'600 - '700
From 1535 to 1713 Milan was occupied by the Spaniards: the status of “occupied territory” continued, with changing fortunes, after the War of the Spanish Succession (1701–1714), and also with the Austrian occupation, until the Second Italian War of Independence, although with the short period of Napoleonic occupation. For this reason, Milan probably holds the Italian record for longest foreign occupation.
The restoration works we are presenting concern monuments built between the XVII and XVIII century up to the Napoleonic Era. During these years the town shows, in sync with the Western world, the distinguishing Baroque and Neoclassic features, often with local and original characteristics: a rich period of aesthetic and technical innovations regarding materials, construction techniques and new decorative setups.
A slow but gradual urban development, initially contained inside the town walls wanted by Charles V, participated to the development of the major works altready started at the end of the XVI century , like the Seminario Vescovile (the Bishopric Seminary), Brera Palace, the Collegio Elvetico (the Swiss School), and the continuation of other works such as the Duomo - Milan cathedral - always at the core of the architectural debate - the Cà Granda and the massive realization of hydraulic works aiming to complete and improve Navigli (Milan canal system) waterways. The town was filled with a constellation of new aristocratic buildings, such as Palazzo Litta, Palazzo Dugnani, and new churches like Sant’Alessandro, Santa Maria alla Porta, San Bernardino alle Ossa and San Vito al Pasquirolo.
In the late XVIII century, after a long period of peace and knowledgeable and steady administration, Milan was considered a farsighted town, driven by his economic and cultural growth. The heritage of this period can be seen in significant artworks such as, among others, the Rotonda della Besana, the Scala, Palazzo Reale, Palazzo Cusani, Palazzo Clerici, Villa Belgiogioso, Palazzo Serbelloni, the Arena Civica and also the first public green areas among which we have to mention the important compound of Villa Reale in Monza.
Arch. Libero Corrieri
Commission for the Architectural and Landscape Heritage of Milan
Highlights
Palazzo Pirola-Freganeschi è collocato dirimpetto a palazzo Sola-Busca sulla sponda opposta del Naviglio Martesana. L’edificio, come apprendiamo dalla relazione storica allegata al decreto di vincolo del Ministero dei beni culturali del 31 maggio 2001 costituisce una delle residenze signorili settecentesche più significative del Comune di Gorgonzola”. Nel marzo del 2005 per poter redarre un dettagliato progetto di restauro delle superfici si è effettuata una vasta campagna d’indagini stratigrafiche. I numerosi saggi effettuati all’interno dei locali dell’immobile hanno evidenziato che siamo in presenza di un edificio storico assai interessante che ha subito nei secoli numerose modifiche. L’indagine storico-materica ha permesso d’identificare il perimetro delle stanze del palazzo prima dell’innalzamento di tavolati negli ultimi 50 anni.
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La limonaia costituisce elemento di cerniera tra la Villa e la serie di corpi di fabbrica strettamente legati alle funzioni del Giardino storico che si sviluppano lungo il lato est.
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The soil and building characteristics allowed the design of the enlargement of the warehouses thanks to the construction of the first of three planned structures.
This first structure (consisting of two underground levels) is located under the garden facing Via Boschetti, and it hosts the generating and power stations supplying the whole building plus a first enlargement of the storages.
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The first restoration interventions were carried out in 2004 in the President’s (or Ganimede’s) Room, characterized by the splendour of its interiors, aiming at recuperating the frescoes andgolden stuccoes of the Cremonese painter A. Borroni (1684-1772) – from Castellino’s school – as well as the doors and the wooden shutters of the same period with gold inlays.
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