Rho, Lombardy

Rho
—  Comune  —
Città di Rho
Rho City Hall

Coat of arms
Rho
Location of Rho in Italy
Coordinates:
Country Italy
Region Lombardy
Province Milan (MI)
Frazioni Lucernate, Mazzo Milanese, Passirana, Terrazzano, Biringhello, Castellazzo, Pantanedo
Government
 • Mayor Pietro Romano (Centre-Left)
Area
 • Total 22.32 km2 (8.6 sq mi)
Elevation 156 m (512 ft)
Population (30 September 2009)
 • Total 50,648
 • Density 2,269.2/km2 (5,877.1/sq mi)
Demonym Rhodensi
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 20017
Dialing code 02
Patron saint Victor Maurus
Saint day May 8
Website Official website

Rho is a town and comune (municipality) in the Province of Milan in the Italian region of Lombardy, located about 14 km northwest of Milan, and has about 51,000 inhabitants.

Contents

Geography

Rho is lapped by the river Olona and crossed by its tributaries Bozzente and Lura, nowadays partially cloaked inside the town. At the north and east of the town, there is the Strada statale 33 del Sempione, which in the past were crossing the town itself, in the current corso Europa. Rho is at the meeting point of railways linking Milan to Varese (Line S5) and Milan to Novara (Line S6).

Frazioni

Inside the municipality of Rho are located seven frazioni:

History

Rho is first mentioned in a written document from 846 AD, referred to as simply a bunch of houses under the name of Vicus Raudus. According to a theory, the name derives from the Campi Raudi where the Roman consul Caius Marius defeated the Cimbri. A different theory postulates that the city was founded by expatriates from the Greek island of Rhodes.[1]

After 1000 AD the town bloomed as a free commune and in 1004 Emperor Henry II soujourned here: in 1160, however, it was razed to the ground by Frederick Barbarossa, as punishment for rebellion against the Holy Roman Empire. The city recovered speedily, but again in 1313 it was besieged by Milanese troops, its inhabitants again slaughtered or dispersed. Another sack occurred in 1511 by Landsknecht troops.

Rho received the honorary title of city with a royal decree on March 31, 1932.

Culture

The new megacomplex of FieraMilano (Milan Fair), opened in 2005 and is located in Rho near the border with Pero.

See also

References

External links