During the Middle Ages, Garlate adhered to the Ghibelline faith, before later transitioning into feud under the jurisdiction of the Abbey of Monza. While under Spanish rule, on the other hand, significant portions of the parish’s lands and assets fell into the hands of the affluent Testori De Capitani family, who built large residences and founded silk mills during the Austrian hegemony.
The building, a late Neoclassical edifice, was constructed by Gnecchi in 1860.
Later, on 16 December 1887, the Swiss Abegg Rubel family bought the entire Gnecchi industrial property, with the aim of establishing the official Abegg headquarters here in Italy.
And it is precisely a metaphorical “silk thread” that interconnects some of Garlate’s most intriguing sites, notably the current Silk Museum, an emblematic representation of industrial architecture, and the former Villa Abegg, owned by the eponymous Swiss family. The upper floor of this villa also functioned as a “warehouse” for the nearby silk complex.
Presently serving as the Town Hall, the building maintains the structural configuration of a stately residence. Inside, one can admire a spacious kitchen complete with oven and fireplace, a staircase and large reception room. The square outside served as a “strategic” hub for carriages used by the Abegg family and Job, the general manager of the company, and to transport silk products to the numerous factories in the area.
