Lombardy

Lombardy(Italian:Lombardia;Lombard:Lombardia)is an administrativeregion of Italythat covers 23,844 km(9,206 sq mi); it is located innorthern Italyand has a population of about 10 million people, constituting more than one-sixth of Italy's population. Lombardy is located between theAlpsmountain range and tributaries of the riverPo, and includesMilan, its capital, the largestmetropolitan areain the country, and among the largest in the EU.
Its territory is divided into 1,502comuni(region with the largest number ofcomuniin the entire national territory),distributed in twelve administrative subdivisions (elevenprovincesplus theMetropolitan City of Milan). The region ranks first in Italy in terms of population, population density, and number of local authorities, while it is fourth in terms of surface area, afterSicily,Piedmont, andSardinia.
It is the second most populousregion of the European Union(EU),and thesecond region of the European Unionby nominal GDP.Lombardy is the firstregion of Italy in terms of economic importance,contributing to approximately a fifth of the nationalgross domestic product(GDP).Lombardy is a member of theFour Motors for Europe, an international economical organization whose other members areBaden-Württembergin Germany,Cataloniain Spain, andAuvergne-Rhône-Alpesin France. Milan is the economic capital of Italyand is a globalfinancial centre.
Of the fifty-eightUNESCO World Heritage Sitesin Italy, eleven are in Lombardy, tying it withCastile and Leónin northwest-centralSpain.Virgil,Pliny the Elder,Ambrose,Gerolamo Cardano,Caravaggio,Claudio Monteverdi,Antonio Stradivari,Cesare Beccaria,Alessandro Volta,Alessandro Manzoni, and popesJohn XXIIIandPaul VIoriginated in the area of modern-day Lombardy.
ThenameLombardycomes fromLombard, which is derived fromLate LatinLongobardus, Langobardus("a Lombard"), which derived from theProto-Germanicelements*langaz+*bardaz; equivalent tolong beard. According to some scholars, the second element derives fromProto-Germanic*bardǭ,*barduz("axe"), related to GermanBarte.
The name of the region derives from the name of the people of theLombardswho arrived in Italy in 568 and madePaviatheir capital. During theEarly Middle Ages, "Lombardy" referred to theKingdom of the Lombards(Latin:Regnum Langobardorum), which was ruled by the Germanic Lombard raiders who had controlled most of early Christian Italy sincetheir invasionofByzantine Italyin CE 568 until the fall of Pavia on the riverTicino, in CE 774 by the FrankishCharlemagneon the Pope's behalf. As such, "Lombardy" and "Italy" were almost interchangeable; by the mid-8th century, the Lombards ruled everywhere except thePapal possessions around Rome—roughly modernLazioand northernUmbria—Veniceand someByzantinepossessions in the south—southernApuliaandCalabria; some coastal settlements includingAmalfi,Gaeta,NaplesandSorrento;SicilyandSardinia; their culture is foundational toItaly in the Middle Ages.The term was also used until around 965 in the formΛογγοβαρδία(Longobardia) as the name forthe territoryroughly covering modern Apulia, which the Byzantines had recovered from the Lombardrump stateDuchy of Benevento.
Lombardy has a surface area of 23,861 km(9,213 sq mi), and is the fourth-largestregion of ItalyafterSicily,PiedmontandSardinia.It is bordered byCanton TicinoandCanton GrisonsofSwitzerlandto the north, and by the Italian regions ofTrentino-Alto Adige/SüdtirolandVenetoto the east,Emilia-Romagnato the south andPiedmontto the west.
Lombardy's northern border is between theValtellinaand the valleys of theRhineand theInn. To the east,Lake Gardaand theMincioseparate Lombardy from the other Italian regions, as does the Po river in the south with the exception of theprovince of MantuaandOltrepò Pavese. The western boundary is formed by theLake Maggioreand theTicinoriver, exceptLomellina. Lombardy has three natural zones; mountains, hills and plains—the last being divided intoAlta(high plains) andBassa(low plains).
The surface area of Lombardy is divided almost equally between the plains (which represent approximately 47% of the territory) and the mountainous areas (which represent 41%). The remaining 12% of the region is hilly.
Theorographyof Lombardy is characterised by three distinct belts; a northern mountainous belt constituted by the Alpine relief, a central piedmont area of mostly alluvial pebbly soils, and the Lombard section of thePadan Plainin the south of the region. The main valleys areVal Camonica,Val Trompia,Valle Sabbia,Valtellina,Val Seriana,Val Brembana,Valsassina, andValassina.
The most important mountainous area is theAlpinezone, which includes theLepontineandRhaetian Alps(4,020 m (13,190 ft)), which derive their name, respectively, from theRaeti, a population ofEtruscanorigin who took refuge in the Central Alps during the Celtic invasion of the Italian peninsula, and from theLigurianpopulation of theLepontiisettled in this area and then subjugated by the Roman emperorAugustus,theOrobic Alps(3,050 m (10,010 ft)) which derive their name from theOrobii, population of Ligurian or perhaps Celtic origin,theOrtler Alpsand theAdamellomassif. It is followed by the Alpine foothills zonePrealps, which are followed by hills that smooth the transition from the mountain to thePo Valley, the main peaks of which are theGrignaGroup (2,410 m (7,910 ft)),Resegone1,875 m (6,152 ft), andPresolana(2,521 m (8,271 ft)).
The plains of Lombardy, which are formed by alluvial deposits, can be divided into theAlta—an upper, permeable ground zone in the north—and theBassa, a lower zone dotted by the line offontanili, spring waters rising from impermeable ground. Inconsistent with the three distinctions above is the small sub-region ofOltrepò Pavese, which is formed by theApenninefoothills beyond thePo,andLomellina, area particularly renowned for itsrice paddies.
The Po marks the southern border of the region for about 210 km (130 mi); its major tributaries are theTicino, which rises in the Val Bedretto inSwitzerlandand joins the Po near Pavia,theOlona, theLambro, theAdda, theOglioand theMincio.
The numerous lakes of Lombardy are all of glacial origin and are located in the northern highlands. From west to east, these are:Lake Maggiore,Lake Lugano(both shared with Switzerland),Lake Como,Lake Iseo,Lake Idro, andLake Garda(the largest lake in Italy).South of the Alps are a succession of low hills ofmorainicorigin that were formed during theLast Glacial Periodand small, barely fertile plateaux with typical heaths and conifer woods. A minor mountainous area theOltrepò Paveselies in theApenninesrange south of the Po.
Thenavigliare a system of interconnectedcanalsin and aroundMilandating back as far as the Middle Ages.The system consists of five canals:Naviglio Grande,Naviglio Pavese,Naviglio Martesana,Naviglio di Paderno,Naviglio di Bereguardo. The first three were connected through Milan via theFossa Interna, also known as the Inner Ring. The urban section of theNaviglio Martesanawas covered over at the beginning of the 1930s, together with the entire Inner Ring, thus sounding the death knell for the north-eastern canals.
The Lombard Alpine valleys are wider than those found, again in theAlps, inPiedmontandAosta Valley. Most of them are crossed by streams that descend towards thePo Valley, forming rivers which then flow into the Po on the hydrographic left. Thanks to the width of their valleys, the Lombard Alpine passes, although they are at a high altitude, are easily accessible.
The most important international passes found in the Lombard Alps and which connect the region withSwitzerlandare theSplügen Pass(2,118 m (6,949 ft)), theMaloja Pass(1,815 m (5,955 ft)) and theBernina Pass(2,323 m (7,621 ft)), with the latter two which are located in Swiss territory. The most important national passes are theStelvio Pass(2,759 m (9,052 ft)) and theTonale Pass(1,883 m (6,178 ft)), which connect Lombardy withTrentino-Alto Adige. These Alpine passes are also of great importance from a historical point of view, given that they have always allowed easy communication between Lombardy and its bordering territories. It then resulted in constant commercial traffic, which contributed to the development of the region.
The plains have been intensively cultivated for centuries, and little of the original environment remains. The most common trees areelm,alder,sycamore,poplar,willowandhornbeam. In the area of the foothills lakes, however,olive,cypressesandlarchesgrow, as do varieties of subtropical flora such asmagnolia,azaleaandacacias. Numerous species of endemic flora in the Prealpine area include some species ofsaxifrage,Lombardy garlic,groundselandbellflowers.
