Vimodrone: Villas, Churches and Local History

Vimodrone brings together the history of its villas and churches, local festivals and the intermunicipal Parco Est delle Cave. For your trip planning, you can consider these highlights separately: architecture and art tell the story of different historical periods, while the festivals take place on fixed dates or according to specific rules throughout the year. If you are looking for a hotel in Vimodrone, you can focus on your interests and possible travel dates.

Metro and trip planning

Vimodrone has two stations on Milan’s green M2 metro line: Vimodrone and Cascina Burrona. Check the current service status before travelling if you are including the metro in your arrival plans. The two station names provide concrete reference points for your planning without determining the focus of your trip.

Villas and architectural history

Villa Torri was built in the first half of the 18th century as a country residence for wealthy families. Its three main building sections are arranged in a C shape. The villa can already be seen on maps drawn up by Charles VI in 1721. Here, two historical perspectives come together: its original residential function and an early cartographic depiction.

At Villa Cazzaniga, the architectural features lie in both the east wing and the courtyard garden. The wing has a chapel with Neoclassical decorations. The square courtyard garden faces the Naviglio and is now laid out as a lawn with plants and trees; a centuries-old magnolia stands in its centre. While Villa Torri stands out for the C-shaped arrangement of its main building sections, Villa Cazzaniga’s chapel and garden take centre stage. The two villas can thus be explored through different details.

Church of San Remigio

The present-day Church of San Remigio also has a clear construction timeline: it was built in 1781, extended in 1936 and reconsecrated by Cardinal Schuster in 1941. The sequence of years distinguishes the original construction from the later extension and reconsecration. The church’s history can therefore be understood through several successive phases.

The church contains two large frescoes: one depicts the Deposition of Jesus, while the other shows Saint Helena finding the Holy Cross. An old oil painting of the Crucifixion of Jesus also hangs in the church. The frescoes and painting each have their own subject matter, while the building’s history provides the church’s historical context.

Landscape and traces of everyday life

Parco Est delle Cave extends across the municipality of Vimodrone as well as the areas of Brugherio, Carugate, Cernusco sul Naviglio and Cologno Monzese. The park includes six bodies of water, some of which are located in gravel pits that are still in operation. The bodies of water and active gravel pits together shape the character of this intermunicipal landscape.

Another piece of local history leads to the public washhouse at Via Piave 10. Women from Vimodrone used to wash and rinse their laundry there in running water. The washhouse has since been abandoned; the stones on the bank of the Naviglio are still visible today. These traces invite visitors to consider the history of everyday life alongside the history of buildings and churches.

Festivals and guided tours

The San Remigio festival, locally also known as “Festieula,” takes place every year on October 1. The Festa di Santa Croce is a local religious festival held on the first Sunday after May 3. The dates follow different rules: the San Remigio festival falls on a set calendar date, while Santa Croce takes place on a Sunday after a date in May. Check the current programme for both festivals before your trip.

Santa Maria Nuova al Pilastrello is a destination for guided tours; reservations can be requested from the Associazione Amici di Vimodrone. Check the current visiting arrangements in advance if you are planning a tour.

Discover more destinations: Truccazzano, Bresso, Cassina de’ Pecchi, Caponago, Bareggio, Pioltello, Arcore, Cassano D’adda

For the main travel overview: Milan.