Gallaratese
Encyclopedia
Gallaratese is a district ("quartiere
") of Milan
, Italy
, part of the Zone 8 administrative division of the city. It is located about 7 km north-west of the city centre. It borders on the comune
of Pero
to the north and on the districts of Trenno
to the west and Lampugnano
to the south; to the east, its ideal border is the eponymous street, which in turn is named after Gallarate
, the town it leads to.
The district is clearly subvidided into two parts; the first one, in the area of Via Cechov, has developed after the other one, enclosed between Via Cilea and Via Apennini; this latter, older part of the district is sometimes referred to as quartiere San Leonardo. These two parts are connected by a major shopping mall called Bonola.
Gallaratese is one of the largest districts in Italy to have been built "from scratch" in the 20th century (between the 1960s and 1980s) in a previously rural area. The Olona
river, which traverses the district, has been laid undeground. The first buildings to be created in Gallaratese were large apartment blocks; smaller palaces were added later. Today, the district has a population of about 60.000. The district is well connected by public transportation; it has four stops of the Milan Metro
subway and five bus lines traversing it. It is also close to major thoroughfares such as the Tangenziale and the Strada del Sempione.
A major landmark of the Gallaratese district is Monte Amiata
, a complex of apartment blocks that were designed by Carlo Aymonino
, and that are characterized by a futuristic architecture. The most typical buildings are the so-called "tower houses" (case torri in Italian
, tower-shaped apartment blocks.
In the last decades of the 20th century the district has grown larger, gradually extending north up to the borders of Pero; the Bonola shopping mall was also created.
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 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 8 administrative division of the city. It is located about 7 km north-west of the city centre. 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:...
of Pero
Pero
In Greek mythology, Pero was a daughter of Neleus and Chloris, and the wife of her cousin Bias. Her sons included Areius, Leodocus, and Talaus. The story of Pero is mentioned in Book XI of Homer's Odyssey. Pero's beauty attracted many suitors, but Neleus, her father, refused to give his daughter...
to the north and on the districts of Trenno
Trenno
Trenno is a district of Milan, Italy, part of the Zone 8 administrative division of the city. It borders on green areas to the north and west and to the south ; to the east, it is adjacent to the Gallaratese district...
to the west and Lampugnano
Lampugnano
Lampugnano is a district of Milan, Italy, part of the Zone 8 administrative division of the city. Until 1841, it was an autonomous comune. A prominent structure of Lampugnano is PalaSharp, which used to be one of Milan's major indoor arenas, housing sporting events, concerts, live shows, political...
to the south; to the east, its ideal border is the eponymous street, which in turn is named after Gallarate
Gallarate
Gallarate is a city and comune of Lombardy, northern Italy, in the Province of Varese. It has a population of some 51,700....
, the town it leads to.
The district is clearly subvidided into two parts; the first one, in the area of Via Cechov, has developed after the other one, enclosed between Via Cilea and Via Apennini; this latter, older part of the district is sometimes referred to as quartiere San Leonardo. These two parts are connected by a major shopping mall called Bonola.
Gallaratese is one of the largest districts in Italy to have been built "from scratch" in the 20th century (between the 1960s and 1980s) in a previously rural area. The Olona
Olona
The Olona is a 71 km long Italian river, which runs through the provinces of Varese and Milan.The Olona has more than one source; in fact it has six main springs...
river, which traverses the district, has been laid undeground. The first buildings to be created in Gallaratese were large apartment blocks; smaller palaces were added later. Today, the district has a population of about 60.000. The district is well connected by public transportation; it has four stops of the Milan Metro
Milan 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 and five bus lines traversing it. It is also close to major thoroughfares such as the Tangenziale and the Strada del Sempione.
A major landmark of the Gallaratese district is Monte Amiata
Monte Amiata Housing
Monte Amiata Housing is a residential complex in the Gallaratese district of Milan, Italy, designed by architects Carlo Aymonino and Aldo Rossi in the late 1960s. It is sometimes referred to as the "Red Dinosaur" in reference both to the reddish color of the buildings and the oddity of their design...
, a complex of apartment blocks that were designed by Carlo Aymonino
Carlo Aymonino
Carlo Aymonino was an Italian architect and urban planner best known for the Gallaretese housing complex in Milan.-Early life:Born in Rome, he studied at the University of Rome, obtaining his degree in 1950...
, and that are characterized by a futuristic architecture. The most typical buildings are the so-called "tower houses" (case torri in Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
, tower-shaped apartment blocks.
History
The project for the Gallaraterse district was first laid down by architect Piero Bottoni in the mid 20th century. The objective was to create a low-income housing district with green areas, effective traffic connection to the city, and functional public services. Construction began in 1957, from a first core of the district named "Gallaratese G.1". The original plan by Bottoni was then refined and developed by over 60 architects, led by Gianluigi Reggio. A second and third part of the district, named "Gallaratese G.2" and "San Leonardo" respectively, were developed between 1964 and 1974. In those years, the "tower houses" that now characterize the Gallaratese' sklyine were built. The final outcome was quite different from the original plans; the district was in fact developed with less green areas and less services than it had been planned, resulting in a definitely "satellite" district.In the last decades of the 20th century the district has grown larger, gradually extending north up to the borders of Pero; the Bonola shopping mall was also created.
External links
- Portal of the Gallaratese district (in Italian)