Cassano d'Adda
Encyclopedia
Cassano d'Adda is a town and comune
in the province of Milan
, Lombardy
, Italy
, located on the right side of the Adda River
. It is on the border of the province of Milan
and the province of Bergamo
.
Due to its strategic position at a crossing of the Adda river a number of historic battles took place in Cassano:
.
on the south-east border and the Naviglio Martesana
on the northern border) connect the Adda River with Lodi and Milano respectively, making Cassano an important agricultural town and then (thanks to hydroelectric power) an industrial one during the 19th century. The Linificio is a monument to this industrial past, with its 'worker village', very similar as a concept to Crespi d'Adda
.
The most important landmark in Cassano is the Borromeo Castle, built around 1000 AD and progressively expanded. In 1400, Francesco I Sforza
asked architect Bartolomeo Gadio (who also worked on the Duomo di Milano
, the Castello Sforzesco
and the Soncino castle) to redesign it extensively. Afterwards, it became the possession of Venetians, Spanish, Austrians, and of the Italian noble families Dadda, Castaldo, Bonelli and Borromeo.
The neoclassic Villa d'Adda Borromeo is the other excellent sight in this town, surrounded by a green park, and designed by Giuseppe Piermarini
(the designer of the Teatro alla Scala, of Milan's Palazzo Reale and of Monza's Villa Reale). Also of interest are the medieval 'ricetto' (barracks), villa Brambilla, villa Gabbioneta, villa Cornaggia-Medici, villa Mauri, casa Pasini, casa Rusca, casa Corsini, palazzo Berva, a square church tower of the 14th century (built by Regina della Scala, wife of Barnabò Visconti), and the Immacolata, S. Aquilino, S. Dionigi, S. Antonio and S. Ambrogio churches.
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 province of Milan
Province of Milan
The Province of Milan : /) is a province in the Lombardy region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Milan. The provincial territory is highly urbanized, resulting in the third highest population density among the Italian provinces with more than 2,000 inhabitants/km2, just behind the provinces of...
, Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
, 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...
, located on the right side of the Adda River
Adda River
The Adda is a river in North Italy, a tributary of the Po. It rises in the Alps near the border with Switzerland and flows through Lake Como. The Adda joins the Po a few kilometres upstream of Cremona. It is 313 kilometres long...
. It is on the border of the province of Milan
Province of Milan
The Province of Milan : /) is a province in the Lombardy region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Milan. The provincial territory is highly urbanized, resulting in the third highest population density among the Italian provinces with more than 2,000 inhabitants/km2, just behind the provinces of...
and the province of Bergamo
Province of Bergamo
The Province of Bergamo is a province in the Lombardy region of Italy. It has a population of 1,098,740 , an area of 2,722.86 square km, and contains 244 comuni...
.
History
The first documentary record of the existence of Cassano is the Carlomanno charter from 887 AD.Due to its strategic position at a crossing of the Adda river a number of historic battles took place in Cassano:
- in 268 AD, before the city was founded, the Roman EmperorRoman EmperorThe Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
GallienusGallienusGallienus was Roman Emperor with his father Valerian from 253 to 260, and alone from 260 to 268. He took control of the Empire at a time when it was undergoing great crisis...
defeated the usurper AureolusAureolusFor the Frankish ruler of Aragon, see Aureolus of Aragon.Manius Acilius Aureolus was a Roman military commander and would-be usurper. He was one of the so-called Thirty Tyrants who populated the reign of the Emperor Gallienus...
near the bridge crossing, but was killed after the battle by a conspiracy instigated by Aureolus. - in 1158, Federico Barbarossa fought against the Milan people in Cassano;
- in 1259, the Guelph League fought against the GhibellinesGuelphs and GhibellinesThe Guelphs and Ghibellines were factions supporting the Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor, respectively, in central and northern Italy. During the 12th and 13th centuries, the split between these two parties was a particularly important aspect of the internal policy of the Italian city-states...
under Ezzelino III da RomanoEzzelino III da RomanoEzzelino III da Romano was an Italian feudal lord in the March of Treviso who was a close ally of the emperor Frederick II and ruled Verona, Vicenza and Padua for almost two decades... - in 1705, the French under VendômeLouis Joseph, duc de VendômeLouis Joseph de Bourbon, Duke of Vendôme was a French military commander during the War of the Grand Alliance and War of the Spanish Succession, Marshal of France.-Biography:...
defeated the Imperial forces under Prince Eugene of SavoyPrince Eugene of SavoyPrince Eugene of Savoy , was one of the most successful military commanders in modern European history, rising to the highest offices of state at the Imperial court in Vienna. Born in Paris to aristocratic Italian parents, Eugene grew up around the French court of King Louis XIV...
during the War of the Spanish SuccessionWar of the Spanish SuccessionThe War of the Spanish Succession was fought among several European powers, including a divided Spain, over the possible unification of the Kingdoms of Spain and France under one Bourbon monarch. As France and Spain were among the most powerful states of Europe, such a unification would have...
