Monza in a weekend

Seven hundred rooms and a centuries-old park for a palace in the countryside. Commissioned in 1777 by Ferdinand of Austria as a country residence, Villa Reale was built in only three years by one of the greatest interpreters of the neoclassical style, Giuseppe Piermarini.

One of its secret wonders is the rose garden, which since 1965 has attracted experts from around the world in an international competition. Expressed in figures: 4,000 new varieties of roses since the first edition. Among others, Grace of Monaco and Nobel Prize winner Rita Levi Montalcini were patronnesses of the event. To be discovered. In May, night visits offered.

In the Lombard heart. Guardian of the treasure for which Monza has remained famous over the centuries, the Duomo owes its origins to the Lombard Queen Theodelinda. It features a magnificent façade with a rose window and fretwork panels. Inside, an altar houses the Corona Ferrea, symbol of the sacred foundation of the royal power. Don’t miss the Museo del Tesoro: 14 centuries of art and history among masterpieces of the Western world.

Grand Prix fever. It is the fastest Formula 1 track: 5,793 metres of pure excitement. Watching the race crowded along the track or in the stands is a sort of collective ritual (over 100,000 people). In the rest of the year, the track is open to the public and anyone can sign up for a sports driving course.

Monza and its origins. From antiquity to the present. In the 14th century building of the former Casa degli Umiliati. One city, many souls. Discover them in the epigraph of a votive altar that reveals the ancient name of the citizens of Monza: “Modiciates”, or in 20th century art works, including those displayed at the first Monza Triennale. One hundred and forty works, emerged after 30 years of being kept in warehouses.