Corpi Santi di Milano
Encyclopedia
Corpi Santi di Milano is a former Italian comune
, established in 1782 and annexed to Milan
in 1873. It comprised the rural territory around the city walls of Milan. It was originally known just as Corpi Santi; "di Milano" was added in 1859, possibly to avoid confusion with the comune with the same name located in the area of Pavia
.
. According to a medieval legend, the bodies of the Magi were sent to Milan in 1034; when the wagon carrying them reached the city walls, it miraculously stuck, and any further attempt to bring the bodies into the city failed. The bishop of Milan thus commanded that the bodies be buried outside of the walls in the place where the wagon had stopped; the Basilica of Sant'Eustorgio
was built in that place to guard the relics, and the place was thereafter known as the place of the "Holy Bodies".
Another explanation for the toponymy is that, during Austria
n rule, the Milanese buried their dead outside the city walls, as per the Austrian sanitary laws, so the comune housed many cemeteries.
in 1782. The comune was briefly annexed to Milan during Napoleonic
rule, but regained its autonomy with the Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia; it was annexed to Milan again in 1873.
Corpi Santi had an area of about 66 km² and it was roughly ring-shaped, centered on Milan, and extending for 6-7 km from the city walls
outwards.
The rural area outside the walls of Milan, comprising the Corpi Santi comune, was rich of water (traversed by the Navigli
canals, as well as a number of rivers including Olona
, Lambro
, and Seveso
) and rural settlements such as cascine
(farms) and borghi
(small towns). Its economy of course depended on Milan; being so close to the city walls, farmers in Corpi Santi could dedicate to cultivating perishable but profitable vegetables such as onion, cabbage, fruit. Goods brought to Milan from Corpi Santi were not subject to duty taxes.
In the 20th century, most of the territory of the Corpi Santi comune was absorbed into the urban agglomerate of Milan. Rural towns became districts; modern districts that developed from borghi of Corpi Santi include, for example, Barona
, Gratosoglio
, Ghisolfa
, Bovisa
, Calvairate
, Tre Ronchetti, Monluè
, Lorenteggio, Lampugnano
, and Cimiano
. Most cascine were either demolished or adapted for other functions, such as schools, restaurants, or government buildings.
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:...
, established in 1782 and annexed 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 ,...
in 1873. It comprised the rural territory around the city walls of Milan. It was originally known just as Corpi Santi; "di Milano" was added in 1859, possibly to avoid confusion with the comune with the same name located in the area of Pavia
Pavia
Pavia , the ancient Ticinum, is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 35 km south of Milan on the lower Ticino river near its confluence with the Po. It is the capital of the province of Pavia. It has a population of c. 71,000...
.
The name
Scholars believe that the toponymy "Corpi Santi" ("Holy Bodies") is a reference to the bodies of the MagiBiblical Magi
The Magi Greek: μάγοι, magoi), also referred to as the Wise Men, Kings, Astrologers, or Kings from the East, were a group of distinguished foreigners who were said to have visited Jesus after his birth, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh...
. According to a medieval legend, the bodies of the Magi were sent to Milan in 1034; when the wagon carrying them reached the city walls, it miraculously stuck, and any further attempt to bring the bodies into the city failed. The bishop of Milan thus commanded that the bodies be buried outside of the walls in the place where the wagon had stopped; the Basilica of Sant'Eustorgio
Basilica of Sant'Eustorgio
The Basilica of Sant'Eustorgio is a church in Milan, northern Italy. It was for many years an important centre for pilgrims on their journey to Rome or to the Holy Land, because it was the site of the tomb of the Three Magi or Three Kings....
was built in that place to guard the relics, and the place was thereafter known as the place of the "Holy Bodies".
Another explanation for the toponymy is that, during Austria
Austria
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...
n rule, the Milanese buried their dead outside the city walls, as per the Austrian sanitary laws, so the comune housed many cemeteries.
