Editing Legnano (section)

== Geography ==
=== Territory ===
{{Main|Geography of Lombardy|Legnanese (region)}}

Located in the south of the [[Varese Prealps]] along the {{ill|Olona valley|it|Valle Olona}}, the ''comune'' of Legnano has an area of {{convert|12.72|km2|sp=us}}, has an elevation of {{convert|192|-|227|m|ft|sp=us}} above [[sea level]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Legnano: clima e dati geografici|url=http://www.comuni-italiani.it/015/118/clima.html|language=it|website=comuni-italiani.it|access-date=8 May 2014}}</ref> and is {{ill|Seismic classification of Italy|it|Classificazione sismica dell'Italia|lt=seismically classified}} in Zone 4 (Irrelevant seismology).<ref>{{cite web|title=Gli effetti dell'introduzione di una nuova mappa di pericolosità sulla valutazione del rischio sismico in Italia|url=http://www.earth-prints.org/bitstream/2122/3313/1/2007-CrowleyEtAl_Anidis.pdf|language=it|website=earth-prints.org|access-date=8 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140508061348/http://www.earth-prints.org/bitstream/2122/3313/1/2007-CrowleyEtAl_Anidis.pdf|archive-date=8 May 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The valley soil is mainly composed of [[sand]], [[gravel]], and [[clay]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Cenni di botanica nel percorso dei fontanili|url=http://www.parcodelrugareto.it/index.asp?p=56|language=it|website=parcodelrugareto.it|access-date=8 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129150103/http://www.parcodelrugareto.it/index.asp?p=56|archive-date=29 November 2014}}</ref> A thin layer of [[humus]] also used to coat the valley, rendering it a [[moorland]] useless to [[agriculture]].{{sfn|Agnoletto|1992|p=99}}

=== Hydrography ===
[[File:Olona river Legnano.JPG|thumb|left|The [[Olona]] River in Legnano.]]

Legnano is crossed by the [[Olona]] River, which cuts Legnano into two nearly equally sized portions. The Olona has a number of deviations both natural, such as the {{ill|Olonella|it}}, located near [[Visconti Castle (Legnano)|Visconti Castle]], and artificial. The latter of these are the diversionary channels and [[levee]]s that encase much of the river as it flows through Legnano, especially around the former {{ill|Cantoni cotton mill|it|Cotonificio Cantoni|lt=Cantoni}} and {{ill|Dell'Acqua cotton mill|it|Cotonificio Dell'Acqua|lt=Dell'Acqua}} cotton mills.

These were built because the Olona was prone to damaging [[flood]]s,{{sfn|Macchione|Gavinelli|1998|pp=26, 49}}{{sfn|D'Ilario|Gianazza|Marinoni|Turri|1984|pp=188–95}} but consequently made the Olona one of the most [[Water pollution|polluted rivers]] in Italy. The pollution of the river is gradually lessening, however,<ref>{{cite web|title=L'Olona, fiume dell'EXPO, adesso può tornare a vivere|url=http://www.consorziofiumeolona.org/dettaglio.asp?id_articolo=374&id_categoria=Rassegna%20stampa|language=it|website=consorziofiumeolona.org|access-date=9 May 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Piano di governo del territorio 2010|url=http://www.comune.legnano.mi.it/get_content/getfile.cfm?id=6661|language=it|website=legnano.mi.it|publisher=City of Legnano|format=CFM|access-date=9 May 2014}}</ref> while the last damaging flood occurred on 13 September 1995,<ref>{{cite news|last=Rotondo|first=Roberto|title=Maltempo, Varese sott'acqua – Esonda l'Olona|url=https://milano.corriere.it/notizie/cronaca/14_luglio_29/esonda-lago-varese-sott-acqua-sindaco-non-usate-l-auto-d945c56e-172d-11e4-ad95-f737a6cb8946.shtml|work=Milano Corriere|date=29 July 2014|language=it|access-date=30 July 2014}}</ref> and the last in chronological order occurred in July 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://milano.corriere.it/notizie/cronaca/14_luglio_29/esonda-lago-varese-sott-acqua-sindaco-non-usate-l-auto-d945c56e-172d-11e4-ad95-f737a6cb8946.shtml|title=Maltempo, Varese sott'acqua – Esonda l'Olona|date=29 July 2014|access-date=30 July 2014}}</ref>