The highlands are characterised by the typical vegetation of theItalian Alps. At and below about 1,100 m (3,600 ft), oaks or broadleaf trees grow; on the mountain slopes between 2,000 and 2,100 m (6,600 and 6,900 ft), beech trees grow at the lowest limits with conifer woods higher up. Shrubs such asrhododendron, dwarf pine andjuniperare native to the summit zone beyond 2,200 m (7,200 ft).
Lombardy includes many protected areas. The most important isStelvio National Park, established in 1935—the fourth largest Italian natural park, with typically alpine wildlife such asred deer,roe deer,ibex,chamois, foxes,ermineandgolden eagles; and theParco naturale lombardo della Valle del Ticino, which was instituted in 1974 on the Lombard side of the riverTicinoto protect one of the last major examples of fluvial forest in northern Italy. There have also been efforts to protect the endangeredItalian agile frog.Parco naturale lombardo della Valle del Ticinois the firstItalian regional parkto be establishedas well as the first European river park.In 2022 the two Parks were included byUNESCOin theWorld Network of Biosphere Reserves.
Other parks in the region are theCampo dei Fioriand theCinque Vette Park, both of which are located in theProvince of Varese. The system of protected areas in Lombardy consists of one national park, 24 regional parks, 65natural reservesand 30natural monuments.In total, protected areas cover more than 27% of the regional territory.
Lombardy has a wide array of climates due to variance in elevation, proximity to inland water basins, and large metropolitan areas. The climate is mainlyhumid subtropical(KöppenCfa), especially in the plains, though with significant variations to the Köppen model, especially in the normally long, damp, and cold winters. There is high seasonal temperature variation; in Milan, the average temperature is 2.5 °C (36.5 °F) in January and 24 °C (75 °F) in July. The plains are often subject to fog during the coldest months.
In the Alpine foothills withoceanic climate(KöppenCfb), numerous lakes have a mitigating influence, allowing typically Mediterranean crops (olive,citrus fruit) to grow. In the hills and mountains, the climate ishumid continental(KöppenDfb). In the valleys, it is relatively mild while it can be severely cold with copious snowfalls above 1,500 m (4,900 ft).
Precipitation is more intense in thePrealpinezone, up to 1,500 to 2,000 mm (59.1 to 78.7 in) annually, but is also abundant in the plains and alpine zones, with an average of 600 to 850 mm (23.6 to 33.5 in) annually. Average annual rainfall is 827 mm (32.6 in).Lake Garda, thanks to its size and position, mitigates the climate of its coasts,creating a "Mediterranean"microclimatewhich makes the cultivation of olive trees and the production ofolive oilpossible; the so-called "Lombard oil" is also produced in other Lombard lake areas.
The geological structure of Lombardy derives from theorogenyof theAlpsdue to the collision between theAfricanandEurasianplates which generated the Alpine chain from theUpper Cretaceousto theMiocene.
ThePo Valley, on the other hand, is of more recent origin; formed by the deposit of detrital material on the continental shelf, coming from the erosion caused by surface waters, which accompanied the lifting of the Alpine chain, which rose to the west and north of the plain, and of theApenninechain to the south, which filled the marine gulf existing in thePliocenecreated by the uplift of the two mountain chains.
Lombardy is one of the most-air-polluted areas of Europe.Because of high levels of industrialisation and the lack of wind due to the region being enclosed between mountain ranges, air pollution remains a severe problem in Lombardy and northern Italy.
In March 2019, theEuropean Space Agency(ESA)published images taken from its satellites that show a large stain composed ofnitrogen dioxideand fine particles above the Po Valley area. Lombardy is the geographic and economic centre of this area, with more than 10 million residents and the highest GRP per inhabitant of the country. Most of its major cities are located in the Po river  basin, which crosses the region. The stain analysed by ESA is the main reason Po Valley air pollution levels are so high. Milan also has high levels ofozoneandnitrogen oxides, which are mainly produced by cars diesel and petrol engines.
According toChicago Energy Policy Institute,which has recently developed theAir Quality Life Index(AQLI), Po Valley air pollution reduces life expectancy by about six months. Air pollution in the Po Valley is connected to livestock and factories. The use ofNPK fertilizers, made of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, along with manure emissions from intensive breeding and high levels of nitrogen dioxide released by diesel and petrol engines are all causes of pollution in the north of Italy. Lombardy also produces vast amounts of animal waste, a big contributor to pollution. Lombardy produces more than 40% of Italy's milk and over half of the Italian pig production is located in the Po Valley.
According to research published inThe Lancet Planetary Health,in January 2021, Brescia and Bergamo had the highest death rate fromfine particulate matter(PM2.5) in Europe.
The data show many cities in Lombardy and the Po Valley suffer the most serious impact of poor air quality in Europe, primarily the metropolitan area of Milan, which is 13th in terms of fine particulate impact, with an annual premature death rate of 3,967 – approximately 9% of the total.
From archaeological findings of ceramics, arrows, axes, and carved stones, the area of current-day Lombardy has been settled at least since the second millennium BC. Well-preservedrock drawingsleft by ancientCamuniin theValcamonicadepicting animals, people, and symbols were made over 8,000 years before theIron Age,based on about 300,000 records.
The many artefacts found in anecropolisnearLake Maggioreand theTicinodemonstrate the presence of theGolaseccaBronze Ageculture that prospered in western Lombardy between the ninth and the 4th centuries BC. In the following centuries, Lombardy was inhabited by different peoples; theEtruscansfounded the city ofMantuaand spread the use of writing. It was seat of the CelticCanegrate culturestarting from the 13th century BC, and later of the CelticGolasecca culture. From the 5th century BC, the area was invaded by moreCelticGallictribes coming from north of the Alps. These people settled in several cities including Milan and extended their rule to theAdriatic Sea. Celtic development was halted by theRomanexpansion in the Po Valley from the 3d century BC. After centuries of struggle, at the end of the 2nd century B.C.,the entirety of modern-day Lombardy became a Roman province calledGallia Cisalpina—"Gaulon the inner side (with respect to Rome) of theAlps".
The Roman culture and language overwhelmed the former civilisation in the following years, and Lombardy became one of the most-developed and richest areas of Italy with the construction of roads and the development of agriculture and trade. Important figures were born here, such as Pliny the Elder (inComo) and Virgil (in Mantua). Inlate antiquitythe strategic role of Lombardy was emphasised by the move of the capital of theWestern EmpiretoMediolanum(Milan). Here, in 313 AD, Roman EmperorConstantineissued the famousEdict of Milanthat gave freedom of confession to all religions within the Roman Empire.
During and after the fall of the Western Empire, Lombardy heavily suffered from destruction brought about by a series of invasions by tribal peoples. After 540,Paviabecame the permanent capital of theOstrogothic Kingdom, the fixed site of the court and the royal treasury.The last and most effective invasion was that of the GermanicLombardsor Longobards, whose nation migrated to the region from theCarpathian basinin fear of the conqueringPannonian Avarsin 568. The Lombards' long-lasting reign, with its capital inPavia, gave the current name to the region. There was a close relationship between theFrankish,Bavarianand Lombard nobility for many centuries.
After the initial struggles, relationships between the Lombard people and theGallo-Roman peoplesimproved. The Lombard language and culture was integrated with the Latin culture, leaving evidence in many names, the legal code and laws. The Lombards became intermixed with theRoman populationowing to their relatively smaller number.The end of Lombard rule came in 774, when the Frankish kingCharlemagneconquered Pavia, deposedDesideriusthe last Lombard king, and annexed theKingdom of Italy—mostly northern and central present-day Italy—to his newly establishedHoly Roman Empire.Charlemagnewas crowned by the Pope on 25 December 800. The former Lombard dukes and nobles were replaced by other German vassals, prince-bishops and marquises. The entire northern part of the Italian peninsula continued to be called "Lombardy" and its population "Lombards" throughout the following centuries.
In the 10th century, Lombardy, although formally under the rule of the Holy Roman Empire, was included in thekingdom of Italy, of whichPaviaremained the capital until 1024.Starting gradually in the late-11th century, Lombardy became divided into many small, autonomous city-states, themedieval communes. Also in the 11th century, the region's economy underwent a significant boom due to improved trading, sartorial manufacturing of silk and wool, and agricultural conditions; arms manufacturing for the purpose of defensive army development, by the German imperial divisions ofGuelphs(Welfen) defending the Pope andGhibellins(Wibellingen) defending the Emperor, became a significant factor. As in other areas of Italy, this led to a growing self-acknowledgement of the cities, whose increasing wealth made them able to defy the traditional feudal supreme power that was represented by the German emperors and their local legates.
