Monza
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By Dion Protani
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Latest update: 11 March 2022
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The city of Monza is the capital city of the Province of Monza and Brianza with a population of 123,744 inhabitants.
Standing at an elevation of 162 metres above sea level, it covers a total area of 33 km² and lies 22 kilometres north east of Milan, the regional capital of Lombardy. In modern times Monza is most famous for its race-track (Autodromo Nazionale di Monza) which hosts the Italian Formula One Grand Prix, but the city has a long history and legacy of sights. |
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Principal among Monza's sights is its Royal Villa, the Villa Reale di Monza; the 18th century palace is situated just at the edge of the city centre, within its own grounds containing a Royal Garden. Just next to the Villa Reale is another of Monza's important sights: the Parco di Monza. The vast park stretches across 295 hectares of woodland and meadow, and also incorporates the whole of the racing track.
Monza's city centre lies one kilometre to the south of the Villa Reale, a walk of 15 minutes. The centre is characterised by a series of squares, the most central of which is Piazza Roma. One of the most iconic sights of the city centre is the Arengario (also known as the Broletto), which stands in the centre of Piazza Roma. The Arengario is a 13th century edifice whose original purpose was that of a town hall. In later years, a loggia and bell tower (campanile) were added to complete the structure as we see it today.
Heading south from Piazza Roma on Via Napoleone, a 2 minute walk of 200 metres, you arrive at the centrepiece attraction of the city: Monza Cathedral. Fully-titled the Basilica di San Giovanni Battista, the building with its Gothic facade was fully finished in 1681 but a chapel existed on the site from the 6th century. The Cathedral is the final resting place of the Lombard Queen Theolinda (570 -628 AD), to whom the existence of the site itself is owed.
The cathedral also houses a museum (Museo e Tesoro del Duomo) which showcases its collection of religious art and artefacts. The star exhibit here is the Corona Ferrea; an iron, jewel-encrusted crown said to have been fashioned using one of the nails with which Christ was crucified. The same crown was used in coronation ceremonies by the likes of first Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne and later emperors including Frederick I Barbarossa and much later, Napoleon.
Either heading back to Piazza Roma or navigating your way through the tight knot of alleyways, you can make your way to one of the busiest shopping streets in Monza: Via Vittorio Emanuele II. A 3 minute (230 metres) walk along this street from Piazza Roma brings you to the Ponte dei Leoni (Lion Bridge) which crosses the Lambro River. Although the river is often dried up, depending on the time of year, the bridge itself is a beautiful piece of work, constructed in 1840 to replace a previous version on the same site.
Aside from the Royal Villa, the park and the racing track (it's tempting at this point to write "What have the Romans ever done for us?" but I'll partially refrain), most of Monza's sights are contained in the area between the Ponte dei Leoni and another square, the Piazza Trieste e Trento.
Housing the Comune di Monza, Piazza Trieste e Trento is situated just off Piazza Roma. This is the largest square in the city centre but built at a later time than Piazza Roma and has a much more modern feel to it. Whilst it may not win awards for its aesthetic beauty, it does provide an airy, open space in the city centre and not only that, a large underground car park which is ideal for visiting the city centre. The large monument at the centre of the square is to fallen war heroes and simply called the Monumento ai Caduti (Monument to the Fallen).
Monza's main train station is quite central; situated at the southern end of the city, a 10 minute (700 metres) walk from Piazza Trieste e Trento. Trains run frequently from Monza to Milan with a journey time of just 10 minutes. Heading in the opposite direction it's possible to take a train to Como in 30 minutes, the same train continuing on to Lugano in Switzerland (1 hour 17 minutes).
The closest airport to Monza is Milan Linate Airport which is just a 16 minute drive away (17 km). However, Lombardy's two other airports are both within a short distance: Milan Bergamo Airport is a 31 minute drive (42 km) and Milan Malpensa Airport is 39 minutes away, a distance of 56 kilometres.
Monza's city centre lies one kilometre to the south of the Villa Reale, a walk of 15 minutes. The centre is characterised by a series of squares, the most central of which is Piazza Roma. One of the most iconic sights of the city centre is the Arengario (also known as the Broletto), which stands in the centre of Piazza Roma. The Arengario is a 13th century edifice whose original purpose was that of a town hall. In later years, a loggia and bell tower (campanile) were added to complete the structure as we see it today.
Heading south from Piazza Roma on Via Napoleone, a 2 minute walk of 200 metres, you arrive at the centrepiece attraction of the city: Monza Cathedral. Fully-titled the Basilica di San Giovanni Battista, the building with its Gothic facade was fully finished in 1681 but a chapel existed on the site from the 6th century. The Cathedral is the final resting place of the Lombard Queen Theolinda (570 -628 AD), to whom the existence of the site itself is owed.
The cathedral also houses a museum (Museo e Tesoro del Duomo) which showcases its collection of religious art and artefacts. The star exhibit here is the Corona Ferrea; an iron, jewel-encrusted crown said to have been fashioned using one of the nails with which Christ was crucified. The same crown was used in coronation ceremonies by the likes of first Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne and later emperors including Frederick I Barbarossa and much later, Napoleon.
Either heading back to Piazza Roma or navigating your way through the tight knot of alleyways, you can make your way to one of the busiest shopping streets in Monza: Via Vittorio Emanuele II. A 3 minute (230 metres) walk along this street from Piazza Roma brings you to the Ponte dei Leoni (Lion Bridge) which crosses the Lambro River. Although the river is often dried up, depending on the time of year, the bridge itself is a beautiful piece of work, constructed in 1840 to replace a previous version on the same site.
Aside from the Royal Villa, the park and the racing track (it's tempting at this point to write "What have the Romans ever done for us?" but I'll partially refrain), most of Monza's sights are contained in the area between the Ponte dei Leoni and another square, the Piazza Trieste e Trento.
Housing the Comune di Monza, Piazza Trieste e Trento is situated just off Piazza Roma. This is the largest square in the city centre but built at a later time than Piazza Roma and has a much more modern feel to it. Whilst it may not win awards for its aesthetic beauty, it does provide an airy, open space in the city centre and not only that, a large underground car park which is ideal for visiting the city centre. The large monument at the centre of the square is to fallen war heroes and simply called the Monumento ai Caduti (Monument to the Fallen).
Monza's main train station is quite central; situated at the southern end of the city, a 10 minute (700 metres) walk from Piazza Trieste e Trento. Trains run frequently from Monza to Milan with a journey time of just 10 minutes. Heading in the opposite direction it's possible to take a train to Como in 30 minutes, the same train continuing on to Lugano in Switzerland (1 hour 17 minutes).
The closest airport to Monza is Milan Linate Airport which is just a 16 minute drive away (17 km). However, Lombardy's two other airports are both within a short distance: Milan Bergamo Airport is a 31 minute drive (42 km) and Milan Malpensa Airport is 39 minutes away, a distance of 56 kilometres.
Comune di Monza
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Province: Monza and Brianza
Region: Lombardy Population: 122,522 (source: ISTAT 1 January 2022) Size: 33 km² Elevation: 162 metres Top sights: Villa Reale di Monza, Monza Cathedral, Arengario Recommended accommodation: Hotel de la Ville Monza Close by: Crespi d'Adda, Legnano, Busto Arsizio, Lake Como |
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Public Transport: central train station, local buses
By car: Lecco - 34 mins (42 km), Bergamo - 35 mins (43 km) |
Fly to: Milan Linate Airport - 20 minutes by car (17 km)
By train: Milan - 10 minutes, Como - 30 minutes |
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