Beneficenza e risparmio. I documenti preunitari della Cassa di Risparmio delle Provincie Lombarde

Intesa Sanpaolo’s Historical Archives are the keeper of collections of documents of inestimable value for economic, political, social and cultural history in all their diverse manifestations. Cassa di Risparmio di Milano’s documents dating from pre-unification Italy are without doubt a treasure of particular value.

The decision to demarcate a particular time span is worthy of explanation: in today’s internet age, when all barriers of time and space seem to have disappeared, it is more important than ever to give readers back a real sense of the historical approach.

In the case of Cariplo, this means offering a chance for new reflections on the institution’s distinctive nature: prior to the unification of Italy, it was not yet a bank but more than a “charitable organisation”, managing to make an impact in both sectors and multiplying its means of supporting social and charitable needs.