In the year 972, a simple phrase echoed across this land: “Petiolum,” meaning “piece of land.” That piece of land, my friends, is what we now know as Pezzolo de’ Codazzi. Pezzolo de’ Codazzi began its journey as a modest holding within the vast estates of the Benedictine monks of San Pietro in Lodivecchio. Imagine those early days, the monks toiling the fields, the sounds of their chants drifting on the breeze. Pezzolo de’ Codazzi wasn’t always the tranquil farmstead you see today. By the 13th century, the noble Riccardi family held Pezzolo de’ Codazzi as their feudal domain. A document from 1340 speaks of a ruined castle on these grounds, the former seat of the Riccardi’s power. It even mentions a “ricetto,” a fortified storehouse where villagers could seek refuge in times of strife. Pezzolo de’ Codazzi continued to change hands. A 1366 document signed by Bernabò Visconti himself, details how the land of “Pezolo de Richardis,” including its ruined castle, was tied to an annual rent paid to the Ospedale di San Giacomo in Milan. The Codazzi family enters our narrative in 1545 when Pietro Codazzi, a priest from Lodi and prelate to Pope Paul III, transferred ownership to his nephew. The family’s presence solidified with Diego Codazzi, decurion of Lodi and owner of Pezzolo de’ Codazzi, who in 1690 commissioned a small chapel dedicated to Saints Joseph and Rocco. This chapel stands as a testament to the growing community here at Pezzolo de’ Codazzi, sparing the farmhands the arduous journey to Pieve Fissiraga in harsh weather. So, as you stand here, on the land once called “Petiolum,” remember the layers of history beneath your feet. From Benedictine monks to noble families, from ruined castles to a humble chapel, Pezzolo de’ Codazzi whispers tales of centuries past.
Nuovo Cimitero di Cologno Monzese
“A timeless sanctuary,” the old woman whispered, her gaze fixed on the rows of marble within Nuovo Cimitero di Cologno