Quartiere Campo dei Fiori is a small district in
Milan
Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
, Italy. The district measures 400 by 300 meters (1,310 by 980 ft). It is located in the north-western outskirts of the city, and is a part of Zone 8.
The name is derived from a village ("''villaggio''") that arose in the early 1900s in the uncultivated area between
Villapizzone
Villapizzone is a district ("quartiere") of Milan, Italy. It belongs to the Zone 8, located north of the city centre. It was an autonomous ''comune'' until 1869.
History
The origins of Villapizzone traditionally traces back to the 6th century, w ...
and
Ghisolfa
Ghisolfa is a district ("quartiere") 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" ("Ponte della Ghisolfa") overpass, part of the external Ci ...
. To the east, the district is bounded by the railway between
Milano Porta Garibaldi and
Milano Certosa
Milano Certosa is a surface railway station in Milan, Italy. The station is on the north-west part of the city between the Quarto Oggiaro and Musocco neighborhoods. Its name comes from the Certosa di Garegnano. The station is located on Via Anton ...
. The district also marks the border with
Bovisa
Bovisa (, ) is a district (''quartiere'') 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.
Hi ...
, and represents the dividing line between
Zone 8 and
Zone 9.
Overview
Construction of Villaggio Campo di Fiori
The Villaggio Campo di Fiori was built in 1919 by the 'Social Housing Institute' (IACP) in response to the housing needs of Milan's growing population.
The IACP decided to build the village following a plan that consisted of houses crossed by roads that carried the names of different species of trees, each with a distinct floral decor. The houses were of modest specifications, consisting of one floor with a small garden, and were designed for veterans and the disabled. The houses later housed State Railways retired personnel.
The village had a central axis, Avenue of Sycamores, linking Via Mac Mahon and Bovisa FS. From Bovisa FS there was access to Varesine Milan Station and out to
Novara
Novara (, Novarese: ) is the capital city of the province of Novara in the Piedmont region in northwest Italy, to the west of Milan. With 101,916 inhabitants (on 1 January 2021), it is the second most populous city in Piedmont after Turin. It is ...
and
Varese
Varese ( , , or ; lmo, label= Varesino, Varés ; la, Baretium; archaic german: Väris) is a city and ''comune'' in north-western Lombardy, northern Italy, north-west of Milan. The population of Varese in 2018 has reached 80,559.
It is the c ...
. Bovisa District was accessed via a level crossing.
Dismantling of Villaggio Campo dei Fiori
After the war, the changing socio-economic conditions of the country could no longer support the inadequate housing of the time. A new urban plan was proposed for the demolition of houses and the construction of residential buildings of small and medium scale at the edges of the district. This was met with opposition from the inhabitants. They felt the current housing was sufficient, and hardly needed the new residency.
The inner, undeveloped area of the former village was abandoned and after a decade it was decided to clean up the area and turn it into a park called Campo dei Fiori. The park name has been changed to
Giovanni Testori Park in memory of the writer who set some of his writings near the area.
The District Now
The Quarter, located in the new structure, is now a typical and well-ordered residential area. It consists of a series of small buildings on either side of the park, with tall buildings overlooking Via Mac Mahon. It contrasts visibly with public housing neighborhoods and neighboring Cagnola and
Ghisolfa
Ghisolfa is a district ("quartiere") 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" ("Ponte della Ghisolfa") overpass, part of the external Ci ...
.
The Bovisa Station FS was dismantled following the construction of the
Milan Passante railway and replaced by
Milano Villapizzone railway station
Milano Villapizzone is a surface railway station in Milan, Italy and serves the suburb of Villapizzone. It opened in 2002 as part of the Milan Passante railway. It is located on Via Arnaldo Fusinato.
The station, together with Bovisa station, als ...
a few meters away from the district. The road has been changed to access the Bovisa, which was built in Via degli Ailanti, and the railway underpass, which is located in
Villapizzone
Villapizzone is a district ("quartiere") of Milan, Italy. It belongs to the Zone 8, located north of the city centre. It was an autonomous ''comune'' until 1869.
History
The origins of Villapizzone traditionally traces back to the 6th century, w ...
.
Via Mac Mahon divides the district from Cagnola; along the division there is a tramway:
* Tram line 1, has one terminus in neighboring Piazza Pompeo Castelli and the other at Greco
* Tram line 12, between Viale Molise — Roserio
The shopping mall
Esselunga
Esselunga S.p.A. is an Italian retail store chain. Founded in 1957 by Nelson Rockefeller, Bernardo, Guido and Claudio Caprotti, Marco Brunelli, the Crespi family and other Italian associates, the company is now entirely owned by the Caprotti family ...
has been operating since the 1970s in Via Mac Mahon. A pastry shop is located at the corner of Via Mac Mahon and Via dei Frassini.
There is a church of Jesus, Mary and Joseph belonging to the Deanery Cagnola at Via Mac Mahon 113.
The schools are located nearby in Ghisolfa. The Comprehensive School Rinnovata
consists of:
* Primary School Rinnovata Pizzigoni, at Via Castellino da Castello 10
* Primary School Dante Alighieri, at Via Mac Mahon 100
* Middle School Giancarlo Puecher, at Via Castellino da Castello 9
See also
*
Outline of Italy
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Italy:
Italy is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe, located primarily upon the Italian Peninsula. It is where Ancient Rome originated as a small a ...
*
Notes
{{coord, 45, 29, 57, N, 9, 09, 15, E, source:kolossus-itwiki, display=title
Neighbourhoods in Italy
Subdivisions of Milan
Urban quarters in Italy