This process peaked in the 12th and 13th centuries, whenLombard Leaguesformed by allied cities of Lombardy, usually led by Milan, defeated theHohenstaufenEmperorFrederick I, atLegnanobut not his grandsonFrederick IIatBattle of Cortenuova. Although having the military purpose as preponderant, the Lombard League also had its own stable government, considered one of the first examples ofconfederationin Europe.Subsequently, among the local city-states, a process of consolidation took place, and by the end of the 14th century, twosignoriaemerged as rivalhegemonsin Lombardy;MilanandMantua.
In the 15th century, theDuchy of Milanwas one of the wealthiest states during theRenaissance.Milan and Mantua became centres of theRenaissance, whose culture with people such asLeonardo da VinciandAndrea Mantegna, and works of art such as da Vinci'sThe Last Supperwere highly regarded. The enterprising class of the communes extended its trade and banking activities well into northern Europe; the metonym "Lombard" designated a merchant or banker from northern Italy, for exampleLombard Street, London.
The name "Lombardy" came to denote the whole of northern Italy until the 15th century and sometimes later.From the 14th century onward, the instability created by the internal and external struggles ended in the creation of nobleseigniories, the most significant of whom were theViscontis(laterSforzas) in Milan and of theGonzagasin Mantua. This wealth, however, attracted the now-more-organised armies of national powers such as France and Austria, which waged a lengthy battle for Lombardy in the late 15th to early 16th centuries.
After theBattle of Pavia, the Duchy of Milan became a possession of theHabsburgsof Spain; the new rulers did little to improve the economy of Lombardy, instead imposing a growing series of taxes to support their lengthy series of European wars. The eastern part of modern-day Lombardy, including the citiesBergamoandBrescia, was controlled by theRepublic of Venice, which had begun to extend its influence in the area from the 14th century onwards. Between the mid-15th century and thebattle of Marignanoin 1515, the northern part of east Lombardy fromAirolotoChiasso(modernTicino), and theValtellinavalley came under possession of theOld Swiss Confederacy.
Pestilenceslike that of 1628–1630,whichAlessandro Manzonidescribed in hisI Promessi Sposi, and the general decline of Italy's economy in the 17th and 18th centuries halted further development of Lombardy. In 1706 theAustrian Empirecame to power, and introduced some economic and social measures that allowed a degree of recovery to occur.
Austrian rule was interrupted in the late-18th century by the French; underNapoleon, Lombardy became the centre of theCisalpine Republicand of theKingdom of Italy, both of which werepuppet statesof France'sFirst Empire, with Milan as capital and Napoleon as head of state. During this period, Lombardy regained Valtellina from Switzerland.
The restoration of Austrian rule in 1815 as theKingdom of Lombardy–Venetiawas characterised by a struggle with the new ideals introduced by the Napoleonic era. Lombardy was then an important centre of theRisorgimento, with theFive Days of Milanin March 1848, theTen Days of Bresciain 1849, theBelfiore martyrsin Mantua in the years between 1851 and 1853. The annexation of Lombardy to theKingdom of Piedmont-Sardiniaoccurred following theSecond Italian War of Independencein 1859, a war during which Lombardy was the main theatre of battle (battles ofMontebello,Palestro,Magenta,SolferinoandSan Fermo).
In 1861, with theproclamation of the Kingdom of Italy, Lombardy became part of the modern Italian state, except for the central-eastern part of theprovince of Mantuawhich wasannexed in 1866after theThird Italian War of Independence.Regarding the battle of Solferino, it was during this conflict thatHenry Dunanttook the initiative to create theRed Cross. After the annexation of Mantua, Lombardy achieved its present-day territorial shape by adding theOltrepò Pavese, formerly the southern part of theProvince of Novara, to theProvince of Pavia.
The Alpine front ofWorld War Icrossed the eastern Lombardy Alpine side, and in the post-war period Milan was the centre of theItalian Fasces of Combat. Milan then became theGold Medal of Military Valorfor theItalian resistance movementduring theItalian Civil Warafter its liberation from fascism during theWorld War II, while the partisan resistance spread across the valleys and provinces.
Following the historical borders, in 1948 the administrative region of Lombardy was prefigured as part of the newly formedItalian Republic. In the years of theItalian economic miracle, Milan was one of the poles of the "industrial triangle" of northern Italy formed by the cities ofTurin-Milan-Genoa. TheYears of Leadhad wide relevance in Lombardy, with thePiazza Fontana bombingin Milan in 1969 and thePiazza della Loggia bombinginBresciain 1974.
In the 1980s, Milan became a symbol of the country's economic growth, and a symbol of the economic-financial rampantism of the so-called"Milano da bere", literally "Milan to be drunk",while the Milanese socialist group ofBettino Craxiwas in the national government. The city of Milan, in the early 1990s, was the origin of the series of scandals known asTangentopoliwhich emerged from the judicial investigations of the Milanese prosecutor's office known asMani pulite, which then spread to the rest of the country.
In early 2020, Lombardy was severely affected by theCOVID-19 pandemic, in whichItaly was one of the worst-affected countriesin Europe. Several towns were quarantined from 22 February after community transmission was documented in Lombardy andVenetothe previous day. The entirety of Lombardy was placed under lockdown on 8 March,followed by all of Italy the following day,making Italy the first country to implement a nationwide lockdown in response to the epidemic, which theWorld Health Organization(WHO) declared apandemicon 11 March. The lockdown was extended twice, and the region toughened restrictions on 22 March, banning outdoor exercise and the use of vending machines,but from the beginning of May, following a reported decrease in the number of active cases, restrictions were gradually relaxed.
Lombardy is the firstregion of Italy in terms of economic importance.As of 2021, thegross regional product(GRP) of Lombardy was equal to over €366 billion and accounted for about 22% of Italy's total GDP. Lombardy's 2021 GRP was €36,500 per person, more than 25% higher than the national average of €25,729.Lombardy is thesecond region of the European Unionby nominal GDP.
Lombardy'sservices sectorhas grown since the 1980s, led by innovative activities in business services, credit and financial services. Lombardy also remains the main industrial area of Italy. Milan, its capital, is the economic capital of Italy,is a globalfinancial centreand is widely regarded as a global capital in industrial design, fashion and architecture.
Lombardy has cultural and economic relationships with many foreign countries includingAzerbaijan,Austria,France,Hungary,Switzerland (especially the cantons ofTicinoandGrisons),Canada (theProvince of Quebec),Germany (the States ofBavaria,Saxony, andSaxony-Anhalt),Kuwait,the Netherlands (Province of Zuid-Holland),and Russia.
Lombardy is a member of theFour Motors for Europe, an international economical organization whose other members areBaden-Württembergin Germany,Cataloniain Spain, andAuvergne-Rhône-Alpesin France.The Lombardy region is also part of theEUSALP, which promotes innovation, sustainability, and economy in the Alpine regions of Austria, France, Liechtenstein, Northern Italy, Southern Germany, Switzerland, and Slovenia,andARGE ALP, an economic forum of alpine regions of Austria, Northern Italy, Southern Germany, and Switzerland.Economical and cultural relationship are also strong with neighbouring Italian regionsFriuli-Venezia Giulia,South Tyrol, Trentino, and Veneto.
Furthermore, Lombardy is part of the economic heart of Europe and of the so-calledBlue Banana. Milan is, together withLondon,Hamburg,Frankfurt,MunichandParis, one of the six European economic capitals.The European Union has developed the Central Europe program in 2014–2020 to foster cooperation between Lombardy and other northern Italian regions and several countries in central Europe.
The region can be broadly divided into three economic areas: Milan, where the services sector comprises 65.3% of employment; the provinces ofVarese, Como,Lecco,Monza and Brianza, Bergamo and Brescia, the latter having the highest value added in industry in Europe,where there is a highly industrialised economy and a rich agricultural sector; and the provinces ofSondrio,Pavia,Cremona,MantovaandLodi, where there is consistent agricultural activity and an above-average development of the services sector.
In the tertiary sector, the weight of trade and finance is significant. TheItalian Stock Exchangeis based in Milan, one of the main European financial centres.In the early 21st century, two new business districts,Porta NuovaandCityLife, were built in Milan in the space of a decade, radically changing the skyline of the city. Banking, transport, communication and business services activities are also important. Milan is also a global hub for event management and trade fairs.Fiera Milanooperates the most important trade fair organiser in Italy and the world's fourth largestexhibition hall inRho, were international exhibitions likeMilan Furniture Fair,EICMA,EMOtake place on 400,000 square metres of exhibition areas with more than 4 million visitors in 2018.Milan hosted theUniversal Expositionin1906and2015.
