A sprawling quadrilateral courtyard. That’s Cascina Melegnanello. Its imposing presence dominates the Mediglia countryside. Visible from the provincial road 139 it stands as a testament to agricultural history.
Cascina Melegnanello is more than just a farmhouse. It’s a complex. A large closed quadrilateral courtyard. It’s a significant example of rural architecture. Its story spans centuries. The main entrance is on the southeast side. It’s marked by a large blind arch. This area houses the main house the manager’s dwelling a drying room a barn and service areas. A cheese factory was probably also there. Warehouses may have been included.
The north-west side boasts a striking 19th-century stable with a portico. Two side bays end with large semicircular arches. The central bays likely had similar arches originally. The colonist dwellings are along the southeast side. They are impressive two-story buildings with attics. External walkways on the courtyard side rest on the ground-floor portico. The portico’s pillars are brick with rustic ashlar bases. The plastered facades are decorated with string courses and brick window frames. Other stables including a horse stable are on the northeast side. Additional porticos are outside the courtyard to the southeast. Silos stand near the stable to the north.
The Cascina Melegnanello’s history is deeply rooted in time. A map from the early 1700s shows it in the municipality of Meregnanello. By 1854 the L-shaped building had been expanded. A new building closed off the courtyard on the east. New porticos were added inside the courtyard. In the second half of the 1800s partial demolitions occurred. A new building was constructed on the northwest side. A passage was created in the southeast corner.
Today Cascina Melegnanello still sees agricultural activity. It embodies the region’s rich agricultural past. Its impressive architecture is a tangible link to bygone eras. It stands as a reminder of the hardworking people who shaped the Mediglia landscape. It continues its life even now. Cascina Melegnanello breathes history. It whispers tales of generations.