Ronchetto sul Naviglio
Encyclopedia
Ronchetto sul Naviglio is a district ("quartiere
") of Milan
, Italy
, part of the Zone 6 administrative division of the city. Before being annexed to Milan (in 1923), it has been an autonomous comune
until 1870, and a frazione
of Buccinasco
between 1870 and 1923.
Ronchetto is probably named after an ancient cascina
(farmhouse) by that name; in turn, the name of the cascina is derived from the Lombard word ronch, which refers to different types of cultivated areas.
The original structure of the once rural settlement of Ronchetto is almost completely unrecognizable in the modern district, which has experienced a massive urbanization process in the 20th century and is now seamlessly connected to the urban agglomeration of Milan. A landmark of Ronchetto is a modern, 700 m long bridge that crosses both the Naviglio Grande
canal and the Milan-Mortara
railway, connecting Ronchetto to the Giambellino-Lorenteggio district.
The district has been experiencing a long period of decay and is often described as a degraded area. The Duomo Connection trial of the late 1980s has revealed a relevant activity of the mafia
in the district.
Ronchetto sul Naviglio is also remembered as the scene of a battle between Italian partisans
and the German
army, occurred on 25 April 1945, i.e., the very day when Italy proclaimed its liberation from the German rule.
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 6 administrative division of the city. Before being annexed to Milan (in 1923), it has been an autonomous 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:...
until 1870, and a frazione
Frazione
A frazione , in Italy, is the name given in administrative law to a type of territorial subdivision of a comune; for other administrative divisions, see municipio, circoscrizione, quartiere...
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:...
between 1870 and 1923.
Ronchetto is probably named after an ancient cascina
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....
(farmhouse) by that name; in turn, the name of the cascina is derived from the Lombard word ronch, which refers to different types of cultivated areas.
The original structure of the once rural settlement of Ronchetto is almost completely unrecognizable in the modern district, which has experienced a massive urbanization process in the 20th century and is now seamlessly connected to the urban agglomeration of Milan. A landmark of Ronchetto is a modern, 700 m long bridge that crosses both 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...
canal and the Milan-Mortara
Mortara
Mortara refers to:* Mortara, Lombardy, a town in Lombardy Mortara is the surname of:* Edgardo Mortara, a victim in a famous and Antisemitic controversial kidnapping* Edoardo Mortara , a professional Italian racecar driver...
railway, connecting Ronchetto to the Giambellino-Lorenteggio district.
The district has been experiencing a long period of decay and is often described as a degraded area. The Duomo Connection trial of the late 1980s has revealed a relevant activity of the mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
in the district.
Ronchetto sul Naviglio is also remembered as the scene of a battle between Italian partisans
Italian resistance movement
The Italian resistance is the umbrella term for the various partisan forces formed by pro-Allied Italians during World War II...
and the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
army, occurred on 25 April 1945, i.e., the very day when Italy proclaimed its liberation from the German rule.