Antonio Beretta (17 April 1808, in

Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...

– 14 November 1891,

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

) was the first mayor of

under the

Kingdom of Italy The Kingdom of Italy (, ) was a unitary state that existed from 17 March 1861, when Victor Emmanuel II of Kingdom of Sardinia, Sardinia was proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy, proclaimed King of Italy, until 10 June 1946, when the monarchy wa ...

from 1860 to 1867. He was appointed

Senator for life A senator for life is a member of the senate or equivalent upper chamber of a legislature who has life tenure. , five Italian senators out of 205, two out of the 41 Burundian senators, one Congolese senator out of 109, and all members of the Bri ...

Victor Emmanuel II Victor Emmanuel II (; full name: ''Vittorio Emanuele Maria Alberto Eugenio Ferdinando Tommaso di Savoia''; 14 March 1820 – 9 January 1878) was King of Sardinia (also informally known as Piedmont–Sardinia) from 23 March 1849 until 17 March ...

in 1862. He was a member of the

Società Storica Lombarda The Società Storica Lombarda (‘Lombardy Historical Society’) is a historical and humanistic association which was founded in 1873. It has 450 members from all over Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern E ...

. He died in Rome in 1891.

Biography

Antonio Beretta was an important and controversial figure in the history of Milan, remembered in particular as the city's first elected mayor in 1860, at a crucial time for the nascent Kingdom of Italy. A member of the Lombard bourgeoisie and protagonist of the provisional government in 1848, he was

exile Exile or banishment is primarily penal expulsion from one's native country, and secondarily expatriation or prolonged absence from one's homeland under either the compulsion of circumstance or the rigors of some high purpose. Usually persons ...

d after 1849. Upon his return from exile in 1859, he was chosen by the

House of Savoy The House of Savoy (, ) is a royal house (formally a dynasty) of Franco-Italian origin that was established in 1003 in the historical region of Savoy, which was originally part of the Kingdom of Burgundy and now lies mostly within southeastern F ...

to lead Milan. His mandate (until 18 July 1867) was marked by an ambitious urban modernisation plan that profoundly transformed the city. Among his initiatives were the redevelopment of '' Piazza del Duomo'', oversaw the construction of the ''

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II (; ) is Italy's oldest active shopping arcade and a major landmark of Milan. Housed within a four-story double arcade in the centre of town, the ''Galleria'' is named after Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of ...

'', the establishment of the ''

Cimitero Monumentale di Milano The Cimitero Monumentale ( " Monumental Cemetery") is one of the two largest cemeteries in Milan, Italy, the other one being the Cimitero Maggiore. It is noted for the abundance of artistic tombs and monuments. Designed by the architect Carlo ...

'', the organization of the school system and public transport, the abolition of the public slaughterhouse and the establishment of

house numbering House numbering is the system of giving a unique number to each building in a street or area, with the intention of making it easier to locate a particular building. The house number is often part of a Address (geography), postal address. The ter ...

. He also moved the seat of the City Council to ''

Palazzo Marino Palazzo Marino is a 16th-century palace located in Piazza della Scala, in the centre of Milan, Italy. It has been Milan's city hall since 9 September 1861. It borders on Piazza San Fedele, Piazza della Scala, Via Case Rotte and Via Tommaso Marin ...

''. However, his administration was plagued by controversy and scandals, mainly related to the increase in the municipal deficit and the construction of the Galleria. Beretta was accused of irregularities in expropriations, in particular of buildings belonging to a relative, and excessive spending, calling into question the transparency of his actions, although a trial did not lead to a guilty verdict. He was appointed

senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or Legislative chamber, chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the Ancient Rome, ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior ...

in 1862 and later

count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

in 1871 by Victor Emmanuel II. He was a member of the

and the Associazione Industriale Italiana, which founded the Scuola Superiore d'Arte Applicata del Castello Sforzesco in 1882. He died almost destitute in Rome in 1891.

References

1808 births 1891 deaths Mayors of Milan {{Italy-mayor-stub