Gessate
Let's Discover Gessate Together
Hello friends! Today we will talk about Gessate, a municipality in the metropolitan city of Milan, in Lombardy, which has a population of about 8,774 people. Gessate is located in the Lombard plain, east of Milan, near the Adda river. The municipal territory is crossed by the Villoresi canal and the Martesana canal, while the eastern part is part of the Rio Vallone Regional Park.
The History of Gessate
The city of Gessate has a very ancient history. According to some sources, it dates back to the 3rd century BC, when a tribe of Gauls called Gessati lived between the Adda and the Lambro rivers. Their king, Vindomarus, mentioned in Polybius' "Histories," was defeated by the Roman consul Claudius Marcellus in 222 BC. In 848, Gessate is mentioned for the first time with the name "Glassiate" in two parchment deeds of patrimonial content. In another parchment from 957, there is talk of the church of San Pietro in Gessate and a castle built by Germanic feudal lords, of which there is memory in the neighborhoods of "Castellazzo" and "Cittadella." The manor was then transformed into a monastery, first owned by the monks of the Basilica of San Simpliciano in Milan and later by the Benedictines of the Abbey of Chiaravalle. During this period, Gessate experienced great development, both in crafts and in agriculture, thanks to the introduction of new cultivation and irrigation systems.
Monuments and Places of Interest
If you visit Gessate, you can admire the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, built in neo-Romanesque style between 1913 and 1916, replacing the old parish church, now the Church of the Addolorata. Inside, with three naves, there are two very interesting paintings: in the left transept there is "Pentecost" by Antonio Campi, dating back to 1580, and in the right transept there is "The Incredulity of S. Thomas," a work by Pietro Antonio Magatti from the seventeenth century.
Illustrious Figures
Among the prominent personalities born in Gessate, we find Angelo Motta, who invented modern Milanese panettone, and Villa Beccaria Lattuada, which hosted important historical figures such as Cesare Beccaria, Alessandro Manzoni, Cesare Cantù, and Massimo d'Azeglio.
Events and Curiosities
Gessate boasts an event that takes place every year on January 15th in honor of St. Mauro, abbot and follower of St. Benedict of Norcia: the relic of the saint is exhibited for veneration by the faithful in the parish church of Saints Peter and Paul. In 1985, the Gessate metro station, the terminus of the M2 line, was inaugurated.
Conclusion
Gessate is a beautiful and ancient town in Lombardy, which boasts an interesting history and many tourist attractions. If you happen to be in the area, don't miss the opportunity to visit it. I hope this information has been useful to you and that you have enjoyed this brief guide to Gessate. See you soon!
