Ponte Lambro lies between the mountains of the Lariano Triangle, in a particularly strategic location on the Lambro river. The village dates back to Roman times: the most important record of this comes from finds discovered at the archaeological site in the Schieppo area, which include remains of walls, thermal baths, storage for grain, tombs and coins.

The history of Ponte Lambro is largely connected to its economic activity, from agriculture to exploiting the river and its power: silk mills, paper mills and lastly construction of the Cotonificio (cotton mill) all played a role in shaping its present form. The industry reorganised the local area into relevant areas, creating a sort of “industrial village”: these range from houses for the workers and office staff, to residences for the owners and managers.