Monza
Encyclopedia
Monza is a city and comune
on the river Lambro
, a tributary of the Po
, in the Lombardy
region of Italy
some 15 km north-northeast of Milan
. It is the capital of the Province of Monza and Brianza. It is best known for its Grand Prix motor racing
circuit, the Autodromo Nazionale Monza
.
On June 11, 2004 Monza was designated the capital of the new province of Monza and Brianza
. The new administrative arrangement came fully into effect in summer 2009; previously, Monza was a comune
within the province of Milan
.
Monza is the third-largest city of Lombardy and the most important economic, industrial and administrative centre of the Brianza
area, supporting a textile
industry and a publishing
trade.
Monza also hosts a Department of the University of Milan Bicocca
, a Court of Justice and several offices of regional administration. Monza Park
is one of the largest urban parks in Europe.
, between the Brianza
and Milan
, at an altitude of 162 meters above sea level
is 15 kilometres (9 mi) from the capital
of the region and about 40 km (25 mi) from Lecco
and Como
.
Its territory is crossed from north to south by the river Lambro
. At the entrance to the north in the center, between the streets Via Aliprandi and Via Zanzi, a fork of the river artificially created for defensive purposes in the early decades of the fourteenth century gives rise to Lambretto, which is joined to the main course Lambro at its exit to the south from the ancient circle of medieval walls (Monza) (now completely demolished). Another stream, which is also artificial, is the Canale Villoresi
, released in nineteenth century.
of the Po
valley, with cool, short winter
s and warm summers; temperatures are very similar to Milan
and vary from about 2 °C (36 °F) in January, the coldest month, to about 23 °C (73 °F) in July, the warmest. Precipitation is abundant, with a slight maximum in fall and a slight minimum in winter and summer; despite this, normally, the area of the city doesn't suffer drought in any season.
This Park is one of the major historic parks in Europe
, and the higher ones enclosed by walls. It has an area of approximately 685 hectares and is located in the northern part of the city, between the towns of Lesmo
, Villasanta
, Vedano al Lambro
and Biassono
. With the gardens of Villa Reale in Monza Park constitutes an invaluable natural, historical, and architectural monuments.
and dedicated to her fourth son, the Archduke Ferdinand of Austria, who at that time resided in Milan
, as governor of Lombardy and he wanted a Villa outside the city to spend the summer season and for hunting. Work began in 1777 under the guidance of Giuseppe Piermarini
and it consists of a central body and two wings that branch off at right angles.
From the gardens of the Royal Villa it is possible to access Monza Park
.
Late nineteenth-century finds of funerary urns
show that the human presence in the area dates back at least to the Bronze Age
, when people would have lived in settlements of pile dwellings raised above the rivers and marshes.
subdued the Insubres
, Gauls
who had crossed the Alps
and settled around Mediolanum
(now Milan). A gallo-celtic tribe, who also seem to have been Insubres, then founded a village on the Lambro, of which the ruins of a bridge remain. Standing in a place where young people practised sports, the bridge was named ‘Arena’ and its remains can be seen near today’s Ponte dei Leoni (Lions Bridge).
During the Roman Empire
the town was known as Modicia.
invasion of Italy was an important event in Monza's history and the Lombard king Autari married Theodelinda
, daughter of the Bavarian ruler Garibald I
.
The new queen ordered the construction near the River Lambro of an oraculum, a sort of little church, that today is part of the basilica of Saint John. Paul the Deacon
, an 8th century historian of the Lombards, tells us about this, writing:
"[...] Theudelinda regina basilicam costruxerat, qui locus supra Mediolanum duodecim milibus abest, [...]" ("Theodelinda built a queen basilica, whose position is twelve miles from Milan"). There is also an important legend that Theodelinda, asleep while her husband was hunting, saw in a dream a dove who told her : "Modo", Latin for "here", in order to say that she should build the oraculum in that place, and the queen answered "etiam", meaning "yes". So from the two words "modo" and "etiam", following the legend, would have derived "Modoetia", the medieval name of Monza.
.
was assassinated in Monza by the anarchist Gaetano Bresci
.