; the famous strategist FolardJean Charles, Chevalier FolardJean Charles, Chevalier Folard , French soldier and military author, was born at Avignon.His military ardour was first awakened by reading Caesar's Commentaries, and he ran away from home and joined the army...
was severely wounded in this battle; - in 1799, the Russians under SuvorovAlexander SuvorovAlexander Vasilyevich Suvorov , Count Suvorov of Rymnik, Prince in Italy, Count of the Holy Roman Empire , was the fourth and last generalissimo of the Russian Empire.One of the few great generals in history who never lost a battle along with the likes of Alexander...
defeated the French under MoreauJean Victor Marie MoreauJean Victor Marie Moreau was a French general who helped Napoleon Bonaparte to power, but later became a rival and was banished to the United States.- Early life :Moreau was born at Morlaix in Brittany...
during the French Revolutionary WarsFrench Revolutionary WarsThe French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
(the most famous Battle of Cassano d'AddaBattle of Cassano d'AddaBattle of Cassano or Battle of Cassano d'Adda refers to several battles fought near the city of Cassano d'Adda in Lombardy, Italy:*1158 - Battle of Cassano fought by Frederick Barbarossa against the Milan citizens...
).
Napoleon
Other notable people who stopped in Cassano include Napoleon in 1796 and 1807, and King Victor Emmanuel II and Emperor Napoleon III in 1859, just before the Battle of SolferinoBattle of Solferino
The Battle of Solferino, , was fought on June 24, 1859 and resulted in the victory of the allied French Army under Napoleon III and Sardinian Army under Victor Emmanuel II against the Austrian Army under Emperor Franz Joseph I; it was the last major battle in world...
.
Linificio
Two artificial canals (the Muzza CanalMuzza Canal
The Muzza Canal in Lombardy, Italy is one of the oldest European irrigation canals, excavated between 1220 and 1230 on Imperial decree by Lodi townspeople...
on the south-east border and the Naviglio Martesana
Naviglio Martesana
The Naviglio Martesana is a canal in the Lombardy region, Northern Italy. Running from the Adda river, in the vicinity of Trezzo sull'Adda, to Milan, it was also known as Naviglio Piccolo...
on the northern border) connect the Adda River with Lodi and Milano respectively, making Cassano an important agricultural town and then (thanks to hydroelectric power) an industrial one during the 19th century. The Linificio is a monument to this industrial past, with its 'worker village', very similar as a concept to Crespi d'Adda
Crespi d'Adda
Crespi d'Adda is a historical settlement in Capriate San Gervasio, Lombardy, northern Italy. It is an outstanding example of the 19th and early 20th-century "company towns" built in Europe and North America by enlightened industrialists to meet the workers' needs...
.
Main sights
Francesco I Sforza
Francesco I Sforza was an Italian condottiero, the founder of the Sforza dynasty in Milan, Italy. He was the brother of Alessandro, with whom he often fought.-Early life:...
asked architect Bartolomeo Gadio (who also worked on the Duomo di Milano
Duomo di Milano
Milan Cathedral is the cathedral church of Milan, Italy. Dedicated to Santa Maria Nascente , it is the seat of the Archbishop of Milan, currently Cardinal Angelo Scola....
, the Castello Sforzesco
Castello Sforzesco
Castello Sforzesco is a castle in Milan, Italy, that used to be the seat and residence of the Duchy of Milan and one of the biggest citadels in Europe and now houses several of the city's museums and art collections.-History:...
and the Soncino castle) to redesign it extensively. Afterwards, it became the possession of Venetians, Spanish, Austrians, and of the Italian noble families Dadda, Castaldo, Bonelli and Borromeo.
The neoclassic Villa d'Adda Borromeo is the other excellent sight in this town, surrounded by a green park, and designed by Giuseppe Piermarini
Giuseppe Piermarini
Giuseppe Piermarini was an Italian architect who trained with Luigi Vanvitelli at Rome and designed the Teatro alla Scala, Milan , which remains the work by which he is remembered. Indeed, "il Piermarini" serves as an occasional euphemism for the celebrated opera house...
(the designer of the Teatro alla Scala, of Milan's Palazzo Reale and of Monza's Villa Reale). Also of interest are the medieval 'ricetto' (barracks), villa Brambilla, villa Gabbioneta, villa Cornaggia-Medici, villa Mauri, casa Pasini, casa Rusca, casa Corsini, palazzo Berva, a square church tower of the 14th century (built by Regina della Scala, wife of Barnabò Visconti), and the Immacolata, S. Aquilino, S. Dionigi, S. Antonio and S. Ambrogio churches.
Notable people
Cassano was the birthplace of- Giuseppe Perucchetti, creator of the AlpiniAlpiniThe Alpini, , are the elite mountain warfare soldiers of the Italian Army. They are currently organized in two operational brigades, which are subordinated to the Alpini Corps Command. The singular is Alpino ....
elite military corp - Emilio De BonoEmilio De BonoEmilio De Bono was an Italian General, fascist activist, Marshal, and member of the Fascist Grand Council . De Bono fought in the Italo-Turkish War, World War I, and the Second Italo-Abyssinian War.-Early life:De Bono was born in Cassano d'Adda...
, general, fascist activist - Valentino MazzolaValentino MazzolaValentino Mazzola was an Italian footballer and captain of the legendary Grande Torino side, killed in the Superga air disaster. He is considered one of the best football players of all time and perhaps the first modern all-around footballer, as he was an attacking midfielder who could score,...
, footballer - Andrea BonomiAndrea BonomiAndrea Bonomi was a footballer with A.C. Milan football club. Born in Cassano d'Adda, Italy, and initially nicknamed as Ciapin, Bonomi was the AC Milan captain in the 1950/1951 season, which ended with a Serie A triumph for the rossoneri led by the Gre-No-Li trio.When Bonomi was six years old, he...
, footballer