The productivity of agriculture is enhanced by the use of fertilisers and the traditional abundance of water, which has been boosted since the Middle Ages by the construction of irrigation systems that were partly designed by Leonardo da Vinci. Lower plains are used for fodder crops, cereals (rice, wheat and maize) and sugar beet. Lombardy is one of the main European regions for rice production and together with Piedmont, produces 93% of Italian rice. Cultivation is concentrated in the provinces of Pavia (84,000 ha (210,000 acres), Milan (14,000 ha (35,000 acres)), Lodi 2,000 ha (4,900 acres) and Mantua (1,200 ha (3,000 acres)).Produce of the higher plains includes cereals, vegetables, fruit trees and mulberries. Fruits and wine are produced in upland areas such as thePrealpsandAlpssectors in the north.
Lombardy is a centre of animal breeding, which includes dairy cows (36%) and pigs (50%). The region's dairy industry produces 30% of Italian milk,which is used to produce different types of cheese, totalling about 4,715,130 tonnes, 36% of Italian cheese production.
A variety of cured sausages is produced in Lombardy, like Salame Milano, Salame bergamasco, Salame mantovano, Salame di Varzi, Bastardei, Salam casalin, Salame Brianza, Salame pancettato.
Vineyards cover 26,951 ha (66,600 acres). The most important product is the sparkling winesFranciacortaandOltrepò Pavese, which are produced using the sametraditional methodasChampagne, unlike other Italian sparkling wines, which use thecharmat method. Lombardy ranks 9 of 20 in the production of DOC and DOCG wines with 877,351 hl (19,299,024.00 imp gal; 23,177,161.43 US gal).Lombardy also produces still red, white androséwines made from a variety ofgrapes, includingNebbiolowines in theValtellinaregion andTrebbiano di Luganawhite wines produced with theChiaretto-style rosé along the shores ofLake Garda. Thewine regioncurrently has 15Denominazione di origine controllata(DOC), 3Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita(DOCG) and 13Indicazione Geografica Tipica(IGT) designations.The region annually produces around one point four million hectolitres (30,795,694.76 imp gal; 36,984,087.33 US gal) of wine.
Brescia is also the main production centre of Italiancaviar. The world's largest sturgeon farm is located inCalvisano, about 30 km (19 mi) south of the city centre,producing 25 tonnes of caviar annually, which is exported worldwide.The main activity inCanneto sull'Ogliois the nursery production of broad-leaved plants, for which much land is dedicated.
Italy is a major exporter of heavy helicopters (over 2,000 kg (4,400 lb)) with a market share of about 30%.The headquarters ofLeonardoHelicopters Division (ex-AgustaWestland) is in Lombardy, and is responsible for about a third of the company's orders.The region also has a plant of Leonardo Aircraft Division (ex-Aermacchi).The main helicopter design, production and training facilities are located inCascina Costa di Samarate,VergiateandSesto Calende. The company's aircraft division manufacturesmilitary training aircraftinVenegono Superiore.
The world's oldest firearms manufacturer,Beretta, is located inGardone Val Trompia. Other firearms manufacturers in the region areTanfoglioandPedersoli. Ammunition is produced byFiocchi. The formerOTO Melara, now part of Leonardo Electronics Division in Brescia, produces small-calibre naval and airborne weapons.
There is no longer any car production in Lombardy; the factories of mass-market manufacturersAlfa Romeo,AutobianchiandInnocentihaving been closed, abandoned or demolished.Ivecocontinues to manufacturelight trucksDailyinSuzzaraand makesEuroCargolorriesin Brescia.Same-Deutz Fahrmanufactures tractors under the brandsSAMEandLamborghiniinTreviglio, andBCS Groupmakes tractors inAbbiategrasso.
The best-known automotive-parts suppliers areBrembo,Bergamo(ceramic brake systems);Pirelli,Milan(tyres);andMagneti Marelli,Corbetta(electronic systems, powertrain).
Motorcycles from Lombardy:
The largest European semiconductor companySTMicroelectronicsemploys 5,600 people at its plant in a suburb of Milan. Manufacturers of general-purpose integrated circuits (ICs)Agrate Brianza, which employs 4,500, andCornaredo, which employs 1,100, have R&D and production facilities.
SAES GettersinLainateproducegetters, alkaline metal dispensers, cathodes and materials for thermal management. Their products are used in various devices such as X-ray tubes, microwave tubes, solid-state lasers, electron sources, photomultipliers, radio-frequency amplification systems, night-vision devices, pressure sensors, gyroscopes for navigation systems and MEMS devices.
Magneti Marellihas headquarters and manufactures automotive electronics inCorbetta.Leonardo Electronics Division inNervianodesigns and develops airborne radar and computers, space equipment.Candy HooverandWhirlpool(brands: Whirlpool, Indesit, Ariston, Hot Point, Ignis) make home appliances in Lombardy.
In Lombardy, in 2015, electricity consumption per inhabitant amounted to 6,374 Wh. In the same year, gross energy production reached 41 GWh per 10,000 inhabitants and 26% of electricity consumption was covered by energy fromrenewable sources.There are 488hydroelectricplants, 1,056thermoelectricplants, 7windplants and 94,202photovoltaicplants.The length of power lines in the region in 2014 is 3,867.8 km (2,403.34 mi), of which 2,190.8 km (1,361.30 mi) are 220 kV and 1,677 km (1,042.04 mi) are 380 kV.
Milan is afashion capitalof the world. Lombardy has always been an important centre for silk and textile production, notably the cities of Pavia,VigevanoandCremona. Milan is one of the fashion capitals of the world; the city has approximately 12,000 companies, 800 showrooms and 6,000 sales outlets; the city hosts the headquarters of global fashion houses. The best-known high-class shopping district isQuadrilatero della moda.
In 2009, Milan was regarded as the world fashion capital, surpassing New York, Paris and London.Most of the major Italian fashion brands, such asLuxottica,Valentino,Versace,Prada,Armani,Dolce & GabbanaandZegnaare currently headquartered in Milan. Buttons are manufactured in the industrial districts ofGrumello del MonteandPalosco.
Furniture is manufactured in the industrial district aroundBrianza, which has an annual turnover of about €2 billion from 1,700 companies.The furniture factories, which have about 40,000 employees, are mainly concentrated inLissone,Meda,CantùandMariano Comense. This district has close relations with Milan's design industry. A number of large furniture exhibitions take place in Milan, including "Salone del Mobile Milano".
In the most dynamic and busiest of Italian regions it is not possible, on the basis of the figures, to distinguish tourists in the strict sense from those who travel for business.In 2019, 40,482,939 arrivals were recorded.Non-residents contributed to 51.8% of arrivals and 57.4% of presences.
Lombardy has a rich, diverse cultural heritage ranging from prehistory to the present day. Artefacts from the Roman period and the Renaissance can be found in museums and churches. Major tourist destinations in the region include (in order of arrivals as of 2013):
Among the natural beauties, the pre-Alpine lakes on whose shores patrician villas, vegetable gardens, gardens, terraces and ancient villages alternate with dense clusters of second homesmust be ranked first. The coastal locations are connected by scheduled shipping routes.Villa d'Este in Cernobbioand other villas in the Como area host world-famous people: financial magnates, film stars, writers, heads of state, singers and stylists.
Other important tourist flows concern theAlpinevalleys (in particularValtellina)and the numerous historical-artistic cities, rich in monuments and testimonies of theMiddle Agesand theItalian Renaissance.
Among the most visited places are thePinacoteca di Brera(336,981 visitors),Leonardo da Vinci'sLast Supper(330,071), the Archaeological Museum ofSirmionewith theGrottoes of Catullus(216,612), theScaligero Castle(202,066),Certosa di Pavia(approximately 200,000) andVilla Carlotta(170,260).
The unemployment rate of Lombardy stood at 4.3% in 2023.In that year, regional unemployment was one of the lowest in Italy.
One-sixth of the Italian population, about 10 million people, live in Lombardy (16.2% of the national population; 2% of theEuropean Unionpopulation). Lombardy is the second most populousregion in the European Union(EU).
The population is highly concentrated in the Milan metropolitan area (2,029 inh./km) and the Alpine foothills that compose the southern section of the provincesVarese,Como,Lecco,Monza and BrianzaandBergamo, (1,200 inh./km). A lower average population density (250 inh./km) is found in thePo Valleyand the lower Brescia valleys; much lower densities (fewer than 60 inh./km) inhabit the northern mountain areas and the southernOltrepò Pavesesubregion.
