Villa Mirabellino: A Cardinal's Playhouse Turned Temporal Sanctuary

Angelo Maria Durini, the Cardinal, constructed Villa Mirabellino in 1776 as a smaller dependent villa, given his ownership of Villa Mirabello. Initially, it was used for the cardinal's literary circle and summer evening dinners. However, in the 1950s and 1960s, the villa saw a different purpose, becoming a school for children from disrupted families. Run by the city government of Milan, it boasted a director and teachers with diplomas.

Lessons were imparted in designated classrooms, and as children progressed past elementary school, those in need of further aid were transferred to other institutions. The villa was segregated into two separate wings for boys and girls, yet common spaces such as the dining room, school rooms, and gardens, were shared by all. The rear garden, an expansive lawn that descended towards a wooded area, was off-limits to the children, whereas the courtyard for recreation overlooked the bustling Monza racecourse.

It's a peculiar plot twist in the tale of Villa Mirabellino - a retreat for the cardinal's literary circle that then took the role of a temporary haven for children in straits.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons