- Magenta, Italy
Infobox CityIT
img_coa =Magenta (MI)-Stemma.png
official_name = Comune di Magenta
name = Magenta
region =Lombardy
province = Milan (MI)
elevation_m = 138
area_total_km2 = 21
population_as_of =2005-12-31
population_total = 23354
population_density_km2 = 1047.2
timezone = CDT, UTC+1
coordinates = coord|45|28|N|08|53|E
mapx=45.28
mapy=8.53
frazioni = Ponte Vecchio, Ponte Nuovo
telephone = 02
postalcode = 20013
gentilic = Magentini
saint =St. Martin of Tours ,St. Roch , St. Blaise
day =november 11
mayor = Luca Del Gobbo
website = [http://www.comunedimagenta.it www.comunedimagenta.it]Magenta is a town and "
comune " in theprovince of Milan inLombardy , northernItaly .It is notable as the site of the
Battle of Magenta . The colourmagenta is named after the battle, most likely referring to the uniforms used byZouave French troops. Magenta is the birthplace of St.Gianna Beretta Molla .History
Magenta was probably a settlement of the
Insubres , a Gaul tribe, who founded it around the 5th century BC. The area was conquered by the Romans in 222 BC. The name is traditionally connected to "castrum Maxentiae", meaning "castle ofMaxentius ". After the fall of theWestern Roman Empire , it was ruled by theLombards .In the Middle Ages, it was destroyed two times, in 1162 by
Frederick Barbarossa and in 1356 by the troops opposing theVisconti rule ofMilan . In 1310, according to a legend, the emperor Henry VII was stopped here by a snowstorm during his march to Milan. In 1398Gian Galeazzo Visconti donated the town territories to the monks of theCertosa di Pavia .On
June 4 1859 , it was the seat of an important battle of theSecond War of Italian Independence . The Franco-Piedmontese victory in the fight gave them the chance to conquer Austrian Lombardy.Main sights
*Church of San Martino, built to commemorate the dead of the 1859 battle.
*Monastery of "Santa Maria Assunta", probably dating from the 14th century. The church, of Romanesque origin but with Baroque interiors, houses two works byil Bergognone (1501, once attributed toBernardino Luini 's workshop).
*Church of "San Rocco" (early 16th century).
*"Casa Crivelli Boisio Beretta", an example of 15th century noble house.
*"Casa Giacobbe"
*Monument to generalPatrice de MacMahon .
*"La Fagiana" natural park, a former hunting resort of KingVictor Emmanuel II .Gallery
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