Visionary Plan for Milan's Inaugural Subway System by Achille Marazza
Step into the Spotlight: Achille Marazza's Hidden Role in Shaping Milan's Refuge
A multifaceted political and cultural icon, Achille Marazza, once a minister and party stalwart, is set to unveil an unanticipated chapter in his life. Tomorrow, during the "Night of the Archives", this fascinating revelation will be made public, thanks to the diligent work of a Borgomanero graduate, Tommaso Cerutti. Buried among the archival records, Cerutti discovered documents testifying to Marazza's influence as the "pioneer" of Milan's subterranean infrastructure during his tenure as the president of the municipal tram company (ATM) in the early 1950s. Beginning at 6:30 PM, the Marazza Foundation will premiere an online documentary by Cerutti, recounting Marazza's integral role in the birth of Milan's first underground line.
In anticipation of a documentary and photo exhibition scheduled for July in Borgomanero, Cerutti sheds light on the necessity for an "underground" infrastructure in Milan post-war. The surging masses and resulting traffic gridlock in the city center left no room for delay. "The genesis of an 'underground' in Milan was inevitable in the post-war period," Cerutti shares. This notion was echoed by the call for a commission by Milan's mayor, Antonio Greppi, in 1949, sparking a series of discussions, deliberations, and proposals that culminated in the approval of the final project by engineer Belloni and the formation of Milan Metro S.p.A. in 1955.
During Marazza's presidency of ATM, from 1951 to 1957, his actions were intricately intertwined with the momentum surrounding the metro project. Faced with the daunting task of rehabilitating the ailing tram company, burdened by debts from the reconstruction of its infrastructure following World War II, Marazza appointed Raffaello Maestrelli as the new general director. Maestrelli seized on the idea of adapting the patents of the Guided Road (patented by Gaetano Ciocca in the 1930s) for the construction of the first metro line's trains. Ingeniously, Maestrelli transformed the concept of surface trains capable of traveling on both roads and special cement tracks for the fabrication of vehicles akin to the Paris metro's rubber-tyred metro.
A consortium of studies came together in 1955, joining forces to forge ahead with the Metro project. This partnership saw the convergence of Breda, Montecatini, Pirelli, and Italcementi, funded by Mediobanca, Banca Popolare di Milano, and Cassa di Risparmio delle Province Lombarde. The resulting entity, Società per la Strada Guidata Srl, aimed to build a comprehensive train, following the experiments conducted at the Breda airfield in Bresso. Marazza and Maestrelli assumed leading positions in the venture, with Marazza as chairman and Maestrelli as director of the technical committee. Showcasing a prototype of the rubber-tyred electric motor car at the Milan Trade Fair in 1959, the project bore fruit five years later, with the inauguration of Milan's "red line".
While the historical record remains scarce on Marazza's specific influence on the development of Milan's Metro, his role in the spectacle of urban transformation is undisputed. The Milan Metro has significantly impacted the city's transportation, urban development, and environmental landscape, positioning itself as one of the most extensive metro systems in Europe. As we look forward to understanding more about Marazza's part in this monumental endeavor, his contributions to transport and sustainability continue to resonate deeply with the collective memory of Milan.
The consortium of Breda, Montecatini, Pirelli, and Italcementi, funded by Mediobanca, Banca Popolare di Milano, and Cassa di Risparmio delle Province Lombarde, recognized Marazza's vision and appointed him as the chairman of Società per la Strada Guidata Srl, aiming to build the first rubber-tyred metro train. In the realm of finance and technology, Marazza's leadership was instrumental in shaping the development of this innovative transportation system, consequently reshaping Milan's industry and environment.
