Conca di Viarenna, Navigation lock in Milan, Italy
Conca di Viarenna is a stone lock with a water gate system designed to manage water level changes between connecting canals. The structure features a rectangular basin bounded by thick walls and historic gates that remain visible today.
Built between 1551 and 1558 by the workshops overseeing Milan Cathedral, this lock replaced an earlier structure from 1439. Construction occurred during Spanish rule when the city was strengthening its fortifications.
The lock holds shrines and inscriptions that recall when boats moved goods and materials through Milan's waterways as part of daily city life. These markers show how the canals connected people and commerce across the urban landscape.
The lock stands isolated from its original canal system since the canals were covered with asphalt in the 1930s. You can easily reach it on foot and visit it as part of a walk through the city.
The term 'a ufo' in Italian originates from this place, referring to free passage and derived from 'Ad Usum Fabricae'. This phrase was marked on boats carrying materials for Cathedral construction that received toll exemptions.
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