The coat of arms, goes back to thirteenth century. If it finds a representation in miniature of the cover placed on the Code of Statutes of the City is still preserved in the Chapter Library of the Duomo of Monza.
According to the interpretation of the historic Bonincontri Morigia, which refers to the medieval symbolism, the moon is a symbol of imperial power, reflected in the white sun that is related to the papal power.
In 2003 it was redesigned so that it was a version used uniformly by all municipal offices.
's I Promessi Sposi.
Monza is famous for its Romanesque
-Gothic
Duomo of Saint John
. There Theodelinda's centrally-planned Greek-cross oraculum ("chapel of prayer") from c. 595 (its foundations remaining under the crossing of nave
and transept
) was enlarged at the close of the 13th century by enclosing the former atrium within the building. The fine black and-white marble arcaded façade was erected in the mid-14th century by Matteo da Campione. The campanile was erected in 1606 to designs by Pellegrino Tibaldi
. In the frescoed Chapel of Theodelinda is the Iron Crown of Lombardy
, supposed to contain one of the nails used at the Crucifixion. The treasury also contains the crown, fan and gold comb of Theodelinda, and, as well as Gothic crosses and reliquaries, a golden hen and seven chickens, representing Lombardy and her seven provinces. Though the interior has suffered changes, there is a fine relief by Matteo da Campione representing a royal Lombard coronation, and some 15th-century frescoes with scenes from the life of Theodelinda.
The historical centre also include:
Nearby, the Villa Reale (royal palace) originally built by Giuseppe Piermarini
in 1777 for the archduke Ferdinand of Austria, lies on the banks of the Lambro, surrounded by Monza Park
, one of the largest enclosed parks in Europe.
Other villas includes the Mirabello, Mirabellino, Durini, Crivelli Mesmer, Prata, Archinto Pennati, Calloni and Villa Carminati-Ferrario
.
In Monza are located two detachments of the University of Milan Bicocca
: the faculty of Medicine
and Surgery
and the Faculty of Sociology
.
motor racing circuit, home to the Italian Grand Prix
, and previously to the Alfa Romeo
team. The circuit is inside the "Parco di Monza", a park that is double the size of New York's
Central Park
.
Monza is also known for the "Villa Reale", a Habsburg family residence built in 1777.
The professional football
club A.C. Monza Brianza 1912
play, currently in Serie C1
, at the Stadio Brianteo
.
The professional volleyball
club Acqua Paradiso Gabeca Monza Brianza play, currently in Serie A1, at the PalaIper.
In 2006 Monza hosted the World Cyber Games
tournament.
In July 2005 and July 2008, Monza hosted the "International Gran Galà Marching Show Bands" at Stadio Brianteo (with the USA band Blue Devils, 11 times WMSB Champion of the World).
is the most important railway junction
in the Brianza area. Every few minutes, trains travel between Monza and Milano via the Suburban Railway (Line S9) and via local trains that connect Monza to Lecco, Como/Chiasso (CH) and Bergamo/Brescia. Also some EuroCity
trains stop in Monza. In early 2008, work began on the expansion of Subway Line MM1
from Milano/Sesto San Giovanni to Monza Bettola. Monza railway station is located in Enrico Arosio Road.
(Turin-Milan-Venice), A52 (North Ring of Milan), A51 (East Ring of Milan). State road (SS.36 - Nuova Valassina) connect the city to Lecco
and Sondrio
. A 2 km long tunnel will be added by around September 2011 and will alleviate traffic problems that are happening in the city.
The center is off limits to cars and other motorized vehicles.
In Monza, the regular immigrants are 11.642, with 121 different nationalities.
Indianapolis
, United States
Praha, Czech Republic
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:...
on the river 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....
, a tributary of the Po
Po River
The Po |Ligurian]]: Bodincus or Bodencus) is a river that flows either or – considering the length of the Maira, a right bank tributary – eastward across northern Italy, from a spring seeping from a stony hillside at Pian del Re, a flat place at the head of the Val Po under the northwest face...
, in the 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...
region of 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...
some 15 km north-northeast 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 ,...
