The best running trails around Sommo

The Covered Bridge of Pavia (also known as Ponte Vecchio) is the city's symbolic monument. It crosses the Ticino River and directly connects the historic center with the picturesque district of Borgo Ticino, famous for its historic colorful houses and the ancient tradition of washerwomen and fishermen.

It's a very bumpy ride, especially with so many puddles to avoid. At the same time, it's a beautiful ride through a peaceful area.

A memorial to the laundresses. Thanks to Willem VS for his excellent descriptions!

According to legend, some pilgrims wanted to attend midnight mass in the city on Christmas Eve in 999, but due to the thick fog their boats could not cross the river. Suddenly, a man dressed in red arrived and promised that he would immediately build a bridge in exchange for the first soul to cross the bridge. The man in red was the devil, and only the Archangel Michael, who had come from the nearby church, recognized him. Michael pretended to agree to the deal, but once the bridge was built, a goat crossed it first. The bridge is therefore also known as the Ponte del Diavolo ("Devil's Bridge").

The covered bridge has its origins in Roman times. The current one was constructed in the 14th century and covered in 1583. Upstream of the bridge you can still see pillars of the original bridge, reconstructed after the Second World War. A memorial stone on the bridge tells that Albert Einstein stayed in Pavia for several months and loved the place.

Rebuilt in the mid-fourteenth century to replace the old Roman bridge (whose pillars can still be seen), it connects the historic center of the city with the picturesque medieval village beyond the Ticino, a traditional town of washerwomen, gravel diggers and fishermen. Its feature, which makes it the evocative symbol of Pavia, is its roofing, commissioned by Galeazzo II Visconti in the aftermath of the conquest of the city, and the presence of an eighteenth-century chapel, dedicated to St. John of Nepomuk. Bombed in World War II, the bridge was rebuilt in the early 1950s.

The Statua della Lavandaia in Pavia is one of the symbols of the city. This beautiful sculpture, created by local artist Giovanni Scapolla in 1981, recalls the time when the banks of the Ticino River were populated by women who washed clothes in the river. Giovanni Scapolla was inspired by his mother, a famous washerwoman named 'Sciura Teresina', who always wore a traditional 'caplina' on her head. Names of the washerwomen: The washerwomen often had nicknames related to physical characteristics. The most famous was 'Angiuleta', but there were others such as 'Marieta dai pe tort' (with crooked feet) and 'Gianina la culona' (the plump one). Method: The women worked all day on the riverbank. The clothes were soaked overnight in large concrete containers and then washed by the river using a wooden board (‘a scägn’). Men and children collected the washed clothes and delivered them throughout the city. It was hard and unprofitable work, with only one or two lira each. Singing and entertainment: To pass the time, the washerwomen often sang. One of their favorite songs was “La donna è mobile” from Verdi's opera Rigoletto. They even adapted the text: 'La dona l'è UN MOBIL da met in sala, l'om l'è un asin da met in stala', referring to the fact that men walked around all day while the women stood still to to wash.

Very large, covered bridge of Pavia…