History
The establishment of the comune of Corpi Santi di Milano was decided by Empress Maria Theresa in 1757 and actuated by her son Joseph IIJoseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Joseph II was Holy Roman Emperor from 1765 to 1790 and ruler of the Habsburg lands from 1780 to 1790. He was the eldest son of Empress Maria Theresa and her husband, Francis I...
in 1782. The comune was briefly annexed to Milan during Napoleonic
Napoleon I
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
rule, but regained its autonomy with the Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia; it was annexed to Milan again in 1873.
Corpi Santi had an area of about 66 km² and it was roughly ring-shaped, centered on Milan, and extending for 6-7 km from the city walls
Walls of Milan
The city Milan, Italy, has had three different systems of defending walls. The oldest, Roman walls were developed in two stages, the first in the Republican and the second in the Imperial era. The second wall system was realized in the Middle Ages , after the destruction of the city by Frederick...
outwards.
The rural area outside the walls of Milan, comprising the Corpi Santi comune, was rich of water (traversed by the Navigli
Navigli
The navigli was a system of navigable and interconnected canals around Milan, Italy.The system consisted of five canals: Naviglio Grande, Naviglio Pavese, Naviglio Martesana, Naviglio di Paderno, Naviglio di Bereguardo. The first three were connected through Milan via the Fossa Interna, also known...
canals, as well as a number of rivers including 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...
, 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....
, and Seveso
Seveso River
The Seveso is a 55 km Italian river, which flows through the provinces of Como, Monza e Brianza and Milan. It rises on Sasso di Cavallasca or Monte Sasso of Cavallasca, near San Fermo della Battaglia...
) and rural settlements such as cascine
Cascina a corte
The Italian phrase cascina a corte or, equivalently, cascina lombarda or just cascina refers to a type of rural building traditional of the Po Valley, especially of Lombardy and of some areas of Piedmont and Emilia-Romagna. Cascine are reported in the Po Valley at least since the 16th century, but...
(farms) and borghi
Borgo
Borgo is an Italian word , cognate with English borough, German Burg, French bourg, that now usually means the new town outside the walls of an old town...
(small towns). Its economy of course depended on Milan; being so close to the city walls, farmers in Corpi Santi could dedicate to cultivating perishable but profitable vegetables such as onion, cabbage, fruit. Goods brought to Milan from Corpi Santi were not subject to duty taxes.
In the 20th century, most of the territory of the Corpi Santi comune was absorbed into the urban agglomerate of Milan. Rural towns became districts; modern districts that developed from borghi of Corpi Santi include, for example, Barona
Barona
Barona is a border district of the city of Milan, Italy. It is part of the Zone 6 administrative division, and it is located south of the city centre. Its population can be roughly estimated to 85,000...
, Gratosoglio
Gratosoglio
Gratosoglio is a district of the city of Milan, Italy, part of the Zone 5 administrative division. It is located at southernmost end of the city, bordering on the comune of Rozzano, and it is traversed by the Lambro river.The district has an area of about 400,000 m2, centered on the main...
, Ghisolfa
Ghisolfa
Ghisolfa is a district of Milan, Italy, part of the Zone 8 administrative division of the city, located north-west of the city centre. It is named after the "Ghisolfa Bridge" overpass, part of the external Circonvallazione ring road enclosing the centre of Milan...
, Bovisa
Bovisa
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....
, Calvairate
Calvairate
Calvairate is a district of Milan, Italy. It is part of the Zone 4 administrative division, located east of the city centre....
, Tre Ronchetti, Monluè
Monluè
Monluè is a district of Milan, Italy, part of the Zone 4 administrative division, located east of the city centre. It is a small residential district that originated as a rural settlement. As a consequence of its isolation from the city proper, it has maintained wide green areas and the general...
, Lorenteggio, 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...
, and Cimiano
Cimiano
Cimiano is a district of Milan, Italy. It is located within the Zone 3 administrative division, north-east of the city centre. The Milan Metro stops at Cimiano....
. Most cascine were either demolished or adapted for other functions, such as schools, restaurants, or government buildings.