. It is the capital of the Province of Monza and Brianza. It is best known for its Grand Prix motor racing
Grand Prix motor racing
Grand Prix motor racing has its roots in organised automobile racing that began in France as far back as 1894. It quickly evolved from a simple road race from one town to the next, to endurance tests for car and driver...
circuit, the Autodromo Nazionale Monza
Autodromo Nazionale Monza
The Autodromo Nazionale Monza is a race track located near the town of Monza, north of Milan, in Italy. The circuit's biggest event is the Formula One Italian Grand Prix, which has been hosted there since the sport's inception....
.
On June 11, 2004 Monza was designated the capital of the new province of Monza and Brianza
Province of Monza e Brianza
The Province of Monza and Brianza is an administrative province of Lombardy region, Italy. It was officially created splitting the eastern part from the province of Milan on May 12, 2004, and became executive after the provincial elections of 6 and 7 June 2009....
. The new administrative arrangement came fully into effect in summer 2009; previously, Monza was 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:...
within 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...
.
Monza is the third-largest city of Lombardy and the most important economic, industrial and administrative centre of the Brianza
Brianza
thumb|250px|The [[Corni di Canzo]].Brianza is a geographical area at the foot of the Alps, in north-western Lombardy, northern Italy.-Geography:...
area, supporting a textile
Textile
A textile or cloth is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of wool, flax, cotton, or other material to produce long strands...
industry and a publishing
Publishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
trade.
Monza also hosts a Department of the University of Milan Bicocca
University of Milan Bicocca
The University of Milan - Bicocca is a university located in Milan, Italy.The University of Milan-Bicocca was established in 1998. It is located in an area on the northern outskirts of Milan, which was occupied by the Pirelli industrial complex until the late 1980s...
, a Court of Justice and several offices of regional administration. Monza Park
Monza Park
Monza Park is a large walled park in Monza, Lombardy, northern Italy. Extending over an area of , it is the fourth largest walled park in Europe, and the fourth largest enclosed one after la Mandria of Venaria Reale , Richmond Park in London and Phoenix Park in Dublin .The park, commissioned by...
is one of the largest urban parks in Europe.
Geography and topography
Monza is located in the high plains of LombardyLombardy
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...
, between the Brianza
Brianza
thumb|250px|The [[Corni di Canzo]].Brianza is a geographical area at the foot of the Alps, in north-western Lombardy, northern Italy.-Geography:...
and 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 ,...
, at an altitude of 162 meters above sea level
Above mean sea level
The term above mean sea level refers to the elevation or altitude of any object, relative to the average sea level datum. AMSL is used extensively in radio by engineers to determine the coverage area a station will be able to reach...
is 15 kilometres (9 mi) from the capital
Capital
A capital city is the area of a country, province, region, or state considered to enjoy primary status; although there are exceptions, a capital is typically a city that physically encompasses the offices and meeting places of the seat of government and is usually fixed by law or by the constitution...
of the region and about 40 km (25 mi) from Lecco
Lecco
Lecco is a town of c. 47,760 inhabitants in Lombardy, northern Italy, north of Milan, the capital of the province of Lecco. It lies at the end of the south-eastern branch of Lake Como...
and Como
Como
Como is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy.It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como....
.
Its territory is crossed from north to south by the river 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....
. At the entrance to the north in the center, between the streets Via Aliprandi and Via Zanzi, a fork of the river artificially created for defensive purposes in the early decades of the fourteenth century gives rise to Lambretto, which is joined to the main course Lambro at its exit to the south from the ancient circle of medieval walls (Monza) (now completely demolished). Another stream, which is also artificial, is the Canale Villoresi
Canale Villoresi
Canale Villoresi is a canal in Italy; it was the brainchild of Lombardy engineer Eugenio Villoresi.It originates from the River Ticino near the village of Somma Lombardo, and runs westwards for 86 km to the Adda River....
, released in nineteenth century.
