Villa di Breme-Forno – Università di Milano Bicocca – ED. U46

Gazing upon Villa di Breme-Forno, can you sense the echoes of its storied past? This elegant villa, now part of the Università di Milano Bicocca, whispers tales of 18th-century grandeur and the whispers of influential figures who graced its halls. Villa di Breme-Forno first took shape in the 1770s. It was built upon an older, elongated structure. The present-day layout resembles an irregular horseshoe. The main building, with its five-arched portico facing west, stands proudly over the lower side wings. The early 19th century brought a neoclassical transformation, orchestrated by the Marquis Ludovico di Breme. He added a raised tympanum on the south-facing facade. Within this tympanum, the marquis’s initials, ABG, for Ludovico Arborio Gattinara di Breme, are proudly displayed. Over the years, Villa di Breme-Forno witnessed a carousel of owners. In 1904, it belonged to Carlo Martinelli, the then-mayor of Balsamo. Just two years later, it passed into the hands of the Gualdoni family. They converted it into apartments, altering the interior layout and adding a new staircase. By the late 20th century, Villa di Breme-Forno had fallen into disrepair. Thankfully, the local council acquired it in 1999 and initiated a restoration project. This restoration involved the addition of technical structures on the roof and two glazed attic spaces. One on the central body and the other on the south wing. In 2009, Villa di Breme-Forno was reopened to the public. It became a center for higher education for the Università di Milano Bicocca and was designated as Building U46. While the villa’s original English garden has shrunk, the front garden remains. Both are now public spaces. They are dedicated to the security detail of Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino, who lost their lives in the tragic bombings of Capaci and Via D’Amelio. In fact, the park is known as the “Parco degli Angeli”, the Park of Angels. Villa di Breme-Forno, though changed over time, continues to stand as a testament to its rich history.