The best MTB trails around Bellinzago Lombardo

The canal that crosses the municipality of Inzago is the Naviglio della Martesana (historically also known as Naviglio Piccolo), an artificial canal about 38 kilometers long designed to connect the Adda river to the city of Milan. Completed at the end of the 15th century under the guidance of Ludovico il Moro, it represents one of the most important water and historical-cultural axes of the Milanese plain.

In Inzago, the main canal is the Naviglio della Martesana (also known as Naviglio Piccolo), a historic work that crosses the town and is part of the Milanese canal network. In the area, the Villoresi Canal also passes, bordering the municipal territory.

The Esterle power plant was particularly well-designed from an architectural point of view, as it was intended to be representative of the Edison company that built it. It looks more like a Lombard pleasure villa than a true industrial facility. The effort to integrate the building into the surrounding territory, made in the early 20th century during the construction of the plant, was remarkable. Today it represents a significant example of monumental industrial archaeology and is known for its particular beauty. Inside, the walls and ceiling of the engine room were decorated with great care, as were the floors, lamps, light fixtures, and numerous wrought-iron furnishings.

It looks peaceful

The Naviglio della Martesana, definitively completed in 1496 under the guidance of Ludovico il Moro, flows from Trezzo sull’Adda to Milan for a total length of 38 km. The route runs alongside the ancient Roman road (the current SS 11 padana superiore) which crossed the Adda with two branches: at Vaprio and Cassano. Irrigation of the land located above the spring belt was for a long time the predominant use of the canal, so much so that initially navigation was limited to two days a week; concurrently with the improvement of the agricultural structure thanks to irrigation, a notable flourishing of stately villas occurred in the Baroque era, intended to enjoy the convenience of travel on water and to control owned lands.

From Milan (Mi) to Trezzo sull’Adda (Mi) Lush vegetation and surprising architecture make this cycle path a pleasant opportunity to spend a Sunday on a bike. The elevation gain is non-existent, the only difficulty could be the length, but this can easily be remedied thanks to the metro which follows the cycle path closely up to Gessate.

The Naviglio della Martesana, initially known as Naviglio Piccolo, is one of the Milanese canals that connects Milan with the course of the Adda river through the municipalities of Martesana. Commissioned in the 15th century by Francesco Sforza, it was used for irrigating the countryside but also represented the ambitious project of connecting Milan with Lake Como and thus with the Alps and Ticino. The Naviglio della Martesana is a place rich in history and beauty, a heritage for everyone that, however, today is still little known and protected. Along the Naviglio runs a rather busy cycle path, which allows you to admire the landscape and cultural beauties, such as the rich flora, fauna, or the numerous historic villas, including the Renaissance Villa Melzi d’Eril in Vaprio d’Adda.

The Naviglio della Martesana is perhaps the least known of the ancient artificial canals that connect Milan to the great Lombard rivers. It originates from the Adda in Concesa, a hamlet of Trezzo d’Adda, crosses the Martesana sub-region, northeast of the provincial capital, and once in the city, it disappears under via Melchiorre Gioia, near Cassina de’ Pomm.