Battle of Palestro

The Battle of Turbigo took place the 3 June 1859 saw the French army secure two crossing points over the Ticino River, allowing them to get a foothold in Austrian Lombardy.In 1859 there were two main crossing points over the Ticino near Magenta. The main road and rail bridges crossed the river just to the west of Magenta. The road bridge was called the Ponte di Boffolara, after a village a few miles to the north east. On the western bank was the hamlet of San Martino, with an inn, railway station and Piedmontese custom post. Five or six miles further to the north, at Turbigo, there was another river crossing, this time by ferry. In both cases the western bank of the river was higher than the eastern bank, so if the Austrians wanted to defend the river crossings they would have to do it on the west bank. They chose to fortify a bridgehead at San Martino, which by the start of June was defended by troops from Eduard Clam-Gallas's newly arrived corps. For most of the month May the main armies had been campaigning, with the French and Piedmontese concentrated in the area around Alessandria and the Austrians to their north. In late May Napoleon III decided to move his entire army to the left and attack the vulnerable Austrian right wing. After the Piedmontese victory at Palestro (30-31 May 1859) the Austrians finally realised what was happening, and Feldzeugmeister Franz Count Gyulai decided to retreat east, out of Piedmont and back across the Ticino into Lombardy. His aim was to defend Milan and prevent the Allies from advancing into the Austrian controlled north of Italy. According to Frederick Schneid, "General Camou with a division of the Guard Voltigeurs, followed by MacMahon's II Corps and Fanti's 2nd Division, arrived at Turbigo, five miles northwest of Magenta, in an attempt to outflank Austrian positions, making the defense of the Naviglio Grande untenable. Camou's division crossed the Ticino by boat between 2 and 3am on June 4. With the right bank secure, the French laid a pontoon bridge."

The Sanctuary of Madonna of Miracles (known officially as archiepiscopal sanctuary of Madonna of Miracles or properly archiepiscopal sanctuary of Madonna of Miracles in Saint Nicholas) is a Roman Catholic Marian sanctuary located in Corbetta, province of Milan, Lombardy, Italy. The sanctuary is dedicated to the Madonna of the Miracles, whose miraculous frescoed image, known as Madonna di Corbetta, was declared in 1955 to be the patron of the Magentino area in 1955 by the then archbishop of Milan and future pope Paul VI.

San Valeriano is a Romanesque-style Roman Catholic church located on Via Francigena 43-95 in the town of Robbio, province of Pavia, Italy.

San Pietro is a small Romanesque-style Roman Catholic church located at the intersection of Via Mortara and Via Roma in the town center of Robbio, province of Pavia, Italy.

Casalino is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Novara in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 70 kilometres (43 mi) northeast of Turin and about 11 kilometres (7 mi) southwest of Novara. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 1,469 and an area of 39.6 square kilometres (15.3 sq mi).Casalino borders the following municipalities: Biandrate, Borgo Vercelli, Casalbeltrame, Casalvolone, Confienza, Granozzo con Monticello, Novara, San Pietro Mosezzo, and Vinzaglio.

Granozzo con Monticello is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Novara in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 80 kilometres (50 mi) northeast of Turin and about 10 kilometres (6 mi) southwest of Novara.

Robbio is a city and comune (municipality) in the Province of Pavia in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 50 km southwest of Milan and about 45 km west of Pavia. It is part of Lomellina traditional region. Robbio borders the following municipalities: Borgolavezzaro, Castelnovetto, Confienza, Nicorvo, Palestro, Rosasco, Vespolate.

Prarolo is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Vercelli in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 70 kilometres (43 mi) northeast of Turin and about 6 kilometres (4 mi) southeast of Vercelli. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 616 and an area of 11.5 square kilometres (4.4 sq mi).Prarolo borders the following municipalities: Asigliano Vercellese, Palestro, Pezzana, and Vercelli.

Rosasco is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Pavia in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 50 km southwest of Milan and about 45 km west of Pavia. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 691 and an area of 19.8 km².Rosasco borders the following municipalities: Caresana, Castelnovetto, Cozzo, Langosco, Palestro, Pezzana, Robbio.

Pezzana (Piedmontese: Psan-a) is a comune (municipality) of about 1,000 inhabitants in the Province of Vercelli in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 70 kilometres (43 mi) northeast of Turin and about 8 kilometres (5 mi) southeast of Vercelli. Pezzana borders the following municipalities: Asigliano Vercellese, Caresana, Palestro, Prarolo, Rosasco, and Stroppiana.

Castelnovetto is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Pavia in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 50 km southwest of Milan and about 45 km west of Pavia. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 640 and an area of 18.5 km².Castelnovetto borders the following municipalities: Ceretto Lomellina, Cozzo, Nicorvo, Robbio, Rosasco, Sant'Angelo Lomellina.

Caresana is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Vercelli in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 70 kilometres (43 mi) northeast of Turin and about 13 kilometres (8 mi) southeast of Vercelli. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 1,083 and an area of 23.7 square kilometres (9.2 sq mi).Caresana borders the following municipalities: Langosco, Motta de' Conti, Pezzana, Rosasco, Stroppiana, Villanova Monferrato.