Cassano d'Adda

Infobox CityIT
img_coa = Cassano d'Adda-Stemma.png official_name = Comune di Cassano d'Adda
region = Lombardy
province = Milan (MI)
elevation_m = 133
area_total_km2 = 18
population_as_of = December 31, 2004
population_total = 17397
population_density_km2 = 926
timezone = CET, UTC+1
coordinates = coord|45|32|N|09|31|E|region:IT|display=inline,title
frazioni = Groppello d'Adda, Cascine San Pietro
telephone = 0363
postalcode = 20062
gentilic = Cassanesi
saint =
day =
mayor = Edoardo Giuseppe Sala (since June 12, 2006)
website = [http://www.comune.cassanodadda.mi.it/ http://www.comune.cassanodadda.mi.it/]

Cassano d'Adda is a town and commune in the province of Milan, Lombardy, Italy, located on the right side of the Adda River. It is on the border between the province of Milan and the province of Bergamo

History

The first proof of the existence of Cassano is the Carlomanno charter, dating year 887 AD.

Cassano is placed over one of the bridges crossing the Adda river. Due to this strategic position a number of battles took place in Cassano.
* in 268 AD, before the city was founded, the Roman Emperor Gallienus defeated the usurper Aureolus near the bridge crossing, but was killed after the battle by a conspiracy instigated by Aureolus.
* in 1158, Federico Barbarossa fought against the Milan people in Cassano;
* in 1259, the Guelph League fought against the Ghibellines under Ezzelino III da Romano
* in 1705, the French under Vendôme defeated the Imperial forces under Prince Eugene of Savoy during the War of the Spanish Succession; the famous strategist Folard was severely wounded in this battle;
* in 1799, the Russians under Suvorov won over the French under Moreau during the French Revolutionary Wars (the most famous Battle of Cassano d'Adda).

Other notable people who stopped in Cassano include Napoleon in 1796 and 1807, and King Vittorio Emanuele II and Emperor Napoleon III in 1859, just before the battle of Solferino.

Two artificial canals (the Muzza Canal on the south-east border and the Naviglio Martesana on the northern border) connect the Adda River with Lodi and Milano respectively, making Cassano an important agricultural town and then (thanks to hydroelectric power) an industrial one during the 19th century. The Linificio is a monument to this industrial past, with its 'worker village', very similar as a concept to Crespi d'Adda.

Main sights

The most important landmark in Cassano is the Borromeo Castle, built around 1000 and progressively expanded. In 1400, Francesco I Sforza asked architect Bartolomeo Gadio (who also worked on the Duomo di Milano, the Castello Sforzesco and the Soncino castle) to redesign it extensively. Afterwards, it became the possession of Venetians, Spanish, Austrians, and of the Italian noble families Dadda, Castaldo, Bonelli and Borromeo.

The neoclassic "Villa Borromeo "is the other excellent sight in this town, surrounded by a green park, and designed by Giuseppe Piermarini (the designer of the Teatro alla Scala, of Milan's Palazzo Reale and of Monza's Villa Reale). Also of interest the medieval 'ricetto' (barracks), villa Brambilla, villa Gabbioneta, villa Cornaggia-Medici, villa Mauri, casa Pasini, casa Rusca, casa Corsini, palazzo Berva, a square church tower of the 14th century (built by Beatrice della Scala, wife of Barnabò Visconti), and the Immacolata, S. Aquilino, S. Dionigi, S. Antonio and S. Ambrogio churches.

Notable Cassanesi

Cassano also gave birth to Giuseppe Perucchetti, creator of the Alpini elite military corp; and to Valentino Mazzola and Andrea Bonomi, two famous Italian footballers.