origin remain uncertain...
and Franciscans would later be sent to officiate in the monastery's church and would thus inhabit the monastery.
The local rural community survived the decay of the monastery, and in the 18th century was annexed to the 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...
comune.
The area was urbanized in the early 1960s, in response to the increasing demand of low price residential areas caused by immigration from the south of Italy. Between 1962 and 1965, over 50 large buildings (9 to 16 floors high) were constructed, largely using prefabricated blocks. Gratosoglio thus earned its fame of a degraded and marginal dormitory district
Commuter town
A commuter town is an urban community that is primarily residential, from which most of the workforce commutes out to earn their livelihood. Many commuter towns act as suburbs of a nearby metropolis that workers travel to daily, and many suburbs are commuter towns...
.