We are in Lombardy and what we are about to tell you is the story of the best preserved “workers’ village” in Europe. Here time has completely stopped. Find out which village we are talking about.
Italy is a truly special country. We who live there know it and so do the millions of tourists who come to visit its countless beauties every year. Italy is a mix of culture, art, historic cities, small villages, seaside and mountain places. Let’s not forget the cuisine, with its regional recipes, made of simple but high quality raw materials.
Suffice it to say that Italy is currently the country that has the largest number of sites registered on the UNESCO World Heritage list. There are 59. They are followed by China with 57 sites and, on equal merit, France and Germany with 52 sites. The Portici of Bologna, the Aeolian Islands, the Amalfi Coast, the historic center of Rome, the Sassi and the Park of the Rock Churches of Matera, etc. Just to name some of the most beautiful places in the world.
This workers’ village is located in Lombardy and is still in perfect condition
In the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, there are well-known places, but also little-known places. Very characteristic small towns. Let’s find out one in particular.
Let’s move to Lombardy and specifically to the extreme southern tip of the “Bergamo Island”. A place enclosed between the Adda and Brembo rivers and the Prealps. Here stands an industrial village with a very particular history. Crespi d’Adda was founded in 1878 by the textile entrepreneur Cristoforo Benigno Crespi (although the final configuration of the village was developed by his son). A company town with the purpose of housing factory workers and their families. Not only the homes were supplied, but also the church, the cemetery, the hospital, the sports field, the schools, the wash house, the public toilets, etc. This workers’ village is located in Lombardy and is still in perfect condition today.
Not to be missed
Visiting this village means reliving the past. Worth seeing are the characteristic workers’ houses, all with a square plan. There is also the church, which reflects the exact copy of the Santa Maria in Piazza Sanctuary, located in Busto Arsizio. Not to be missed: the factory, the cemetery, the museum and the Crespi family villa, similar to a medieval castle. The workers’ village of Crespi d’Adda has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995.
