Naviglio di Bereguardo

Across fertile fields and under the watchful gaze of ancient castles, stretches the Naviglio di Bereguardo. This isn’t just a canal. It’s a liquid whisper of Milan’s rich past. The Naviglio di Bereguardo, born in 1420 at the behest of Duke Filippo Maria Visconti, was more than a waterway. It was a lifeline connecting Milan to Pavia and, through the Ticino and Po rivers, to the Adriatic Sea and the world beyond. Imagine the Naviglio di Bereguardo bustling with barges laden with exotic goods. Spices and silks from the Orient, alongside the more mundane but equally vital cargo of grain, cheese, and the precious commodity of salt, all flowed along this watery artery. The Naviglio di Bereguardo wasn’t an easy waterway to navigate. Over its 18.85 km length, it descends 24.76 meters. This dramatic drop required a complex system of twelve locks, a feat of engineering for its time. The average distance between locks is a mere 1.7 km, highlighting the ingenuity required to tame this waterway. The Naviglio di Bereguardo served Milan faithfully until the opening of the Naviglio di Pavia in 1819. The newer, more efficient route rendered the Bereguardo obsolete for commercial navigation. It was then relegated to a more peaceful existence, providing irrigation for the surrounding farmland. Today, the Naviglio di Bereguardo offers a tranquil escape. The remnants of the locks stand as silent witnesses to its industrious past. The towpath, once trod by horses pulling barges, now welcomes cyclists and walkers. It invites you to journey through a landscape steeped in history. As you stroll or cycle along its banks, imagine the ghosts of traders, dukes, and engineers who once plied these waters. Their legacy flows on in the gentle current of the Naviglio di Bereguardo, a timeless reminder of Milan’s vibrant connection to the world.