How about a city within a city? That’s the Ex Macello Civico. It is a place of abandoned structures that whispers stories of Milan’s past.
The Ex Macello Civico, once Milan’s municipal slaughterhouse, now stands largely disused. This vast area spans approximately 150000 square meters. It is located in the Calvairate district. It lies south of the Porta Vittoria railway link.
In the early 20th century Milan expanded. Many functions relocated to new districts. The old Verziere market and the slaughterhouse at Porta Genova moved. This distribution happened into areas annexed to the city after 1923.
Between 1912 and 1914 engineers Giannino Ferrini and Giovanni Filippini designed the new municipal slaughterhouse. They chose a 300000 square meter area near Calvairate. The new fruit and vegetable market was nearby. It is now Largo Marinai d’Italia. The Macello helped form a “food city” within Milan.
The Ex Macello Civico and the Borsa delle Carni were built between 1912 and 1924. They copied European structures from that time. Areas were created for each step of slaughtering. They included dining halls and worker spaces. Over time this area shaped its surroundings. It became a true “food city”. It spurred the fish market, poultry businesses and the fruit and vegetable market nearby.
The progressive decommissioning of the Macello area occurred in the 1990s. It fully ceased operations in 2005.
Today the Viale Molise front has three Liberty buildings. They house public health offices and clinics. Also Temporiuso promotes temporary reuse projects for abandoned spaces. The Macao artistic collective works in the former Borsa delle Carni spaces.
Inside the inaccessible area buildings now lie in ruin. Photos show abandoned slaughtering spaces, stables and cold storage rooms. There are dilapidated buildings, roof skeletons and rusty tools. Desolate fences and hooks remain.
World War I and administrative issues delayed construction. Antonio Cecchi completed the project in 1924. Later modifications and additions continued until 1929. The facility imitated famous European plants especially French ones. It featured vaulted reinforced concrete galleries. They were for meat processing.
The Ex Macello Civico used its location next to the Porta Vittoria freight yard. It had a direct railway connection. The meat production process became industrial. The Macello functioned like a “mechanized city”. The production path avoided unnecessary movement. Constant rail deliveries made its management self-sufficient. Internal tracks connected the departments. This ensured quick transfers. Buildings for livestock and meat trading followed. The adjacent poultry slaughterhouse dates to 1928. It is still active.
The Ex Macello Civico’s structure within the urban fabric is still visible. Individual buildings reflect rationality and efficiency. They served both slaughtering and related services. The municipal slaughterhouse complex had distinct activity areas. The office buildings on Viale Molise are architecturally significant. They are now undergoing conversion. The central gallery for meat slaughter is visible. Its construction and decoration resemble examples from beyond the Alps. The structure is largely disused. It awaits complete redevelopment.
The Ex Macello Civico stands as a testament to Milan’s industrial past. Today the area is being revitalized. It is becoming a new space for culture, community and innovation.