Bovisa
Encyclopedia
Bovisa is a district of Milan
, Italy
, located north of the city center, in the Zone 9
. The name is supposedly derived from the italian word bove, meaning ox, as the area developed from an ancient rural settlement.
An industrial area since the second half of the 19th century, Bovisa has undergone a thorough transformation since the 1950s, when most factories were dismantled to be moved farther from the expanding city center. After a period of decay, a process of renewal followed, which transformed the Bovisa into a mainly residential suburb. In the late 20th Century, the "Architecture" and "Design" faculties of the Politecnico di Milano university have been moved to Bovisa, and the area has since gained notoriety as a design and art "melting pot". This trend was confirmed in 2006, when a new headquarter of the Triennale
design and art museum, dedicated to modern art
, was established in this area.
Remnants of 19th century factory buildings and industrial structures are a distinctive feature of the district. Prominent landmarks of the Bovisa include large abandoned gas holders that sparsely punctuate its skyline. The Architecture faculty of the Politecnico itself has its headquarters in a restructured factory building dating back to the early 20th Century.
and is served by suburban lines S1, S2, S3, S4, S10, the Malpensa Express (to Malpensa Airport
) and Trenord
regional lines.
has chosen this area as the setting of his novel, Il ragazzo della Bovisa ("The boy from the Bovisa"). Bovisa also played a role in the early Italian movie industry, as the first Italian film production studios such as Armenia Film and Milano Film (both established prior to Cinecittà
in Rome
) had their headquarters there.
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...
, located north of the city center, in the Zone 9
Administrative divisions of Milan
The current administrative division of Milan, Italy comprises nine zones numbered from 1 to 9. The organization was established in 1997 and implemented in 1999; prior to that the city was divided in 20 administrative zones.-Zone council:Each zone has a local government called "Consiglio di Zona"...
. The name is supposedly derived from the italian word bove, meaning ox, as the area developed from an ancient rural settlement.
An industrial area since the second half of the 19th century, Bovisa has undergone a thorough transformation since the 1950s, when most factories were dismantled to be moved farther from the expanding city center. After a period of decay, a process of renewal followed, which transformed the Bovisa into a mainly residential suburb. In the late 20th Century, the "Architecture" and "Design" faculties of the Politecnico di Milano university have been moved to Bovisa, and the area has since gained notoriety as a design and art "melting pot". This trend was confirmed in 2006, when a new headquarter of the Triennale
Triennale
La Triennale di Milano is a design museum and events venue in Milan, Italy, located inside the Palace of Art building, part of Parco Sempione, the park grounds adjacent to Castello Sforzesco. It hosts exhibitions and events which highlight contemporary Italian design, urban planning, architecture,...
design and art museum, dedicated to modern art
Modern art
Modern art includes artistic works produced during the period extending roughly from the 1860s to the 1970s, and denotes the style and philosophy of the art produced during that era. The term is usually associated with art in which the traditions of the past have been thrown aside in a spirit of...
, was established in this area.
Remnants of 19th century factory buildings and industrial structures are a distinctive feature of the district. Prominent landmarks of the Bovisa include large abandoned gas holders that sparsely punctuate its skyline. The Architecture faculty of the Politecnico itself has its headquarters in a restructured factory building dating back to the early 20th Century.
Public transport
The Bovisa railway station, first opened 1879 and now renamed Milano Bovisa-Politecnico, is a hub for the suburban railway networkMilan Suburban Railway Network
The Milan suburban railway network is a commuter rail system serving the metropolitan area of Milan, Italy.The system comprises 10 lines serving 100 stations, for a total length of 324 km....
and is served by suburban lines S1, S2, S3, S4, S10, the Malpensa Express (to Malpensa Airport
Malpensa Airport
Milano Malpensa Airport "City of Milan" , former "Aeroporto Città di Milano" is Milan's largest airport. It is located 39.97 km northwest of central Milan, Italy...
) and Trenord
Trenord
Trenord is a railway company which is responsible for the operation of regional passenger trains in Lombardy. The company was established by the two main railway companies in Lombardy, Trenitalia and Ferrovie Nord Milano , to manage train operations in the region...
regional lines.
In popular culture
The Italian film director Ermanno OlmiErmanno Olmi
Ermanno Olmi is a renowned Italian film director.-Biography:Olmi was born in Bergamo, Lombardy. He is married to Loredana Detto, who played Antonietta Masetti in Il Posto....
has chosen this area as the setting of his novel, Il ragazzo della Bovisa ("The boy from the Bovisa"). Bovisa also played a role in the early Italian movie industry, as the first Italian film production studios such as Armenia Film and Milano Film (both established prior to Cinecittà
Cinecittà
Cinecittà is a large film studio in Rome that is considered the hub of Italian cinema.-History:The studios were founded in 1937 by Benito Mussolini and his head of cinema Luigi Freddi for propaganda purposes, under the slogan "Il cinema è l'arma più forte"...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
) had their headquarters there.