The growth of the regional population was particularly sustained during the 1950s–1960s, due to a prolonged economic boom, high birth rates and strong migration inflows—especially from southern Italy. Since the 1980s, Lombardy has become the destination of a large number of international migrants. As of 2021, the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) estimated that 1,190,889 foreign-born people live in Lombardy, equal to 11.9% of the total population.
The primary religion isRoman Catholicism. Over the centuries, the Catholicdiocesesof Lombardy have given birth to tenpopes:Pope John XIV,Pope Alexander II,Pope Urban III,Pope Celestine IV,Pope Pius IV,Pope Gregory XIV,Pope Innocent XI,Pope Pius XI,Pope John XXIIIandPope Paul VI.
The structure of the Lombard Catholic dioceses is historical. Of the ten dioceses, eight date back to theRoman Empire, onlyCremaandVigevanowere created in the 16th century to reflect political needs,and it does not appear that any diocesan seat was ever suppressed. Thediocese of Luganowas created in the 19th century to separate the Swiss parishes which since ancient times had been dependent on the dioceses ofComoandMilan.
In Lombardy there are two main Catholic liturgical rites: theAmbrosian Rite(used in theMilanese archdiocese, but also used in the parishes ofVal Taleggioin theprovince of Bergamo) and theRoman Rite.The Milanese diocese, comprising approximately half of the faithful of the region, is themetropolitan see, while the others are itssuffragans.
Significant religious minorities in Lombardy includeEvangelicals,Orthodox Christians, as well asJews,Buddhists,SikhsandMuslims.
Lombardy has a system ofrepresentative democracyin which the President of the Region (Presidente della Regione) is thehead of governmentand of a pluriformmulti-party system.Executive poweris vested in the regional government (Giunta Regionale) andlegislative poweris vested in theRegional Council(Consiglio Regionale).
Like the other regions of Italy with ordinary statutes, the region has been provided for since 1948 by articles 114 and 115 of theConstitution of Italy, but only with law no. 281 of 16 May 1970 having as its object "Financial measures for the implementation of the Regions with ordinary statute", with which the process of administrative decentralization envisaged by article 5 and article 118 of the Constitution was started, implemented its functions.
The Council is elected for a five-year term, but, if the President suffers a vote of no confidence, resigns or dies, under thesimul stabunt, simul cadentclause introduced in 1999 (literallythey will stand together or they will fall together), also the Council is dissolved and a snap election is called.The Regional Cabinet (Giunta Regionale) is presided by the President of the Region (Presidente della Regione), who is elected for a five-year term, and is currently composed by 17 members: the President and 16 regionalAssessors, including a Vice President (Vice Presidente), while 4 under-secretaries (Sottosegretari) help the President but have no voting rights in the cabinet meetings.
From 1945 to the early 1990s, the moderateChristian Democratsmaintained a large majority of the popular support and control of the most important cities and provinces from the end of the Second World War. The oppositionItalian Communist Partywas a considerable presence only in southern Lombardy and in the working-class districts of Milan; their base, however, was increasingly eroded by the rival centristItalian Socialist Partyuntil theMani Pulitecorruption scandal, which spread from Milan to the whole of Italy, almost completely erased the old political class.
This, together with general disaffection for the central government, led to the sudden growth of the secessionistNorthern League. Since 2002, Lombardy has remained strongly conservative in six general elections. The regional capital Milan elected progressiveGiuliano Pisapiaat the 2011 municipal elections and the 2013 regional elections saw a narrow victory for the centre-right coalition.
On 22 October 2017, a non-bindingautonomy referendumtook place in Lombardy. The turnout was 38.3%, of which 95.3% voted in favour.
Lombardy is divided into 1,502comuni(the region with the largest number ofcomuniin the entire national territory), distributed in twelve administrative subdivisions (elevenprovincesplus theMetropolitan City of Milan). The largest province is that ofBrescia, the smallest that ofMonza and Brianza. TheexclaveofCampione d'Italiaalso belongs to the region, acomuneentirely surrounded bySwiss territoryand part of theprovince of Como.
The symbols of Lombardy are, pursuant to the region's statute of autonomy, the flag, the coat of arms, the banner and the celebration of 29 May.
The official coat of arms of Lombardy consists of aCamunian rose, an ancient solar symbol common to some proto-Celticpeoples, present in 94 of the approximately 140,000Rock Drawings in Valcamonica, in theprovince of Brescia. These engravings were made from theMesolithic(approximately 8th-6th millennium BC) to theIron Age(1st millennium BC) by various ancient peoples, including theCamunni. The engravings made by the latter, including the rose of the same name, were made during the Iron Age.
The Camunian rose on the region's coat of arms is made ofargent, symbolizing light. In the background, the green colour represents thePo Valley. Officially adopted together with the banner with regional law n. 85 of 12 June 1975,the coat of arms was introduced on the proposal of the then councilor for cultureAlessandro Fontanaand was designed in the same year byPino Tovaglia,Bob Noorda,Roberto Sambonet[it]andBruno Munari.
The banner consists of a reproduction of theCarroccio, a large four-wheeled chariot bearing the city insignia around which the militias of theMedieval communesofnorthern Italygathered and fought, whose autonomy it represented, and of the coat of arms of the region. The dimensions of the Lombardy banner are 3 m × 2 m (9.8 ft × 6.6 ft) and the ribbons and tie are in thenational colours of Italy.
Since 29 January 2019the Lombardy region has adopted the coat of arms with the Camunian rose as its official flag, thus attesting to the established practice in public offices and events.
The regional festival of Lombardy, which was established with regional law n. 15 of 26 November 2013,is celebrated on 29 May in memory of the victory of theLombard Leagueover the imperial troops ofFrederick Barbarossain thebattle of Legnano, an armed clash which took place on 29 May 1176 in the surroundings of thecity of the same namewhich ended to the hegemonic plan of the German emperor over the medieval municipalities of northern Italy.After the decisive defeat of Legnano, the emperor accepted a six-year armistice (the so-called "Venicetruce"), until thePeace of Constance, following which the medieval municipalities of northern Italy agreed to remain faithful to the Empire in exchange for full local jurisdiction over their territories.
Lombard cuisineis the style of cooking in theNorthern Italianregion of Lombardy. The historical events of its provinces and the diversity of its territories resulted in a varied culinary tradition. First courses in Lombard cuisine range fromrisottostosoupsandstuffed pasta(inbrothor not), and a large choice of second-course meat or fish dishes, due to the many lakes and rivers of Lombardy.
The cuisine of the various Lombardy provinces can be united by the following traits: prevalence ofriceand stuffed pasta over dry pasta, bothbutterandolive oilfor cooking, dishes cooked for a long time, as well as the widespread use ofpork,milkanddairy products, andegg-based preparations; to which is added the consumption ofpolenta, common to the wholeNorthern Italy.
Rice is popular in Lombardy; the region is the largest in Europe for rice production and in particular the province of Pavia, where over 84,000 ha (210,000 acres) are cultivated.Rice is often used in soups andrisotti, such as "risotto alla milanese", withsaffron. In Monza, a popular recipe adds pieces of sausages to the risotto, while in Pavia they eat Carthusian risotto, according to the legend created by the monks of theCertosa, which is based on crayfish, carrots and onions. They also eat risotto with eye beans, a version with sausage andbonarda, and risotto withcommon hops(ürtis in Pavese dialect).Polentais common throughout the region.
Regional cheeses includeRobiola,Crescenza,Taleggio,GorgonzolaandGrana Padano. Butter and cream are used. Single-pot dishes, which take little work to prepare, are popular. Common types of pasta includeCasoncelliin Brescia and Bergamo andPizzoccheriin Valtellina. In Mantua, festivals featuretortelli di zucca(ravioliwith pumpkin filling) accompanied by melted butter and followed byturkeystuffed with chicken or other stewed meats.Among typical regional desserts isNocciolini di Canzo—dry biscuits. Common in the wholeInsubriaarea arebruscitti, originating fromAltomilanese, which consist of a braised meat dish cut very thin and cooked in wine andfennel seeds, historically obtained by stripping leftover meat.
