Cascina Ortigherio

Hidden amidst the sprawling agricultural landscape north of Carpiano, lies Cascina Ortigherio. Cascina Ortigherio whispers tales of centuries past. The first documented mention of Cascina Ortigherio appears on the Catasto Teresiano maps of 1722. Back then, under the ownership of Count Giulio Visconti, it was a vast quadrangular courtyard. Agricultural buildings surrounded this courtyard, housing farmhands and tenant farmers. The 19th century brought significant expansion to Cascina Ortigherio. By 1854, the courtyard extended southeast, giving rise to new perimeter structures. Further expansions continued throughout the latter half of the 1800s, as evidenced by the Catasto Lombardo Veneto maps of 1867 and the Nuovo Catasto Terreni maps of 1897. These expansions led to the addition of another courtyard on the southeast side of the complex. A “new manor house” graces Cascina Ortigherio. This villa, designed and built between 1925 and 1928, stands as a testament to the vision of the current owner’s grandfather. As you explore Cascina Ortigherio today, observe the main courtyard. Notice the striking facade formed by the grand stables and the smaller calf barn. The granary, the “old” manor house, the farmhands’ dwellings, and a newly built shed surround the courtyard. On the plastered facade of the old manor house, a touching depiction of the Madonna and Child with St. Charles greets visitors. Nestled in the southwest corner of the courtyard, slightly set back, is the “new manor house,” built in the late 1920s. This two-story square villa features a small portico and an overhanging balcony that mark the main entrance. Beyond the main nucleus, towards the east, lies a second courtyard surrounded by additional farmhands’ residences and service buildings. Outside this main area, to the southeast, brick arcades stand as a reminder of the farm’s agricultural activities. Cascina Ortigherio offers a captivating glimpse into the evolution of rural architecture and the enduring legacy of agricultural life in the Milanese countryside.