Garbagnate Groane - Castellazzo
Castellazzo was a historic municipality in the Milan area. In 1809 it was abolished by royal decree by Napoleon and annexed to Garbagnate, before later being restored with the return of the Austrians. It was abolished once more in 1841 by royal despatch by the Lombardy-Veneto government, this time being incorporated into Bollate.
The town itself is situated around the historic Villa Arconati, once a national monument, also known as the Castellazzo.
The small, functional station at Castellazzo was still in operation until 1990. Historically it was used by labourers employed at the nearby kilns and clay pits for the production of bricks. It was permanently decommissioned due to the quadruplication of the railway line, begun after 1990.
Today, close to the former station at Castellazzo, is the railway station of Garbagnate Parco Groane, a handy access point for the 36-hectare park (Parco Regionale delle Groane), equipped with cycle paths and picnic areas along the Villoresi Canal.
In the immediate surroundings there is an interesting area of wetland, although it is partially compromised by urban developments and waste disposal. The area also has great natural value due to the nearby heronry, located in the adjacent hospital park.
Gallery
Villa Arconati (2 km from the station): Considered by many to be the Italian Versailles, it was designed as a place of pleasure and as an outpost for monitoring the landholdings. In the late 1980s, after decades of neglect, all of the furniture and removable items inside its rooms were auctioned off, and Villa Arconati was incorporated within Parco delle Groane, where it now houses the Fondazione Augusto Rancilio. As well as the main building complex, the estate includes the village, woods, farmland and the church of San Guglielmo. Reopened to the public in 2015, since 1989 it has played host to the prestigious Villa Arconati festival, featuring concerts by internationally renowned artists.