Lombardy wineis theItalian wineproduced in Lombardy. The region is known particularly for itssparkling winesmade in theFranciacortaandOltrepò Paveseareas. Lombardy also produces still red, white androséwines made from a variety of local and internationalgrapes, includingNebbiolowines in theValtellinaregion andTrebbiano di Luganawhite wines produced with theChiarettostyle rosé along the shores ofLake Garda. Thewine regioncurrently has 22denominazione di origine controllata(DOC), 5denominazione di origine controllata e garantita(DOCG) and at least 13indicazione geografica tipica(IGT) designations.
Lombard languageis widely used in Lombardy, indiglossiawith Italian. Lombard is a languagebelonging to theGallo-Italicgroup within theRomance languagescharacterized by aCelticlinguistic substratumand aLombardiclinguistic superstratum.It is acluster of homogeneous varietiesused by at least 3,500,000 native speakers in Lombardy and some areas of neighbouring regions, such as the eastern part ofPiedmontand the southern Switzerland cantons ofTicinoandGrisons.The language is also spoken inSanta CatarinainBrazilby Lombard immigrants from theProvince of Bergamo, inItaly.
The Celticlinguistic substratumof modern Lombard and the neighbouring languages of Northern Italy is self-evident and so the Lombard language is classified as aGallo-Italic language(from the ancient Roman name for the Celts,Gauls).Roman dominationshaped the dialects spoken in the area, which was calledCisalpine Gaulby the Romans, and much of thelexiconandgrammarof the Lombard language have their origin inLatin.However, that influence was not homogeneoussince idioms of different areas were influenced by previous linguistic substrata, and each area was marked by a stronger or weaker Latinisation or the preservation of ancient Celtic characteristics.
The main varieties of the Lombard language areWestern Lombard(spoken in the provinces ofVarese,Como,Lecco,Sondrio,Monza and Brianza,Milan,LodiandPavia),Eastern Lombard(in the provinces ofBergamoandBrescia, inCremasco, inUpper Mantuaand in theLeccomunicipalities of Val San Martino), the Alpine Lombard (inTicinoand inItalian Grisons, in the north of Lombardy andPiedmontand in some areas ofTrentino) and the Southern Lombard, in transition with theEmilian language(in the provinces ofCremonaandMantua); in the southern part of theprovince of Mantuaand in Casalasco (south-eastern area of theprovince of Cremona) Emilian language is spoken.
The Lombard language should not be confused with that of theLombards–Lombardic language, aGermanic languageextinct since the Middle Ages. Lombard is considered aminority languagethat is structurally separate fromItalianby bothEthnologueand theUNESCORed Book on Endangered Languages. However,ItalyandSwitzerlanddo not recognize Lombard speakers as a linguistic minority. Traditionally, the Lombard dialects have been classified into the Eastern, Western, Alpine and Southern Lombard dialects.
The first artistic evidence in Lombardy dates back to theMesolithicperiod when, at the end of theWürm glaciation, the historical cycle of theRock Drawings in Valcamonicabegan, which continued and subsequently expanded in theNeolithicand theCopper Ageto end only in Roman and medieval times.The Camunian cycle is considered one of the most important testimonies of prehistory worldwideand is therefore included in the list ofWorld Heritage Site.
Furthermore, further finds have been found of the presence of prehistoric populations in the Lombardy territory, also included in the world heritage of humanity with the serial site of the "Prehistoric pile dwellings around the Alps", with several locations located in Lombardy.
TheCeltsleft evidence scattered throughout the archaeological museums of the region, while theEtruscanpresence is attested in theMantuaarea.Following theRoman conquest, the artistic evolution of the region veered towards the styles of the conquerors from the late republican period to the Roman imperial era: monumental remains of this historical era can be seen inBrescia(Latin:Brixia) andMilan(Latin:Mediolanum).
In the late ancient period, the Lombardy territory acquired importance, with Milan being the capital of theWestern Roman Empire, and consequently, the artistic production also increased, of which evidence remains especially in sacred architecture with the construction ofEarly Christianchurches,particularly in Milan.
The subsequent early medieval period, coeval with and following theMigration Period, will be of capital importance for the development of regional art: the stylistic features of barbarian art introduced by the new populations in fact brought a decisive contribution, merging with late ancient models (which are maintained with continuity) as well as thanks toByzantine influences,for the creation of a truly Lombard art. In fact, upon leaving the early medieval period, we began to talk about artistic styles specific to Lombardy such as theLombard Romanesque.
Noteworthy examples of the Lombard Romanesque style are the work of theComacine masters, in particular in theBasilica of Sant'AmbrogioandBasilica of San Michele Maggioreand in theBasilica of Sant'Abbondio, in the Como area. The most important contribution between the 6th and 8th centuries came from theLombardswho, occupying a large part of Italy, established their capital inPaviaand made Lombardy the fulcrum of their kingdom bringing their art with them, of which there remain both significant testimonies (in particular inBrescia,Monza, Pavia andCastelseprio) and a substantial influence on subsequent artistic developments.
In the Lombard area, theCarolingianperiod saw substantial artistic continuity with the previous Lombard period. The lower production of monumental buildings typical of these centuries is counterbalanced by numerous minor artefacts of great value, such as theCross of Agilulf[it], theCross of Desideriusand theGospel Book of Theodelinda[it]. Also in Lombardy are some of the greatest expressions of Lombard sculpture, such as the slab with peacock in the Museum of Santa Giulia inBresciaor thePlutei of Theodotain thePavia Civic Museums. The following centuries, as already mentioned, were characterized by artistic styles typical of Lombardy such as the Lombard Romanesque, theLombard Gothic, theLombard Renaissanceand the LombardSeicento. Finally, we must not forget, especially during the Renaissance, the contributions and stimuli left in local art by some great Renaissance masters who worked in Milan at theSforzacourt, such asFilarete,Donato BramanteandLeonardo da Vinciand in Mantua at theGonzagacourt, likeAndrea MantegnaandGiulio Romano.
In February 1910 the paintersUmberto Boccioni,Carlo Carrà,Giacomo Balla,Gino SeveriniandLuigi Russolosigned theManifesto dei pittori futuristiin Milan and in April of the same year theManifesto tecnico della pittura futurista,,which they contributed, together with others posters signed in other Italian cities, to found the artistic movement ofFuturism. Upon the death of Umberto Boccioni in 1916, Carrà and Severini found themselves in a phase of evolution towardscubistpainting, consequently, the Milanese group disbanded, moving the headquarters of the movement from Milan to Rome, with the consequent birth of the "second Futurism".
Lombardy was the birthplace of another important artistic movement of the 20th century, theNovecento, which was born in Milan at the end of 1922. It was started by a group of artists composed ofMario Sironi,Achille Funi,Leonardo Dudreville,Anselmo Bucci,Emilio Malerba,Pietro MarussigandUbaldo Oppiwho, at the Pesaro Gallery in Milan, joined together in the new movement baptized Novecento by Bucci.These artists, who felt they were translators of the spirit of the 20th century, came from different experiences and artistic currents, but linked by a common sense of "return to order" in art after the avant-garde experiments especially of Futurism: in this sense this artistic movement also adopted the name ofsimplified Neoclassicism. The Novecento movement also manifested itself in literature withMassimo Bontempelliand above all in architecture with the famous architectsGiovanni Muzio,Giò Ponti,Paolo Mezzanotte[it]and others. Some of the works of the major Lombard artists of the 20th century are exhibited at theMuseo del Novecentoin Milan.
Lombardy has many small and picturesque villages, 26 of them have been selected byI Borghi più belli d'Italia(English:The most beautiful villages of Italy),a non-profit private association of small Italian towns of strong historical and artistic interest,that was founded on the initiative of the Tourism Council of the National Association of Italian Municipalities.The Lombard villages that are members of the association I Borghi più belli d'Italia ("The most beautiful villages in Italy") are:
The first texts written in the vernacularLombard languagedate back to the 13th century. These are mainly works of a didactic-religious nature; an example is theSermon DivinbyPietro da Barsegapè[it], which narrates thePassion of Jesus. Very important is the contribution to Lombard literature ofBonvesin de la Riva, who wrote, among other works, theLiber di Tre Scricciur, theDe magnalibus urbis Mediolani("The Wonders of Milan"), and anetiquette, theDe quinquaginta curialitatibus ad mensam("Fifty table courtesies").
From the 15th century, the prestige of literaryTuscanbegan to supplant the use of northern vernaculars which had been used, although influenced by the Florentine vernacular, also in chancellor and administrative contexts.Despite this, starting from this century, there began to be the first signs of a true Lombard literature, with literary compositions in the Lombard language both in the western part of the region and in the eastern one.
