How about we step back in time to a place where history and mystery intertwine? We are standing in Cerro Maggiore. This comune in the Province of Milan holds secrets within its borders.
Cerro Maggiore is about 20 kilometers northwest of Milan. It is more than just a dot on the map. The name Cerro Maggiore comes from the Latin word cerrus. Cerrus means cerro. Cerro is a deciduous tree of the oak family. The adjective Maggiore was added in 1862. It helps to distinguish this Cerro from other places with similar names.
The story of Cerro Maggiore stretches back centuries. The first inhabitants were Celts from Gaul. They arrived in the Valle Padana around the 4th century BC. Later, the Romans arrived. They began a systematic Romanization after defeating the Gauls in 196 BC. The Romans built important colonies along the roads from Mediulanum now Milan to the lakes and Ossola.
Numerous tombs, weapons, coins, and tools have been found here. They prove that Cerro was inhabited even before Christ. The Western Roman Empire fell in 476 AD. In the mid-sixth century, the Lombards arrived. They established their kingdom. This ended a period of political instability.
In 774, Charlemagne and the Franks conquered the Lombard dominion. The territory was divided into counties. Cerro was part of the Milan countryside. In the 10th century, villages were fortified due to raids by Hungarians. Cerro had a castle with solid walls and a tower. It was built along the old road to Uboldo. Sadly, no traces of it remain.
The Battle of Legnano in 1176 involved the Cerrese territory. Clashes likely occurred in Canazza. Canazza is now part of Legnano. It was part of Cerro until 1927. In 1185, Cerro was separated from the Milan countryside. It became part of the Seprio countryside. The Visconti family, lords of Milan, destroyed the fortress of Castelseprio in 1287.
Cerro remained mainly agricultural. In the 16th century, Charles V took control of the Duchy of Milan. The establishment of fiefdoms became widespread. In the mid-seventeenth century, Count Vincenzo Ciceri purchased Cerro as a fiefdom.
The eighteenth and nineteenth centuries saw agricultural development. Wheat cultivation was joined by vines and mulberry trees. Industrial development began in the nineteenth century with cotton weaving. Home working gradually gave way to factories.
In 1898, Antonio Bernocchi opened the first weaving mill in Cerro Maggiore. Shoe factories also appeared after World War I. Bernocchi, a textile industrialist and senator, became a great patron of the city. He was named an honorary citizen.
Cerro Maggiore faced great upheavals during the world wars. The Second World War claimed 100 Cerresi victims. A local legend says that Benito Mussolini’s body was hidden in the Capuchin Friars convent. It was moved from Milan after events in piazzale Loreto. The body remained here until 1957 to prevent political exploitation.
Today, Cerro Maggiore continues to evolve. It cherishes its history. It embraces the future. It is twinned with Bad Neustadt an der Saale in Germany since 2008.
As you leave Cerro Maggiore, remember its layered past. Think about the Celts, Romans, and Lombards. Recall the battles and industrial booms. Remember the hidden secrets. Cerro Maggiore is a place where history whispers from every stone and field.