mastro Orso

A destra: •
diga sul
Fiume Adda
a Calusco
On the right: •
a dam on the
Adda River,
in Calusco
This route is intended to discover
the human genius
and the gentle and rushing
beauty of the Adda River. This
is the biggest river that is entirely
Lombard. Following the
Naviglio of Paderno, you will
ride for more than 45 km, from
the town of Cassano d’Adda to
the suggestive Lecco Lake near
Caloziocorte.
The Adda River and
the Naviglio of Paderno
Cassano d’Adda, 30 km far
from Milan, is the starting point
of your route: you must stop
immediately to see the eighteenth
century Villa Borromeo,
surrounded by the railings designed
by Piermarini, and Villa
Rosales Pallavicini, which dates
back to the eighteenth century
and stretches up to the waters
of the Canale della Muzza.
Leaving the town behind and
continuing northward, the route
is accompanied by the flowing
of the Naviglio Martesana, up
to the crossroads with Groppello.
After having crossed the
cycle-pedestrian bridge over the
river, you may stop for a short
visit to Fara d’Adda; then, proceeding
along the flow, you will
arrive in the Vaprio d’Adda
bridge. Once you have arrived
in front of the Santuario di
Concesa, near the entrance of
the Martesana, you will go on
a little more and discover one
of the most famous industrial
villages: the idyllic Crespi
d’Adda. From the shrine you
will get onto the towpath, which
at this point snakes below the
walls of the fourteenth century
64 In the green land painted with blue • The Adda River
Castello di Trezzo. From now
on you will see several hydroelectric
power plants: from
Taccani, close to the Società
Canottieri where the cyclepedestrian
starts, to the Esterle
plant, whose architecture resembles
much more a new renaissance
mansion than a plant,
up to the Bertini plant, launched
in 1898, which testifies the
synthesis between a refined style
and the industrial proficiency.
Once you have arrived at the
“Stallazzo”, the old station
where the draught-horses that
worked against the current were
changed, you will continue to
pedal for a long distance following
the course of Naviglio
Paderno, up to the village of Tre
Corni, named after the three
boulders that surface the river.
Riding you bicycle you will pass
below the impressive iron bridge
of Saint Michael, up to the dyke
of Robbiate and the Semenza
plant, which landmarks the border
of the Ecomuseo Adda di
Leonardo. This river stretch
was an inspiration for the Tuscan
genius and in Imbersago
you still can see its famous ferry.
Both the port and the boat,
previously owned by the Borromeos
then by the old Milanese
state, landmark the entrance to
Brivio, an important sacred
town, where in 1888 a precious
silver box dated back to the paleo-Christian
era, was found.
Chilometer by chilometer the
river gives way to the Lake
Olginate, which will accompany
you up to the village of
Calolziocorte, the last stage of
your route.
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