The 17th century also saw the emergence of the figure of the playwrightCarlo Maria Maggi, who created, among other things, the Milanese mask ofMeneghino.Also in the 17th century, the firstbosinadewere born, occasional popular poems written on loose sheets of paper and posted in squares or read (or even sung) in public; they had great success and widespread diffusion until the first decades of the 20th century.Milanese literature had a strong development in the 18th century: some important names emerged, including the famous poetGiuseppe Parini, who wrote some compositions in the Lombard language.
The beginning of the 19th century was dominated by the figure ofCarlo Porta, recognized by many as the most important author of Lombard literature, and also included among the greatest poets of Italian national literature. With him, some of the highest peaks of literary expressiveness in the Lombard language were reached, which clearly emerged in works such asLa Ninetta del Verzee,Desgrazzi de Giovannin Bongee,La guerra di preteLament del Marchionn de gamb avert.Milanese poetic production took on such important dimensions that in 1815 the scholarFrancesco Cherubinipublished a four-volumeanthologyof Lombard literature, which included texts written from the 17th century to his day.
Lombardy has more than 300 museums in subjects such as ethnographic, historical, technical-scientific, artistic and naturalistic fields. Among the region's most famous museums are:
Each of Lombardy's 12 provinces has its own musical traditions. Bergamo is famous for being the birthplace ofGaetano Donizettiand home of the Teatro Donizetti; Brescia hosts the 1709 Teatro Grande; Cremona is regarded as the origin of the violin and is home to several of the most prestigiousluthiers;and Mantua was one of the founding and most important cities in 16th- and 17th-century opera and classical music.
Other cities such as Lecco, Lodi, Varese and Pavia (Teatro Fraschini) also have rich musical traditions, but Milan is the centre of the Lombard musical scene. It was the workplace ofGiuseppe Verdi, one of the most famous and influential 19th-century opera composers. The province has acclaimed theatres, such as thePiccolo Teatroand the Teatro Arcimboldi; however, the most famous is the 1778Teatro alla Scala(popularly La Scala), the world's most famous opera house.
There are tenUNESCO World Heritage siteswholly or partially located in Lombardy.Some of these comprise several individual objects in different locations. One of the entries has been listed as natural heritage and the others are cultural heritage sites.
AtMonte San Giorgioon the border with Swiss canton Ticino just south ofLake Lugano, a wide range of marineTriassicfossils have been found. During the Triassic period, 245–230 million years ago, the area was a shallow tropical lagoon. Fossils include reptiles, fish,crustaceansand insects.
TheRock Drawings in Valcamonicadate to between 8000BC and 1000BC, covering prehistoric periods from theEpipaleolithicandMesolithicto theIron Age,  and constitute the largest collections of prehistoricpetroglyphsin the world.The collection was recognized byUNESCOin 1979 and was Italy's first recognized World Heritage Site.  UNESCO has formally recognized more than 140,000 figures and symbols,but new discoveries have increased the number of catalogued incisions to between 200,000and 300,000.The petroglyphs are spread on all surfaces of the valley, but concentrated in the areas ofDarfo Boario Terme,Capo di Ponte,Nadro,CimbergoandPaspardo.
Prehistoric pile dwellings around the Alpsare a series of prehistoric pile dwelling (orstilt house) settlements in and around theAlpsbuilt from about 5000 to 500 BC on the edges of lakes, rivers or wetlands. In 2011, 111 sites located variously inSwitzerland(56),Italy(19),Germany(18),France(11),Austria(5) andSlovenia(2) were added to theUNESCOWorld Heritage Sitelist.In Slovenia, these were the first World Heritage Sites to be listed for their cultural value.Excavations conducted at some of the sites have yielded evidence regarding prehistoric life and the way communities interacted with their environment during theNeolithicandBronze Agesin Alpine Europe. These settlements are a unique group of exceptionally well-preserved and culturally rich archaeological sites, which constitute one of the most important sources for the study of early agrarian societies in the region.
Another multi-centred site,Longobards in Italy, Places of Power (568–774 A.D.)consists of seven locations across mainland Italy which illustrate the history of the Lombard period. Two of the sites are in modern-day Lombardy: the fortifications (thecastrumand theTorba Tower), and the church of Santa Mariaforis portas("outside the gates") has Byzantinesque frescoes atCastelseprio, and themonastic complex of San Salvatore-Santa Giuliaat Brescia. The UNESCO site at Brescia also includes theremains of its Roman forum, the best-preserved in northern Italy.
The Church andDominicanConvent ofSanta Maria delle Graziein Milan with "The Last Supper" by Leonardo da Vinci represent architectural and painting styles of the 15th-century Renaissance period.The towns Mantua andSabbionetaare also listed as a combined World Heritage site relating to this period, here focussing more on town-planning aspects of the time than on architectural detail. While Mantua was rebuilt in the 15th and 16th centuries, according to Renaissance principles, Sabbioneta was planned as a new town in the 16th century.
TheSacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardyare a group of nine sites in northwest Italy, two of which are in Lombardy. The concept of holy mountains can be found elsewhere in Europe. These sites were created as centres of pilgrimage by placing chapels in the natural landscape and were loosely modelled on the topography of Jerusalem. In Lombardy, Sacro Monte del Rosario di Varese and Sacro Monte della Beata Vergine del Soccorso, which were built in the early-to mid-17th century, mark the architectural transition from the late Renaissance to the Baroque style.
Crespi d'Addais a historic settlement and an outstanding example of the 19th and early 20th-century"company towns"built in Europe and North America by enlightened industrialists to meet the workers' needs. The site is still intact and is partly used for industrial purposes, although changing economic and social conditions now threaten its survival.Since 1995 it has been onUNESCO's list ofWorld Heritage Sites.
MantuaandSabbionetarepresent two approaches ofRenaissanceperiod town planning. Mantua (pictured), originating in Roman times and preserving structures from the 11th century, was renovated in the 15th and 16th centuries. On the other hand, Sabbioneta was founded in the second half of the 16th century byVespasiano I Gonzagaand built with agrid plan, according to the period's vision of an ideal city.
TheRhaetian Railway in the Albula/Bernina Landscapesis mostly located in the Swiss cantonGrisons, but extends over the border intoTirano. The site is listed because of the complex railway engineering (tunnels, viaducts and avalanche galleries) necessary to take the narrow-gauge railway across the main chain of the Alps.The two railway lines were opened in several stages between 1904 and 1910.
TheVenetian Works of Defence between the 16th and 17th centuries: Stato da Terra – western Stato da Maris a transnational system of fortifications that were built by theRepublic of Veniceon itsmainland domains(Stato da Terra) and its territories stretching along theAdriaticcoast (Stato da Mar). This site includes the fortified cityBergamo.
The most popular sport in Lombardy isfootball. Lombardy has some of the most-successful men's football teams in the country. In the2023–2024 Serie Aseason, Lombardy hosts 4 out of 20 teams:A.C. MilanandInter Milan(both based in Milan) andAtalanta(based in Bergamo);Monza.Other big teams of the region areBrescia,Como,Lecco,FeralpisalòandCremoneseplaying in the2023–2024 Serie B;AlbinoLeffe,Pro Patria,A.C. Renate,Lumezzane,Giana Erminio,Pro SestoandPergoletteseplaying in the2023–2024 Serie C.
Milan, along withManchester, is one of only two cities in Europe that is home to twoEuropean Cup/Champions Leaguewinning teams:Serie Afootball clubsAC MilanandInter. They are two of the most successful clubs in the world of football in terms of international trophies. Both teams have also won theFIFA Club World Cup(formerly theIntercontinental Cup). With a combined ten Champions League titles, Milan is only second to Madrid as the city with the most European Cups. Both teams play at theUEFA5-star-rated Giuseppe Meazza Stadium, more commonly known as theSan Siro, that is one of the biggest stadiums in Europe, with aseating capacityof over 80,000.The Meazza Stadium has hosted fourEuropean Cup/Champions League finals, most recently in2016, whenReal MadriddefeatedAtlético Madrid5–3 in apenalty shoot-out.
Olimpia Milano(based in Milan) is the most successful men's basketball team in Italy. In the2023-24 LBA season4 teams out of 16 are from Lombardy (Olimpia Milano,Pallacanestro Brescia,Pallacanestro Varese,Guerino Vanoli Basket).Olimpia Milano have won 27Italian Leaguechampionships, sixItalian National Cups, oneItalian Super Cup, threeEuropean Champions Cups, oneFIBA Intercontinental Cup, threeFIBA Saporta Cups, twoFIBA Korać Cupsand many junior titles. The team play at theMediolanum Forum, with a capacity of 12,700, where it has been hosted the final of the2013–14 Euroleague. In some cases, the team also plays at thePalaDesio, with a capacity of 6,700.
