The origins of "Quarto Cagnino" date back at least to
Roman times, as the very toponymy proves (the name "quarto", i.e., "fourt", being a reference to Quarto being four
Roman miles from Milan). In the Middle Ages, a rural
borgo developed, which had an important role in the Milanese country as it was crossed by both a
pilgrimage route to the
Holy Land and the road towards
Santiago de Compostela. In the 18th and 19th, a number of
cascine (farms) were established nearby the
borgo. Prominent crops in the area included mulberries, vine, and fodder. In 1846, the population of Quarto was 298, and its territory 182
hectares. In 1861, Quarto Cagnino as well as two nearby comunes (
Figino and
Quinto Romano) were annexed to Trenno (which was renamed "Trenno e Uniti") which in turn became part of Milan in 1869. ==Footnotes==