Corsico
Corsico: a friendly introduction
Hello friends, today we will talk about Corsico, a wonderful commune with a population of 34,333 located in the metropolitan city of Milan, in Lombardy. Its history dates back to 1200, when the Naviglio Grande canal was built by Martino della Torre. Are you ready to explore the history of Corsico together?
History
Corsico has a fascinating history that begins in 1200 when the Naviglio Grande canal was built. The Della Torre family, who owned the area, lost control over the Milanese territories to the Visconti in the Battle of Desio in 1277. The Visconti ruled Milan for over two centuries and Corsico became part of the Duchy of Milan. On the area of the commune, there were the Tenuta Torriani (later of the Visconti) and the villa of the condottiero Niccolò Piccinino, a warrior in the service of Filippino Maria Visconti.
In 1525, the Vimercati Pious Work was founded for the distribution of bread to the poor families of the commune. In 1584, Archbishop Carlo Borromeo stopped in Corsico during his pastoral journey on Lake Maggiore and here a shrine was erected in his honor. Unfortunately, the shrine and the adjacent church are now completely abandoned and in a state of decay.
In 1706, Corsico was the headquarters of the army of Eugene of Savoy, and was helped by Joseph I of Habsburg, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, in the defeat of the last Spanish governor, Charles Henry of Lorraine. In 1859, Corsico came under the rule of Italy.
The evolution of Corsico
At the Unification of Italy in 1861, Corsico's economy was still predominantly agricultural and livestock-based, with the birth of the first dairy companies. In 1923, the municipality of Lorenteggio was aggregated to Milan. In 1921, during the municipal elections, Corsico voted communist, while fascism obtained only 20% of the votes. However, the 1930s saw a strong immigration from outside, both from Veneto and Bergamo, which increased the population to 80,000.
During World War I, many young Corsicans were called to arms, and 90 of them lost their lives. During the 1924 elections, fascists and communists confronted each other, and the fascists were defeated in Corsico, obtaining less than 40% of the votes.
The industry of Corsico
Between the early 20th century and World War I, Corsico saw the opening of the first paper and glass-ceramic industries. The arrival of fascism failed to slow down the industrial development of the commune and, in the post-war period, there were two chemical plants that arose, an incinerator and a cement plant.
Conclusions
As of today, Corsico is a dynamic and constantly evolving commune; a place where tradition and innovation come together to form a wonderful community. If you haven't visited Corsico yet, we invite you to do so and discover the beauty and vitality of this Lombardian commune.
