The best walks and hikes around Gorgonzola

The course of the Naviglio Martesana in Cernusco is also a Park. It extends across the entire width of the territory of Cernusco sul Naviglio, from the border with Cassina de'Pecchi to that with Vimodrone.

The Naviglio della Martesana, definitively completed in 1496 under the leadership 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 at 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, aimed at enjoying the convenience of water travel and controlling the owned lands.

The Naviglio della Martesana, definitively completed in 1496 under the leadership 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. The irrigation of the lands 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 homes occurred in the Baroque era, aimed at enjoying the convenience of travel on water and controlling the owned lands.

Naviglio della Martesana is perhaps the least known of the ancient artificial canals connecting 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 plunges underground beneath Via Melchiorre Gioia, at the height of Cassina de’ Pomm. It measures approximately 38 km in length, with a width varying from 9 to 18 meters. However, once upon a time, the Naviglio della Martesana continued in the open air all the way to the center, where a lock system centered on the Conca dell’Incoronata connected it to the short Naviglio di S. Marco and the urban network of the Navigli. The lock was inaugurated in 1496, utilizing lock gates designed by Leonardo da Vinci. The canal had been opened in 1471, under Francesco Sforza. By connecting it to the other Navigli, Leonardo laid the foundations for realizing a dream of the Sforzas: to travel by water from the Ticino, and therefore from Lake Maggiore, all the way to the Adda.

Villa Alari, recently renovated, is a Rococo-style villa built in the 13th century

The Naviglio Martesana cycle path is a 30-35 km cycle and pedestrian route that connects Milan (Cassina de' Pomm/via Melchiorre Gioia area) to Trezzo sull'Adda, running alongside the homonymous canal. It is a predominantly asphalted, flat, easy route suitable for everyone, passing through parks, rural areas, and historic noble villas from the 17th-18th centuries.

The covered wooden bridge over the Naviglio Martesana in Gorgonzola is a historic and characteristic pedestrian crossing from the 15th century, renovated over time, which connects the two banks of the canal. A local symbol, it unites historic buildings and offers a suggestive view, representing one of the most iconic structures in the town along the canal.

Completed in 1471, the Naviglio Martesana was a huge hydraulic work of its time. Used for the transport of things and people, on both banks there was the road that was used by horses pulling barges along this important waterway that connected the villages with Milan, the big city. Now the use of the canal as a transport route has fallen into disuse after the mass arrival of rubber-wheeled transport and the route has been transformed into a beautiful cycle path, it is on this route that the Martesana cycle path is described, 36 kilometers on its own protected route and almost not at all trafficked by motor vehicles.