Monza

Monza is a city located in northern Italy, along the Lambro River, about 20 km northeast of Milan. It is the capital of the province of Monza and Brianza , Lombardy. ( Lombardy s a region of northern Italy, located in southern Switzerland, east of Piedmont, west of Veneto and Trentino. South Tyrol and northern Emilia-Romagna. The city of Milan is the capital.) 

Monza  Considered the northern suburb of Milan – a city full of life, history and splendor , a city located just 15 minutes from the capital of Lombardy.
Monza is one of the five largest cities in Lombardy, the capital of the province of Monza and Brianza, about 20 km northeast of Milan. The city is best known for its Grand Prix car races, which are held at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza.
The city of Monza arose out of primitive settlements built on the banks of the Lambro by the Celtic tribes around 50 BC, later enslaved by the Romans, who founded the city of Modizia in their place.

Quickly developed at a leisurely pace until the arrival of the Lombards in 568. The city was especially fond of the Lombard queen, the beautiful Theodolinda, who made every effort to transform the forgotten settlement into a flourishing political, cultural and religious center. The religious queen adorned the town square with a magnificent basilica (Duomo di Monza), inside which the Kingdom’s treasury was placed.

One of the oldest racing circuits, located near the Italian city of Monza, The circuit has a rich history. It was founded in 1922, and the first Italian Grand Prix in the framework of the Formula 1 championship (although at that time the championship did not yet bear that name) was held in 1950, and since then this track has hosted the royal races every year … The exception was 1980, when Monza replaced the San Marino Grand Prix at Imola.
Today, numerous museums can learn about the history of Monza. You can take a guided tour of the aforementioned cathedral called Duomo di Monza. Now the Museum of Treasures is open within its walls.

Among the cultural institutions are the IL teatro theater and the unique library for the blind, which houses a large collection of books. You can also stroll through the royal gardens and see the beautiful old churches.

Access : Coordinates: 45.583611, 9.273611 / The “Superstrada” SS36 runs along the western edge of Monza from Milan to Lecco, the A51 motorway (“Serenissima” from Turin to Venice) touches the southern edge of Monza, and a tangent was built in the southwest of Monza to relieve it.

The railway line Milan-Monza-Chiasso (the Gotthard line to Zurich) branches in Monza: One branch leads via Lecco to Valtellina and ends in Sondrio, another line leads via Carnate to Bergamo. Until the death of Umberto I, a train station for the royal family was operated directly opposite the Villa Reale.

Highlights :

•  The Monza Cathedral : The Monza Cathedral dates from the 13th / 14th centuries. Century. The cathedral treasure is kept in the cathedral museum. The iron crown of the Longobard Empire, today in the altar tabernacle of the Chapel of Theudelinde (Cappella di Teodolinda), is considered a historical treasure.
•  The Museum of the Cathedral of Monza contains the treasures presented to the city by Queen Theodolinda and her husband, King Agilulf: we are talking about precious and unique evidence of the kingdom of the Lombards, which were later enriched with exhibits from the Middle Ages and later centuries.
•  The Royal Villa of Monza : The Royal Villa of Monza (Villa Reale) is a palace built between 1777 and 1780 by the imperial builder Giuseppe Piermarini in the classical style on behalf of the Austrian Empress Maria Theresa. It was initially used by her son, the Governor General of Lombardy, Archduke Ferdinand Karl of Austria-Este, next to the residence in Milan as a country residence
•  Church of Santa Maria in Strada : The church with a picturesque terracotta facade dates back to 1393. / Bridge of Lions / Villoresi Park / Late Roman nymphaeum at the House of Decumani.
•  Church of St. Peter the Martyr – Chiesa di San Pietro Martire : To the north of the Cathedral of Monza stands the majestic Cathedral of St. Peter the Martyr, built in the late Gothic style at the end of the 14th century.
•  Redemption Chapel – Cappella Espiatoria : The Chapel of Atonement, located near the Royal Villa, was built by the King of Italy Vittorio Emmanuele III in memory of the assassination of his father Umberto I by the anarchists by architects Giuseppe Sacconi and Guido Cirilli. Work on the erection of the monument was completed in 1910, on the tenth anniversary of the death of Umberto I. The chapel was erected on the very spot where the king was killed.
•  City Hall of Monza – Arengario : The old town hall of Monza – Arengario – is an architectural monument of the 13th century. The tower was erected  a century later.
•  Musei Civici: The collections are currently  brought together in the new “Casa degli Umiliati” museum and include the works of the Municipal Art Gallery and the Arengario Museum.
•  Theodolinda Chapel : in Theodolinda Chapel, visitors can admire its most important part  the Iron Crown of the Lombards, which was first placed on the head of Charlemagne, the first emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, on December 25, 800. This crown is the oldest surviving royal regalia of Europe, for the manufacture of which, according to legend, they used the nails with which Christ was crucified on Calvary. Later, all the rulers of Italy were crowned with this crown: the Iron crown of the Lombards even crowned the head of Napoleon.
•  Monza Park (Parco di Monza) : Monza’s lush green park surrounds the equally beautiful Royal Villa. The park is about 688 hectares, making it the world’s largest enclosed park in walls. Monza Park was founded at the beginning of the 19th century at the will of Napoleon’s stepson, Eugene Beauharnais, who at that time was the first Viceroy of Italy. The development of the green zone project was entrusted to the famous architect Luigi Canonica.
•  National Circuit Monza – Autodromo Nazionale Monza : The largest and oldest racing circuit in Italy is located about 2 kilometers from the Royal Villa of Monza. Several major auto and motorcycle races are regularly held here, including the Italian Grand Prix and the Superbike World Championship.  The Monza circuit was built in 1922 in the park of the Royal Villa of Monza for the Milan Automobile Club. Initially, the circuit had two permanent high-speed tracks, but after an incident in 1928, when a pilot crashed into a grandstand, killing 20 spectators, the two tracks were merged into one to reduce speed.

Events in Monza : Feast of the Patron Saint – Sagra di San Giovanni ,Every year on June 24, residents of Monza celebrate the feast of the city’s patron saint, John the Baptist.
On the day of the patron saint, a procession in historical costumes takes place along the streets of Monza, and the Medieval Market is scattered in the main square.

Activities : sightseeing / photo opportunities / shopping / Driving laps of the racetrack is possible on the Autodromo Nazionale north of the city.

Go next : Lissone , a city in in the province of Monza / Vedano al Lambro / Muggio / Cinisello Balsamo / Sesto San Giovanni.