Climate
Monza has the typical submediterranean climateMediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate is the climate typical of most of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, and is a particular variety of subtropical climate...
of the Po
Po River
The Po |Ligurian]]: Bodincus or Bodencus) is a river that flows either or – considering the length of the Maira, a right bank tributary – eastward across northern Italy, from a spring seeping from a stony hillside at Pian del Re, a flat place at the head of the Val Po under the northwest face...
valley, with cool, short winter
Winter
Winter is the coldest season of the year in temperate climates, between autumn and spring. At the winter solstice, the days are shortest and the nights are longest, with days lengthening as the season progresses after the solstice.-Meteorology:...
s and warm summers; temperatures are very similar to 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 ,...
and vary from about 2 °C (36 °F) in January, the coldest month, to about 23 °C (73 °F) in July, the warmest. Precipitation is abundant, with a slight maximum in fall and a slight minimum in winter and summer; despite this, normally, the area of the city doesn't suffer drought in any season.
Monza Park
Monza Park and the gardens of the Royal Palace are of notable interest.This Park is one of the major historic parks in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, and the higher ones enclosed by walls. It has an area of approximately 685 hectares and is located in the northern part of the city, between the towns of Lesmo
Lesmo
Lesmo is a comune in the Province of Monza and Brianza in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 25 km northeast of Milan....
, Villasanta
Villasanta
Villasanta is a comune in the Province of Monza and Brianza in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 20 km northeast of Milan.Villasanta borders the following municipalities: Arcore, Biassono, Monza, Concorezzo....
, Vedano al Lambro
Vedano al Lambro
Vedano al Lambro is a comune in the Province of Monza and Brianza in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 15 km northeast of Milan....
and Biassono
Biassono
Biassono is a comune in the Province of Monza and Brianza in the Italian region Lombardy, located about northeast of Milan....
. With the gardens of Villa Reale in Monza Park constitutes an invaluable natural, historical, and architectural monuments.
Royal Villa
The Royal Villa is one of the most important monuments of the city. The villa was built during the period of Austrian rule in the Duchy of Milan, as a symbol of luxury and magnificence of the Habsburg court, commissioned by the Empress Maria Theresa of AustriaAustria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and dedicated to her fourth son, the Archduke Ferdinand of Austria, who at that time resided in 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 ,...
, as governor of Lombardy and he wanted a Villa outside the city to spend the summer season and for hunting. Work began in 1777 under the guidance of 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...
and it consists of a central body and two wings that branch off at right angles.
From the gardens of the Royal Villa it is possible to access Monza Park
Monza Park
Monza Park is a large walled park in Monza, Lombardy, northern Italy. Extending over an area of , it is the fourth largest walled park in Europe, and the fourth largest enclosed one after la Mandria of Venaria Reale , Richmond Park in London and Phoenix Park in Dublin .The park, commissioned by...
.
Origins in the Bronze Age
Urn
An urn is a vase, ordinarily covered, that usually has a narrowed neck above a footed pedestal. "Knife urns" placed on pedestals flanking a dining-room sideboard were an English innovation for high-style dining rooms of the late 1760s...
show that the human presence in the area dates back at least to the Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
, when people would have lived in settlements of pile dwellings raised above the rivers and marshes.
The Roman period
During the third century BCE the RomansAncient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
subdued the Insubres
Insubria
Insubria is a historical-geographical region which corresponds to the area inhabited in Classical antiquity by the Insubres. Secondarily the name can refer to the Duchy of Milan...
, Gauls
Gauls
The Gauls were a Celtic people living in Gaul, the region roughly corresponding to what is now France, Belgium, Switzerland and Northern Italy, from the Iron Age through the Roman period. They mostly spoke the Continental Celtic language called Gaulish....
who had crossed the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
and settled around Mediolanum
Mediolanum
Mediolanum, the ancient Milan, was an important Celtic and then Roman centre of northern Italy. This article charts the history of the city from its settlement by the Insubres around 600 BC, through its conquest by the Romans and its development into a key centre of Western Christianity and capital...
(now Milan). A gallo-celtic tribe, who also seem to have been Insubres, then founded a village on the Lambro, of which the ruins of a bridge remain. Standing in a place where young people practised sports, the bridge was named ‘Arena’ and its remains can be seen near today’s Ponte dei Leoni (Lions Bridge).
During the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
the town was known as Modicia.
