Da 100 anni, un mondo fatto bene
The Politecnico di Milano, Italy’s largest technical university, was founded on November 29, 1863, by mathematician and politician Francesco Brioschi. Modeled after German and Swiss polytechnics, it started as the Istituto Tecnico Superiore to drive Italy’s scientific, technological, and industrial development following national unification. It initially focused on civil and industrial engineering, with architecture added in 1865 in partnership with the Brera Academy of Fine Arts.
Originally located in the historic Collegio Elvetico, the university relocated in 1927 to its present main campus in the Città Studi district, despite setbacks from World War I. It was renamed Regio Politecnico di Milano in 1937 and removed the “Regio” designation after World War II.
Enrollment boomed in the postwar era, leading to new programs in nuclear engineering, electronics, aeronautics, and design. Notable alumni include Nobel laureate Giulio Natta and architect Renzo Piano. Today, with more than 47,000 students across several campuses, Politecnico di Milano ranks among Europe’s leading institutions in engineering, architecture, and design.
MEETmeTonight 2025
On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the European Researchers’ Night, researchers from Polimi shared their work and findings.#MMT25 #meetmetonight #EuropeanResearchersNight pic.twitter.com/OJfCUnbSUp
— Politecnico di Milano (@polimi) September 29, 2025
