Besate
Besate: the story of a Lombard municipality
Welcome to Besate, a municipality in Lombardy with a millennial history. With its 2031 inhabitants, Besate is a small but fascinating town in the metropolitan city of Milan. Let's discover its history together, from its origins to the Renaissance, from the seventeenth to the eighteenth century, the Napoleonic era and the Austrian restoration.
From the origins to the Renaissance
The foundation of the parish church of San Michele dates back to the medieval period and is attributable to the autochthonous Da Besate family. However, the first documentary evidence of the existence of the village dates back to the year 1000 when it was indicated with the name of ''Besade''. It is believed that the origins of Besate can be traced back to the Celtic period and this theory seems to be supported by the findings found on site such as coins, terracotta materials, cinerary urns and even remains of even more remote eras.
During the fifteenth century, Besate was struck by two waves of the pestilence epidemic that hit the entire Duchy of Milan. In 1420, it was documented by a Visconti registry, while in 1472 the plague was described in detail in a letter sent by the Secret Council to Duke Galeazzo Maria Sforza. For this reason, a small lazaretto made up of straw huts was set up outside the village to accommodate the plague-stricken.
The seventeenth and eighteenth centuries
In 1630, Besate was again hit by the plague, which this time decimated 20% of the village's population. In addition, the municipality had lost its independence and had been forced into feudality under the Visconti of Modrone, who in the following centuries came to acquire up to a third of the entire municipal territory.
In the eighteenth century, Besate passed under the Austrian rule, which led to the reform of the Teresian Cadastre in 1786 and the elaboration of a plan for the creation of a school in Besate that could also serve the urban agglomeration of Fallavecchia. The first medical conduct for the municipality of Besate was established, and in 1784 the new cemetery was designed located between the current road to Pavia and that to the Agnella farmhouse, which remained in service to the community until 1889 when the current one was built. Besate was included in the Province of Pavia (Austrian Lombardy) in 1786.
The Napoleonic era and the Austrian restoration
With the arrival of the Napoleonic troops in the early nineteenth century, Besate still appeared predominantly agricultural, with ten farms and 1460 inhabitants. The government of Bonaparte continued to maintain the functioning of a local elementary school in Besate, which was, however, little attended since the citizenship was predominantly dedicated to agriculture. With the return of the Austrians in 1815, Besate was included in the Rosate district where it remained until the 1940s when it passed to the Binasco district.
In conclusion, Besate is a town with a rich and interesting history suitable for lovers of history and culture. With its medieval foundation and its growth under Austrian rule, Besate is a small pearl of the past that has maintained its identity over time. Come and visit Besate and discover its history and the charm of its culture.
