Five things to do on the Adda, in Lombardy. From the cycle paths to the visit of the Trezzo d'Adda Castle.
THEAdda it's a streamand 313 km long and crosses the provinces of Sondrio, Como, Lecco, Bergamo, Milan, Monza Brianza, Cremona and Lodi, until it flows into the Pò.
It is a very characteristic river that flows north into Lake Como and leaves it from the Lecco branch. Over the centuries, it has been heavily exploited for industrial activities. Its conformation as a river with a considerable flow of water has contributed to the formation, in some points, of real canyons.
Below the 5 characteristic things which are located on the Adda river.
Crespi d'Adda
Crespi d'Adda is a fraction of the municipality of Capriate San Gervasio, in province of Bergamo. This small hamlet is a workers' village, which in the past operated in the textile sector. Starting from 1875 it was led by Cristoforo Benigno Crespi and subsequently passed into the hands of his son.
This village is characterized by small villas single and semi-detached houses that once housed the entire workforce oftextile industry. Inside the village, in addition to the villas, there are the doctor's house, the school, the infirmary, and everything the village needed, including a cemetery with an immense mausoleum dedicated to the Crespi family.
Crespi D'Adda is a village, which has not been affected by the outside world, the calm is palpable, it seems to have gone back in time. The place is still inhabited, but the textile industry has been closed for several years now. In 1995 due to its historical and architectural importance it became part of the UNESCO heritage.
We recommend that you park your car as soon as you enter and walk around the village going to visit the cemetery, the church and the observation point that allows you to see it from above.
San Michele bridge
This bridge is a iron arch which connects the town of Paderno d'Adda with Calusco d'Adda.
The bridge designed by the Swiss engineer Jules Röthlisberger (1851-1911), and built by the Società Nazionale Officine di Savignano, is 266 meters long and rises 85m above the Adda river.
It is a bridge with mixed rail and car traffic, in the lower level passes the railway line and in the upper level passes the car traffic, with direction of travel alternated by traffic lights.
The bridge is still an imposing and majestic work today. Considering the time of construction and the limits of the techniques then known, it has a unique metal structure that made it a engineering masterpiece like the Eiffel Tower.
Leonardo da Vinci ferry
This ferry connects Imbersago (LC) with Villa D'Adda, it is the reproduction of a ferry project designed by Leonardo da Vinci to take advantage of the Adda current and to improve traffic.
This ferry does not use electricity or motors of any kind. He considers himself a hand ferry, but in fact when the river has its normal water flow, the ferryman provides a small thrust, and this through a particular conformation of the hulls and a steel cable stretched between one bank and the other, exploits the strength of the current to move towards the other bank,. Today the reproduction of the ferry can carry a couple of cars as well as pedestrians and cyclists.
The Visconteo Castle
The castle is located in Trezzo d'Adda (MI), on a promontory overlooking a spectacular bend in the river, which protects it on two sides.
It was built in 1300 by the will of Bernabò Visconti. Today very little remains of the castle. This is mainly due to its troubled history and the countless battles fought to conquer this stronghold. You can admire its 42 meters high square-based tower, the well built in 1400, and the evocative and ghostly undergrounds.
In addition to visiting the inside of the castle, I recommend taking a walk on the river bank located many meters lower than the castle so that you can admire it.
Monastery of Santa Maria del Lavello
Located in Calolziocorte (LC), the ancient church was founded on the left bank of the river, next to a castle built to defend the border. This was necessary due to the countless clashes between Lombard municipalities to have territorial supremacy.
The complex grew around the fifteenth century, when a miraculous source was found, and the church became a convent, with possessions, land, vegetable gardens and gardens, and then decayed with the epidemic spread of the plague in 1630.
Today you can admire the two cloisters where there are the kitchens, the convent refectory and the finely decorated church. Everything has been restored to its former glory by a careful and careful restoration.
Extras
From Lecco up to the mouth, there is one bicycle path also suitable for children that runs along the river and allows you to fully admire the beauty of the same. Taking into account its large flow of water along the Adda river there are countless hydroelectric plants.