The Lombards
The LombardLombards
The Lombards , also referred to as Longobards, were a Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin, who from 568 to 774 ruled a Kingdom in Italy...
invasion of Italy was an important event in Monza's history and the Lombard king Autari married Theodelinda
Theodelinda
Theodelinda, queen of the Lombards, was the daughter of duke Garibald I of Bavaria.She was married first in 588 to Authari, king of the Lombards, son of king Cleph. Authari died in 590. Theodelinda was allowed to pick Agilulf as her next husband and Authari's successor in 591...
, daughter of the Bavarian ruler Garibald I
Garibald I of Bavaria
Garibald I was Duke of Bavaria from 555 until 591. He stands at the head of the Agilolfings and the Bavarian Dynasty that ruled the Kingdom of the Lombards....
.
The new queen ordered the construction near the River Lambro of an oraculum, a sort of little church, that today is part of the basilica of Saint John. Paul the Deacon
Paul the Deacon
Paul the Deacon , also known as Paulus Diaconus, Warnefred, Barnefridus and Cassinensis, , was a Benedictine monk and historian of the Lombards.-Life:...
, an 8th century historian of the Lombards, tells us about this, writing:
"[...] Theudelinda regina basilicam costruxerat, qui locus supra Mediolanum duodecim milibus abest, [...]" ("Theodelinda built a queen basilica, whose position is twelve miles from Milan"). There is also an important legend that Theodelinda, asleep while her husband was hunting, saw in a dream a dove who told her : "Modo", Latin for "here", in order to say that she should build the oraculum in that place, and the queen answered "etiam", meaning "yes". So from the two words "modo" and "etiam", following the legend, would have derived "Modoetia", the medieval name of Monza.
Middle Ages
In the Middle Ages, the commune of Monza was sometimes independent, sometimes subject to Milan and the ViscontiHouse of Visconti
Visconti is the family name of two important Italian noble dynasties of the Middle Ages. There are two distinct Visconti families: The first one in the Republic of Pisa in the mid twelfth century who achieved prominence first in Pisa, then in Sardinia where they became rulers of Gallura...
.
XIX century
The first rail road built in North Italy was the Milan and Monza Rail Road opened for service on August 17, 1840.XX century
On the evening of 29 July 1900 King Umberto I of ItalyUmberto I of Italy
Umberto I or Humbert I , nicknamed the Good , was the King of Italy from 9 January 1878 until his death. He was deeply loathed in far-left circles, especially among anarchists, because of his conservatism and support of the Bava-Beccaris massacre in Milan...
was assassinated in Monza by the anarchist Gaetano Bresci
Gaetano Bresci
Gaetano Bresci was an Italian American anarchist who assassinated King Umberto I of Italy. Bresci was the first European regicide not to be executed, as capital punishment in Italy had been abolished since 1889.-Militancy:...
.
The medieval coat of arms
The oldest coat of arms used by the town of Monza is a celestial shield,which depicts a crescent moon red with a white semi-circle to the chin.The coat of arms, goes back to thirteenth century. If it finds a representation in miniature of the cover placed on the Code of Statutes of the City is still preserved in the Chapter Library of the Duomo of Monza.
According to the interpretation of the historic Bonincontri Morigia, which refers to the medieval symbolism, the moon is a symbol of imperial power, reflected in the white sun that is related to the papal power.
The actual coat of arms
The coat of arms bearing the motto and the iron crown was originally granted a seal, according to the Morigia, by Otto III, at the time of his coronation in 996 at Monza. It was later recognized by decree of May 6, 1835 Emperor of Austria Ferdinand I of Austria was confirmed in almost identical form by a decree of 1933.In 2003 it was redesigned so that it was a version used uniformly by all municipal offices.
Main sights
In the course of its history Monza withstood thirty-two sieges, but the Porta d'Agrate is all that remains of its original walls and fortifications. Nearby is the nunnery in which the nun of Monza was enclosed in ManzoniAlessandro Manzoni
Alessandro Francesco Tommaso Manzoni was an Italian poet and novelist.He is famous for the novel The Betrothed , generally ranked among the masterpieces of world literature...
's I Promessi Sposi.
Monza is famous for its Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
-Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
Duomo of Saint John
Monza Cathedral
The Duomo of Monza often known in English as Monza Cathedral is the main religious building of Monza, near Milan, in northern Italy...
