Vimercate

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Vimercate
Comune
Città di Vimercate
The business district
The business district
Vimercate is located in Italy
Vimercate
Vimercate
Location of Vimercate in Italy
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Country Italy
Region Lombardy
Province / Metropolitan city Monza and Brianza (MB)
Frazioni Ruginello, Oldaniga, Oreno, Velasca
Government
 • Mayor Paolo Brambilla (PD)
Area
 • Total 20.67 km2 (7.98 sq mi)
Elevation 194 m (636 ft)
Population (30 April 2009[1])
 • Total 25,601
 • Density 1,200/km2 (3,200/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Vimercatesi
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 20871
Dialing code 039
Patron saint Saint Stephen
Saint day 3 August
Website Official website

Vimercate is a city and comune in the province of Monza and Brianza, Lombardy, northern Italy. It is 25 kilometres (16 mi) from Milan and 10 kilometres (6 mi) from Monza.

The city was originally founded by the Romans on the banks of the river Molgora.

Main sights

  • Saint Francis's Convent (Banfi Family): A hostel at the site was founded in 1052, just outside the walls of medieval Vimercate, offering refuge and assistance to travellers and pilgrims. In the first half of the thirteenth century Franciscan friars from the nearby monastery in Oreno, traditionally believed to have been visited by St Francis himself, and founded the new Franciscan monastery, originally under the "Custody of Monza". During the 13th-century, it increased in importance and was occupied by Lectors and Maestri.

In one of the frescos in the Convent there is an ornament (circa 1311) showing the coats of arms of both Visconti and Della Torre families. The date is the time when a truce between the two families was finally signed on Epiphany of that year. The truce between the two Milanese families was guaranteed by Henry VII, Holy Roman Emperor. In 1456 Francesco Sforza, Duke of Milan, provided a special grant with an annual offering of fifty florins, founding the Cappellania di San Francesco (Chapter of the Chapel of Saint Francis) in the church.

In 1798 the Monastery, suppressed by the Cisalpine Republic, was sold in 1799 by the Feudal Mayor of Vimercate, Dr Giuseppe Banfi. He conceded the use of the Monastery to the six remaining Friars, supporting them for life. Afterwards he transformed the Monastery into a residence. Since then the Banfi family has owned the site.

In different areas of the monastery there are some fragments of frescos, which, even if quite small, make it possible to distinguish two subsequent attempts at decorating the Church during the first half of the fourteenth century, evidence of the prestige of the monastery in that period.

  • Saint Stephen's Basilica
  • Church of Virgin Mary
  • Ponte di San Rocco (3rd century), the oldest still-functioning Roman bridge in northern Italy. In the Middle Ages it received two gates
  • Palazzo Trotti. It has 18th-century paintings from Giuseppe Antonio Felice Orelli
  • Villa Sottocasa (early 18th century)

The area of Oreno has maintained its medieval look with an 11th-century monastery, Saint Michael's Church and the stately homes Villa Gallarati-Scotti and Villa Borromeo.

The town has more new developments such as the Torri Bianche skyscrapers which host a 16 screen cinema, a shopping arcade and many county offices plus the new Central Bus Station designed by Mario Botta in 1998, which serves the area and has many facilities.

On the east side of the city rises the "Centro Scolastico Omnicomprensivo", a scholastic centre, which is known for the quality and high standards of the "Licei" (High Schools). Particularly renowned is the Scientific and Classic Liceo "Antonio Banfi". Within the communal borders there are many parks, used for concerts and shows.

Vimercate received the honorary title of city with a presidential decree on June 28, 1950.

Photo gallery

Notable People

Immigration

[1] - Demographic Stats

Notes and references

  1. Data from Istat

External links