Milan is also home to Italy's oldestAmerican footballteam:Rhinos Milano, who have won fiveItalian Super Bowls. The team plays at theVelodromo Vigorelli, with a capacity of 8,000. Another American football team that uses the same venue is theSeamen Milano, who will join the professionalEuropean League of Footballin 2023.Bergamo Lionshave won Italian Super Bowls more than any other team 12 times. They won theEurobowlin 2000, 2001 and 2002, while losing to theVienna Vikingsin the finals of 2004 and 2005 Eurobowl.Legnano FrogswereEuropean Football Leaguechampions in 1989 (with two participations in theEurobowlfinal) and won sixItalian Football Leaguetitles (with 11 participations in the Italian Super Bowl).
Milan will host the2026 Winter OlympicsalongsideCortina d'Ampezzo.TheGiro d'Italia, a famous annual bicycle race, usually ends in Milan.Amatori Rugby Milano, the most decorated rugby team in Italy, was founded in Milan in 1927. Alpine skiing is also important for the region; theFIS Alpine Ski World Cupholds an annual race inBormio.TheMonza Circuit, located near Milan, hosts the Formula OneItalian Grand Prix.The circuit is located inside theRoyal Villa of Monzapark. It is one of the world's oldestcar racingcircuits. The capacity for theFormula Oneraces is currently over 113,000. It has hosted a Formula One race nearly every year since the first year of competition, with the exception of 1980. Milan will host theWinter OlympicandParalympicgames for the first time in 2026, together withCortina d'Ampezzo.
There are numerous traditional festivals and meetings in Lombardy: cities and towns offer calendars full of events, some of which have ancient origins.
TheOh bej! Oh bej!is held in Milan on 7 and 8 December each year and commemorates the appointment of SaintAmbroseas bishop of the city.
TheAmbrosian Carnival[it](Italian:Carnevale Ambrosiano) is celebrated in theRoman Catholic Archdiocese of Milanand in the territories of some of the neighbouringdioceses. It lasts until the first Saturday of Lent.
TheBagolino Carnival[it](Italian:Carnevale di Bagolino), of very ancient tradition, is celebrated inBagolino, an ancient village that retains its medieval architectural characteristics and located in the Caffaro Valley, in theprovince of Brescia.
ThePalio di Legnanois held inthe city of the same nameand in theMetropolitan City of Milan, on the last Sunday of May. It is the historical re-enactment which celebrates the victory of theLombard Leagueover the emperorFrederick Barbarossain thebattle of Legnanoon 29 May 1176. The event includes amedieval pageantthrough the streets of the city and finally ahorse racebetween theeight contradein which Legnano is divided.
The historical re-enactment of theoath of Pontidais held inPontida, in theprovince of Bergamo, on 7 March and commemorates the legendary oath of the Lombard League which should have been the prelude to the victorious war of the Lombard municipalities against Barbarossa.
The airport service in Lombardy is made up of 4 main airports and represents the most important airport system in Italy.In the surroundings of Milan there are three airports dedicated to normal civilian traffic (Milan Malpensa Airport and Milan Linate Airport, managed by SEA, and Milan Bergamo Airport by SACBO).
Overall, the Milan airport system handles traffic of over 51.4 million passengers and around 700,000 tons of goods every year and is the first in Italy in terms of passenger volume and cargo volume (the second Italian airport system is Rome with 44.4 million passengers in 2023).The Milan Malpensa Airport, with over 700 thousand tons, confirms the national leadership, processing 70% of the country's air cargo.
Lastly,Bresso Airfieldis ageneral aviationairport, operated by Aero Club Milano.Since 1960 the airport mostly serves as a general aviation airfield for flying club activity, touristic flights and air taxi.It also hosts a base of the state helicopter emergency serviceElisoccorso.
Ghedi Air Baseis a base of theItalian Air ForceinGhedi, about 15 km (9.3 mi) fromBrescia. It is home to the6º Stormoof the Italian Air Force with the102º Gruppo(Papero), the154º Gruppo(Diavoli Rossi) and the155º Gruppo(Le linci) equipped with theTornado IDS. It is one of six active air bases in five European countries withB61 nuclear bombsin undergroundWS3 Weapon Storage and Security Systeminside aircraft shelters.and as of 2019 housed more than 40 nuclear weapons.
The Lombardy railway network has 428 stations and extends for approximately 2,000 km (1,200 mi).The network is mainly managed byRFI; 320 km (200 mi) of railway lines are under concession toFerrovienord,while theParma-Suzzaraand Suzzara-Ferraralines, although partially falling within Lombardy (55 km (34 mi) and 11 stations), are under concession toFerrovie Emilia Romagna.
The national and international railway service is mainly ensured byTrenitaliaand to a lesser extent byNuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori,TGVandDeutsche Bahn. The regional territory has threehigh-speed lines:Turin–Milan high-speed railway,Milan–Bologna high-speed railwayandMilan–Verona high-speed railway.
Milan is the core of Lombardy's regional train network. The regional service is the responsibility ofTrenord, a company founded on 3 May 2011 and jointly owned by theFerrovie Nord Milanoand Trenitalia, which operates on both the RFI and Ferrovie Nord Milano networks, which have theMilan Passerby railwayas their main interconnection hub.TheTrenitalia Tpercompany operates on the FER network.
Milano Centrale railway station, with 110 million passengers per year, is the largest andeighth busiest railway station in Europeand the second busiest in Italy afterRoma Termini.Milano CadornaandMilano Porta Garibaldistations are respectively the seventh and the eleventh busiest stations in Italy.Milano Centrale railway station is the largest railway station in Europe by volume.
As of May 2023, theMilan suburban railway service, operated byTrenord, comprises 11S linesconnecting the metropolitan area with the city centre, with possible transfers to all the metro lines. Most S lines run through theMilan Passerby railway, commonly referred to as "il Passante" and served by double-decker trains every 4/8 minutes in the central underground section.
Themotorwaynetwork in Lombardy extends for 700 km (430 mi) to which approximately 1,000 km (620 mi) ofstate highwaysare added.TheA4 motorwaycrosses the entire regional territory for 155 km (96 mi) from east to west, connecting the cities ofBrescia,Bergamo,MonzaandMilan. It is characterized by particularly intense traffic throughout the year and is flanked by theBreBeMi, which connects Brescia to theMilan external east ring roadof Milan passing throughTreviglio, rather than Bergamo.
The Milanring roadsystem is the largest in Italy, 74.4 km (46.2 mi) long in total and is made up of three ring roads:West,EastandNorth.TheA1,A7,A35,A8andA9connect Lombardy withSwitzerland. TheAutostrada dei Laghi("Lakes Motorway"), connectingMilantoLake ComoandLake Maggiore, and now parts of the A8 and A9 motorways, was devised byPiero Puricelliand was inaugurated in 1924.It is the firstmotorwaybuilt in the world.In the region there are also theA21,A22,A36motorways, theA53andA54Paviaring roads, theBergamoring road system, theBresciasouth ring road, the Brescia west ring road, theVaresering road system and the ofComoring road (A59).
The cities of Milan and Brescia haveundergroundsystems. Milan has the most extensive metro network in Italy, with 5 lines in operation (M1,M2,M3,M4andM5).Milan Metrohas a daily ridership of 1.15 million,the largest in Italy as well as one of the largest in Europe. It is operated byAzienda Trasporti Milanesi.
The architectural project of the Milan Metro, created byFranco AlbiniandFranca Helg, and the signs, designed byBob Noorda, received theCompasso d'Oroaward in 1964.Within theEuropean Unionit is the seventh largest network in terms of kilometres.
Even though it is not surrounded by the sea, the region has a naval system that develops on the lakes, along the rivers andNavigli. The most important waterway system in Lombardy is part of thePo Valley-Venetoone which allows navigation fromCasale MonferratotoVenicealong thePo river.In this waterway system, the most important ports in Lombardy are those ofCremonaandMantua.
Navigation on the lakes has a predominantly tourist function and takes place regularly on scheduled routes. The scheduled shipping routes cover 460 km (290 mi) and are frequented by over 10 million travellers annually.The connections are managed by theGestione Governativa Navigazione Laghi.