. There Theodelinda's centrally-planned Greek-cross oraculum ("chapel of prayer") from c. 595 (its foundations remaining under the crossing of nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
and transept
Transept
For the periodical go to The Transept.A transept is a transverse section, of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In Christian churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform building in Romanesque and Gothic Christian church architecture...
) was enlarged at the close of the 13th century by enclosing the former atrium within the building. The fine black and-white marble arcaded façade was erected in the mid-14th century by Matteo da Campione. The campanile was erected in 1606 to designs by Pellegrino Tibaldi
Pellegrino Tibaldi
Pellegrino Tibaldi , also known as Pellegrino di Tibaldo de Pellegrini, was an Italian mannerist architect, sculptor, and mural painter.-Biography:...
. In the frescoed Chapel of Theodelinda is the Iron Crown of Lombardy
Iron Crown of Lombardy
The Iron Crown of Lombardy is both a reliquary and one of the most ancient royal insignia of Europe. The crown became one of the symbols of the Kingdom of Lombards and later of the medieval Kingdom of Italy...
, supposed to contain one of the nails used at the Crucifixion. The treasury also contains the crown, fan and gold comb of Theodelinda, and, as well as Gothic crosses and reliquaries, a golden hen and seven chickens, representing Lombardy and her seven provinces. Though the interior has suffered changes, there is a fine relief by Matteo da Campione representing a royal Lombard coronation, and some 15th-century frescoes with scenes from the life of Theodelinda.
The historical centre also include:
- the church of Santa Maria in StradaSanta Maria in StradaSanta Maria in Strada is a church in Monza, Lombardy, northern Italy.-History:According to the chronicler Bonincontro Morigia, the church was begun in 1357 over a pre-existing Franciscan convent. The original edifice was subsequently enlarged and enriched with a choir, a sacristy and a bell tower...
, with a rich terra-cotta façade of 1393 - the Broletto or Arengario, the 14th-century palace of the civic commune, raised on an arcade of pointed arches, with a tall square machiolated tower terminating in a sharp central cone.
- the church of San Pietro Martire
- the memorial Cappella Espiatoria, built in 1900 in memory of the assassinated King Umberto I of ItalyUmberto I of ItalyUmberto I or Humbert I , nicknamed the Good , was the King of Italy from 9 January 1878 until his death. He was deeply loathed in far-left circles, especially among anarchists, because of his conservatism and support of the Bava-Beccaris massacre in Milan...
- Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie (15ht century)
- Oratory of St. Gregory (17th century)
- church of Santa Maria al Carrobiolo (16th century)
Nearby, the Villa Reale (royal palace) originally built 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...
in 1777 for the archduke Ferdinand of Austria, lies on the banks of the Lambro, surrounded by Monza Park
Monza Park
Monza Park is a large walled park in Monza, Lombardy, northern Italy. Extending over an area of , it is the fourth largest walled park in Europe, and the fourth largest enclosed one after la Mandria of Venaria Reale , Richmond Park in London and Phoenix Park in Dublin .The park, commissioned by...
, one of the largest enclosed parks in Europe.
Other villas includes the Mirabello, Mirabellino, Durini, Crivelli Mesmer, Prata, Archinto Pennati, Calloni and Villa Carminati-Ferrario
Villa Carminati-Ferrario
Villa Carminati-Ferrario is a building located in Monza, Italy, in piazza Citterio, built in 1830 and designed by the architect Pietro Pestagalli, in late neoclassical style....
.
Libraries
There are at least seven libraries:- Civica Library, Padre Reginaldo Giuliani 1/a, road
- Library of boys, Trento e Trieste 6 square
- Saint Gerard Library, Lecco 12 road
- Cederna Library, Zuccoli 16 road
- Triante Library, Monte Amiata 60 road
- S. Rocco Library, Zara 9 road
- Park of Monza Library, Villa Mirabello
University
University of Milan Bicocca
The University of Milan - Bicocca is a university located in Milan, Italy.The University of Milan-Bicocca was established in 1998. It is located in an area on the northern outskirts of Milan, which was occupied by the Pirelli industrial complex until the late 1980s...
