The history of Milan’s Maggiolina district

Origin of the area’s name and Cascina Maggiolina

Maggiolina takes its name from the historic Cascina Maggiolina farmstead, but the etymology of this word is unclear. Some believe that it originates from the Maggiolini, a Florentine family who owned the building.

Others maintain that it is derived from the term “magiòster” in Milanese dialect, meaning “strawberries”, in reference to its agricultural past and crops grown in the area.

The history of Milan’s Villaggio dei Giornalisti

Today, it is difficult to separate this district from the Villaggio dei Giornalisti, built in 1911 and conceived by Mario Cerati, a writer for the newspaper “Il Secolo”. In his articles, the journalist complained how real-estate initiatives of the time were aimed primarily at the working classes, overlooking the bourgeoisie. There was a rapidly growing middle class in the period, which demanded housing aligned with their needs, budget and space requirements.

This led to the construction of many unique buildings in the area, with eclectic and sometimes bizarre results. These became the homes of many well-known Italian journalists. Here, writers needing a place where they could concentrate on their work found a more refined urban setting, with plenty of green space and detached/semi-detached homes.

The Naviglio Martesana cycle path: from Giardino di Cassina de Pomm to Cassano D’Adda

The second important development was the project to move the Milan-Monza railway underground. At the end of the sixties, this enabled creation of a large green area, with a linear park running from Piazza Carbonari up to the modern-day Palazzo Lombardia.

The Maggiolina district has an enchanting air, with elegant Art-Nouveau villas and many unique, eclectic and unconventional buildings. Life is slower here and from the Giardino di Cassina de Pomm park, you can follow the cycle path and lose yourself along the Naviglio Martesana canal all the way to Cassano D’Adda.

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