Have you ever heard of a place nicknamed “Holy Bodies”? That’s the chilling moniker once given to the area around Barona. This wasn’t some morbid fascination with death. It was a stark reminder of life and death in ancient Milan. You see, back then, Milan ended abruptly at its city walls. The land beyond, including Barona, became the designated burial ground, the Corpi Santi. Don’t let that morbid image fool you though. Barona today is a vibrant district, a blend of old and new Milan.
Barona whispers tales that stretch back millennia, long before the Romans. Imagine a time when Ligures, an ancient Italic people, called this place home. We’re talking 2nd millennium BC! Evidence of their existence, weapons and tools unearthed from the earth, now rest in the Sforza Castle Museum. The name Barona itself echoes this ancient past. It first appears in a document from 973 AD as “Vicus Baronis”, meaning “town of the Baron.” But the Baron’s reign wasn’t all powerful. Benedictine monks, those masters of agriculture, saw the potential of this land. They created a network of water-meadows, shaping Barona’s landscape for centuries.
While the city grew, Barona held onto its rural charm well into the 20th century. Then, the winds of change arrived with the roar of factories. Barona transformed into a bustling urban and industrial center. And yet, amidst the apartments and avenues, remnants of that agricultural past remain. Look for the “cascine,” those ancient farmhouses, some dating back to the 17th century. They stand as silent witnesses to Barona’s enduring connection to the land.