: the faculty of Medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
and Surgery
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
and the Faculty of Sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
.
Museums
The Duomo's (Cathedral) Museum collection keep treasures from the time of Queen Theodolinda, including the Hen with chicks, the Cross of Agilulf, and the famous Iron Crown.Theatres and cinemas
Are: Teatro Manzoni (Manzoni Theatre); Teatro Villoresi (Villoresi Theatre); Teatro Binario 7 (Binario 7 Theatre), Sala San Carlo; AreaOdeon; Cinema Capitol; Cinema Metropol; Cinema TeodolindaTourism and Events
- F1 grand Prix, at the beginning of September
- Feast of St. Gerard, on 6 June
Sport
Monza is internationally known for the Autodromo Nazionale MonzaAutodromo Nazionale Monza
The Autodromo Nazionale Monza is a race track located near the town of Monza, north of Milan, in Italy. The circuit's biggest event is the Formula One Italian Grand Prix, which has been hosted there since the sport's inception....
motor racing circuit, home to the Italian Grand Prix
Italian Grand Prix
The Italian Grand Prix is one of the longest running events on the motor racing calendar. The first Italian Grand Prix motor racing championship took place on 4 September 1921 at Brescia...
, and previously to the Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo in motorsport
During its history, Alfa Romeo has competed successfully in many different categories of motorsport, including Grand Prix motor racing, Formula One, sportscar racing, touring car racing and rallies. They have competed both as a constructor and an engine supplier, via works entries and private...
team. The circuit is inside the "Parco di Monza", a park that is double the size of New York's
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
.
Monza is also known for the "Villa Reale", a Habsburg family residence built in 1777.
The professional football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
club A.C. Monza Brianza 1912
A.C. Monza Brianza 1912
Associazione Calcio Monza Brianza 1912 is an Italian football club based in Monza, Lombardy.Founded in 1912, Monza currently plays in Lega Pro Prima Divisione group A, having last been in Serie B in 2000. Monza spent the last few years in Serie C1 and Serie C2.-History:Monza was founded on 1...
play, currently in Serie C1
Serie C1
Lega Pro Prima Divisione is the name of the third highest football league in Italy. It consists of 36 teams, divided geographically into two divisions of 18 teams each. Until 2008 it was known as Serie C1....
, at the Stadio Brianteo
Stadio Brianteo
Stadio Brianteo is a multi-purpose stadium in Monza, Italy. The stadium has a capacity of 18,568 people.It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of A.C...
.
The professional volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
club Acqua Paradiso Gabeca Monza Brianza play, currently in Serie A1, at the PalaIper.
In 2006 Monza hosted the World Cyber Games
World Cyber Games
The World Cyber Games is an international competitive video-gaming event operated by South Korean company World Cyber Games Inc., and sponsored by Samsung and Microsoft...
tournament.
In July 2005 and July 2008, Monza hosted the "International Gran Galà Marching Show Bands" at Stadio Brianteo (with the USA band Blue Devils, 11 times WMSB Champion of the World).
Rail
Monza railway stationMonza railway station
Monza railway station is the main station serving the city and comune of Monza, in the region of Lombardy, northern Italy.Opened in 1840, the station forms part of the Milan–Chiasso railway, and is a junction station for two secondary lines, the Monza–Lecco railway and the Monza–Moltino railway...
is the most important railway junction
Junction (rail)
A junction, in the context of rail transport, is a place at which two or more rail routes converge or diverge.This implies a physical connection between the tracks of the two routes , 'points' and signalling.one or two tracks each meet at a junction, a fairly simple layout of tracks suffices to...
in the Brianza area. Every few minutes, trains travel between Monza and Milano via the Suburban Railway (Line S9) and via local trains that connect Monza to Lecco, Como/Chiasso (CH) and Bergamo/Brescia. Also some EuroCity
EuroCity
EuroCity, abbreviated EC, denotes an international train service within the European inter-city rail network. In contrast to trains with the "IC" label, "EC" trains are international trains that meet certain criteria. The EuroCity label replaces the older Trans Europ Express name for...
trains stop in Monza. In early 2008, work began on the expansion of Subway Line MM1
Line M1 - Milan Subway (Metropolitana di Milano)
The Milan Metro Line One, , is the first subway built in Milan, Italy. It is part of the Milan Metro and it is operated by ATM. Works on the line began in 1957, and the first part was opened on 1 November 1964, running from Sesto Marelli to Lotto station...
from Milano/Sesto San Giovanni to Monza Bettola. Monza railway station is located in Enrico Arosio Road.
