Building Stones of Milan and Lombardy: Volume 1: Buildings of Milan

Milan has a long history with stone architecture, using different stones in the same building. This was neglected in the 19th century, but the present volume contains a record of Milanese edifices marking the different historical periods, with a particular investigation into the stones used during the 20th century.

Format: Hardback
Length: 512 pages
Publication date: 17 April 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Milan has held a significant place in the Italian nation since the Roman era, and this significance is evident in the widespread adoption of stone architecture. A notable characteristic of Milanese architecture was the use of various stones in the same structure. Milan, located in the heart of the Po alluvial plain, is far from the sources of stone quarries. Consequently, waterways were excavated to transport building stones from the surrounding territories.

The study of stone as a construction material gained importance towards the end of the 19th century, but it subsequently received limited attention from architects and geologists. Therefore, it is crucial to propose a comprehensive study that examines the stones used in constructing buildings in Milan (Volume 1) in conjunction with a petrographic analysis of the characteristics of stones quarried across the entire Lombard region (Volume 2).

The present volume serves as a documentation of Milanese structures that represent various historical periods. Each structure is presented in a card that includes information such as the building's history, the architect responsible, the type of stone utilized, and its classification based on different parts of the building and the shape of stone elements. A specific focus is directed towards the stones employed during the 20th century, many of which were previously unused in Milan or even in Lombardy.

Weight: 1126g
Dimension: 246 x 174 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032420646