Bernabò Visconti, Lord of Milan, and wife Beatrice della Scala financed the construction of 14th-century Bolognini Castle, perched on an incline. Sant’Angelo Lodigiano is today a commuter town. Bernabò’s volatile rule drew family ire, culminating in his nephew imprisoning him within his own castle, at Trezzano sull’Adda (painting by unknown artist).
World-famous womanizer Giacomo Casanova stayed with nobles at Bolognini Castle in 1763. A Venetian with a law degree, he made up an aristocratic title for himself and conned his way across Europe, at one point convincing French officials to create a state lottery system. Sant’Angelo Lodigiano was one of a dizzying number of love-making pit stops, detailed in his French-written autobiography, “Histoire de ma vie (The Story of My Life).”
Six-foot-10 Danilo Gallinari, 36, grew up in Milan-area Sant’Angelo Lodigiano and starred in the NBA for several teams before injuries derailed his 15-year career. He could post up defenders and hit fade-away jump shots, playing for such teams as the New York Knicks, the Denver Nuggets and the Atlanta Hawks. He was an NBA contemporary of Marco Belinelli.
Out for an afternoon stroll today, an Italian couple takes in the interior courtyard. Off-radar Sant’Angelo Lodigiano cannot be reached by train but is served by buses.
Bolognini Castle was built during the tail end of Romanesque times, when north Italian nobles at last thwarted The Holy Roman Empire. Deal-making with Vatican officials never ceased.
At 2:30 p.m., the entrance sees a scattering of Italians, sans foreign tourists.
The far side of the castle, toward the Lambro Meridionale River, exemplifies fortress-like architecture, typical to the Italian castello. Blue skies and 60-degrees (16 degrees Celsius) warm pedestrians.
Winter dress fades slowly in early March.
Never fear: A town castle always has a church across the way.
The back side of the castle is a public park where purple-flowering weeds compete with green grass.
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A graduate of the University of Oregon weighs his water options.
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