Roads
Monza can be reached through the following motorways: A4-E64European route E64
European route E 64 is a series of roads in Italy, part of the United Nations International E-road network.It runs from Turin to Brescia, both in Italy....
(Turin-Milan-Venice), A52 (North Ring of Milan), A51 (East Ring of Milan). State road (SS.36 - Nuova Valassina) connect the city to Lecco
Lecco
Lecco is a town of c. 47,760 inhabitants in Lombardy, northern Italy, north of Milan, the capital of the province of Lecco. It lies at the end of the south-eastern branch of Lake Como...
and Sondrio
Sondrio
Sondrio is an Italian town and comune located in the heart of the Valtellina. Sondrio counts approximately 22,000 inhabitants and it is the administrative centre for the Lombard Province of Sondrio.- History :...
. A 2 km long tunnel will be added by around September 2011 and will alleviate traffic problems that are happening in the city.
The center is off limits to cars and other motorized vehicles.
Notable People
- TheodelindaTheodelindaTheodelinda, queen of the Lombards, was the daughter of duke Garibald I of Bavaria.She was married first in 588 to Authari, king of the Lombards, son of king Cleph. Authari died in 590. Theodelinda was allowed to pick Agilulf as her next husband and Authari's successor in 591...
, (c.570-628) Queen of Lombardy - St. Gerard of DyersSt. Gerard of DyersSt. Gerard of Dyers is a saint of the Catholic Church, patron of Monza with St. John the Baptist.-Biography:The year of birth of Gerard is not known with certainty, according to historian of Monza Bartolomeo Zucchi was the 1134, according to others 1135 or 1140...
, (c. 1134 or 1140–1207), Saint - Carlo Amati (1776–1852), architect
- Paolo MantegazzaPaolo MantegazzaPaolo Mantegazza was a prominent Italian neurologist, physiologist and anthropologist, noted for his experimental investigation of coca leaves into its effects on the human psyche. He was also an author of fiction.-Life:...
(1831–1910), neurologist, physiologist and anthropologist - Emilio Borsa (1857–1931), painter
- Gerolamo Gaslini (1877–1964), olear industrialist and philanthropists
- Vittorio BrambillaVittorio BrambillaVittorio Brambilla was a Formula One driver from Italy who raced for the March, Surtees and Alfa Romeo teams. Particularly adept at driving in wet conditions, his nickname was "The Monza Gorilla", due to his often overly aggressive driving style and sense of machismo.-Career:Born in the town of...
(1937–2001), F1 racer - Daniele MassaroDaniele MassaroDaniele Massaro is a former Italian football forward. He was a member of the Italian squad that won the FIFA World Cup held in Spain in 1982....
(1961), footballer - Marco MontiMarco MontiMarco Angelo Monti is an Italian former footballer who played for numerous clubs, including Internazionale, Lazio, Atalanta, Reggiana, Ravenna and Lecco....
(1964) Italian former footballer and youth coach - Pierluigi Casiraghi (1969) Italian former footballer
- Stefano MauriStefano MauriStefano Mauri is an Italian footballer who plays as a midfielder for Serie A club Lazio. An attacking midfielder/winger, his key attributes are dribbling and passing. He is predominantly left-footed but is also skilled with his right.-Club career:Mauri started his career at 16 years of age with...
, (1980) fottballer
Demography
This city is the third place of Lombardy for number of population, with 122.712 citizens (58.744 males; 63.968 females).In Monza, the regular immigrants are 11.642, with 121 different nationalities.
Immigration
http://www.comuni-italiani.it/108/033/statistiche/stranieri.html - Demografic Stats
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Twin cities
IndianapolisIndianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Praha, Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....