Antiques Outdoor Market at Navigli
The Darsena served as town river docks for goods transport in Milan. It was built from 1603, and it reached 750 meters of length, becoming one of the major river ports in Italy. Today the Darsena is a basin in which the Naviglio Grande, coming from Abiategrasso, heads into, and from which the Naviglio di Pavia comes out to flow into the Ticino river. One of the largest civil engineering works in medieval northern Italy, the so-called Naviglio Grande was opened in 12th century and finished in 1239. The Naviglio di Pavia (Pavia Canal) flows for 33 kilometres to join the Ticino river near the city of Pavia. Along the course of the canal twelve basins that allowed watercrafts to overcome the 52 meters difference in water level are since 1978 totally abandoned. Along the canal a picturesque neighbourhood, suggesting a Milan of the olden times, is to be discovered: its houses with their typical courtyards and long common balconies have remained unchanged through the years. In this area, the first days of June, the well-known Festa dei Navigli (Canals Festival) takes place, and every last Sunday of the month, you will be able to attend the Mercatone del Naviglio, the antique trade fair. Once a poor area it has now become very trendy with a lively nightlife animated by artists, fashion mannequins and well-off kids. The atmosphere is unique: stylish cafés are just next to old craftsmen shops, the inside courtyards of the houses often shine with bright colours and prying here and there one you can certainly perceive some artist at work. Turning to Ripa di Porta Ticinese, along the Naviglio Grande, the Vicolo dei Lavandai is to be found, with what remains of an old lavatoio (covered stone wash-tub) where Milanese housewives that lived nearby used to go and wash their linen. The road continues along Via Ludovico il Moro, among red, yellowish-brown and crimson low houses, with their thick wooden doors that gave way to carriages and horses. It appears the St Cristoforo Church, where for centuries bishops and duchesses gave themselves rendez-vous, waiting to embark themselves when heading toward their countryside residences.Musica scelta per voi dal Maestro Direttore Reggente della Cappella Musicale del Duomo Claudio Riva. Folklore milaneseinterprete: Nanni Svampa "canto dialettale milanese che descrive una delle attività che si svolgevano lungo i Navigli e le rogge che attraversavano Milano, allora solcata da numerosissimi corsi d'acqua: quello delle lavandaie di cui è rimasto ancor oggi un vicolo ad esse dedicato." |
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