Local attractions

When you arrive in Monza for the first time, you immediately realise that you are in a royal city: while walking along the streets in the city centre you can breathe grace and elegance everywhere. The city was chosen by Empress Theodolinda as the capital of the Lombard Empire becoming, at a certain point in history, the most important political, cultural and religious centre in Lombardy.
This is a two-speed city: the one of the Formula 1 racetracks, in contrast with the rhythm of the runners in the Villa Park, the largest fenced “green lung” in Europe.
A royal palace, with seven hundred rooms, commissioned in 1777 by Ferdinand of Hapsburg as a country residence, the Royal Villa of Monza is one of the delights designed by Piermarini. The Cathedral (Duomo) hosts a wealth of art and history. Among its unique treasures, the Iron Crown of Lombardy, a symbol of royal power, kept in the prestigious Chapel.