- Active & Green
- Arte e Cultura
The Paulownia of Brera
Sometimes a tree is much more than just a natural urban beautification element. Some specimens become the symbol of a place and their fate is really close to the hearts of the residents.
This was also the case in Milan, where, in order to save the beautiful paulownia in Via Madonnina, the inhabitants of the Brera district created a committee so large that it led the municipal administration to acquire ownership of the 155-square-metre area in 2016, giving up a building area of 1,760 square metres in exchange. This story shows how important a tree can be for the community.
The paulownia (Paulownia tomentosa) in question is located in a very small garden on the corner of Via Madonnina and Via San Carpoforo, where there was once a building that collapsed under the bombing raids in World War II. Its position creates a unique view, even more so during its spring lilac blossoming. The tree has become a symbolic element for the elegant Brera district and its landscape value is truly remarkable. Its monumentality derives precisely from its irreplaceable aesthetic role as well as its cultural value. The dimensions are also important with reference to the species: its height is 15 metres and the circumference of the trunk exceeds 3.5 metres (diameter 120 cm).
A green monument that is accessible to the public.