For the vast majority of the city's stretch, the waterway is pernilted into [[levee]] or stone embankments, which were built to minimize flooding. The Olona, before the construction of embankments and [[drainage]] channels, was in fact a river that scourged with frequent floods the areas it crosses.{{sfn|Macchione|Gavinelli|1998|p=49}}

In the past there were deviations of the course of the river: natural, such as the Olonella, and artificial, such as the canals and the disclaimed by the peasants. The latter were necessary to reach, for [[irrigation]] purposes, the land farthest from the Olona. The extraction of water from the river, and more generally the activities related to the exploitation of the Olona, were regulated, over the centuries, by contracts and regulations.{{sfn|D'Ilario|Gianazza|Marinoni|Turri|1984|pp=188–195}}

=== Urban planning ===
[[File:Mosaico Di Via Dei Bambini - Legnano.jpg|thumb|The mosaic of ''via dei bambini'', located on the area once belonging to the Cantons cotton mill. In the background, the church of San Domenico.]]

The urban fabric of Legnano has developed around the [[old town]]; its growth was influenced by three barriers: the [[Olona]] River, the ''strada statale del Sempione'' and the [[Domodossola–Milan railway]].{{sfn|D'Ilario|Gianazza|Marinoni|Turri|1984|p=347}}

The city was the protagonist of a progressive [[urbanization]] that led to a considerable expansion of the population center.{{sfn|D'Ilario|Gianazza|Marinoni|Turri|1984|pp=347–357}} At the origin of this phenomenon was the birth of many [[Industry (economics)|industries]] that attracted workers from different parts of Italy. As can be seen from the [[Demographic transition|demographic evolution]], between 1871 and 1921 the population of Legnano quadrupled. Due to the need for water, the mussel industries born in the 19th century sprung up along the shores of the Olona.{{sfn|D'Ilario|Gianazza|Marinoni|Turri|1984|p=347}} As a result, the new residential districts have occupied the free areas beyond the river valley.

As a result of the growth of Legnano, the companies have built their locations more and more on the outskirts. Then, the various [[Financial crisis|economic crises]] that followed in the decades of the 20th century led to the birth of many [[Brownfield land|brownfield sites]] that are recovering.{{sfn|D'Ilario|Gianazza|Marinoni|Turri|1984|p=352}} The most important urban intervention, which was carried out at the beginning of the 21st century, was the recovery from the former [[Cotonificio Cantoni]], an area of 110,000 square meters that was destined to [[Residential area|residential]] and [[commercial area]].

=== Historical subdivisions ===
In Legnano there is a historical subdivision into [[Neighbourhood|neighborhoods]]. The historic neighborhoods of Legnano are ''Mazzafame'', ''Ponzella'', ''Frati'', ''Olmina'', ''Canazza'', ''Gabinella'', ''Legnanello'', ''Colli di Sant'Erasmo'' and ''Costa San Giorgio''. The part of the town to the west of the railway is called ''oltrestazione'', while the part to the east of the ''strada statale del Sempione'' is called ''oltresempione''. The [[Contrade of Legnano|eight historical ''contrade'']] competing at the [[Palio di Legnano]] are ''[[Bernardino of Siena|San Bernardino]]'', ''La Flora'', ''Legnarello'',{{efn|''Legna<u>n</u>ello'' is the [[Neighbours|neighbour]], ''Legna<u>r</u>ello'' is the ''contrada''}} ''[[Saint Dominic|San Domenico]]'', ''[[Saint Magnus of Anagni|San Magno]]'', ''[[Martin of Tours|San Martino]]'', ''[[Ambrose|Sant'Ambrogio]]'' and ''[[Erasmus of Formia|Sant'Erasmo]]''.