Once, Moncucco was its own municipality. Now, it is a part of Brugherio. Moncucco’s story is one of shifts. It is a story of being absorbed into something bigger.
Moncucco sits south of Brugherio. The road from Milan to Vimercate passes through it. We are standing in a place with layers of history.
What does Moncucco mean? Some say it’s French. “Mon cucco” means “my cuckoo”. Others believe it comes from French farmhouses. These were called Moncuc.
Let’s go way back. Roman inscriptions were found in Malnido. Malnido was part of Moncucco in the late 1700s. This proves Moncucco is of Roman origin.
In the Middle Ages, a castle stood on a small hill in Moncucco. It became a country home. By 1000 AD, it was near an old chariot road. During the Investiture Controversy, Monza broke away. Moncucco, San Damiano and Cassina Baraggia became independent. This happened between the eleventh and twelfth centuries. Monza led the territory of Martesana. Frederick Barbarossa granted Monza freedom from Milan in 1158.
Flooding was an issue. In 1339, the Lambro River flooded. Malnido and Moglia were hit hard and Moncucco, too.
Look closely at number 107 Viale Lombardia. You can see Moncucco’s coat of arms. It is carved in stone. It marks where the town hall’s front door once stood. A bull is on the upper left which symbolizes the peasants’ souls. An open arc symbolizes generosity. A white field is in the center which represents the heath.
Moncucco had a communal oven in 1530. Only ten people lived there. They were stewards or farmers. They cared for the manse. In return, they got to use the land. Vineyards were common here. Many people worked in them.
The population stayed steady in Brugherio from 1530 to 1546. But from 1541 to 1546, there was a decline. People moved to Moncucco which may have been due to taxes.
In 1559, Milan fell under Habsburg rule. Moncucco became part of the Court of Monza. It was under Milan’s magistrate for civil and criminal matters.
Saint Charles Borromeo started new parishes in 1578. The only parish was that of Saint John. Saint Bartholomew’s became a parish. Moncucco was included in it. At the time, Moncucco had fifty residents.
The plague hit hard in the 1600s. The population decreased. In 1648, the manor of Monza was sold to the Durini brothers. They kept it until 1781.
The Thirty Years’ War made things worse. High taxes hurt Moncucco. Charles VI of Austria ordered a survey. A 1721 map shows Moncucco and its crops. Maria Theresa formed a new council. It was called Convocato degli estimati.
In 1769, several small towns joined Moncucco for the census. This included San Cristoforo and Moglia. Moncucco remained agricultural.
Paolo Andreani made a famous balloon ascension from Villa Sormani’s park in 1784. This was the first human flight in Italy.
Under French rule, Moncucco was part of Monza. In 1812, it was incorporated into Monza. After the Restoration, Monza became part of the Province of Milan. Mulberry cultivation increased in the 1800s.
Brugherio unified its territory. Moncucco was divided. In 1866, the Municipality of Brugherio was created. In 1871, Moncucco joined it.
In the 1900s, Brugherio stayed agricultural. Milan industrialized. After World War I, spinning mills became woolen mills. During World War II, a factory moved to Brugherio. It was located after the purchase of Villa Sormani.
Today, Moncucco is a hamlet. It holds stories of independence, agriculture and change. It is a small piece of a much larger puzzle.