THE MAIN PROJECT The main project for the requalification of Navigli, peculiarity the harbour, is very important for the city development but above all for the next EXPO in 2015 when the most important financial metropolis in Italy will be visited by millions of people from every country. This event will be the turning point for our city and this project will be the centre. The principal idea has been the re-opening of the Ticinello and other important water-courses that connected all the Navigli in Darsena where the boat can load and unload goods of every type. Moreover the planners decided to use these river to transport people every day to one of the most important area in Milan, the square of Porta Ticinese where traffic will be reduced increasing pedestrians areas. An other important plan will be into effect belong this water-courses where will be able to walk between water and green in quietness and without warring about cars and motorcycles thanks to the creation of a pedestrian areas only. The works will end in December 2014 and during these the workers found an archaeological rest from the Romans Empire that will be protected from the corrosion with specific materials. All the people who live in Milan hope that this project will be carried out in time and that it will be useful to restart the economy in Italy.
DISCOVERING LEONARDO'S NAVIGLI The “navigli� have been meeting points and channels to trade exchanges. Today there are clubs, eating places, painter's studios and hydraulic systems as dams and locks. Alzaia Naviglio Pavese, Alzaia Naviglio Grande and Darsena are the most visited places ofMilan's city. Here you can find pubs, nightclubs and a lot of restaurants. During the holidays there are antiques markets, modern markets and markets of general arts. In the spring festival there is also the flowers' feast which is repeated each year to confirm that in Milan the life begins over Navigli. It is possible to sail on Navigli a whole day admiring the great nature. You can also visit these beautiful places by bicycle or by a carriage. To cross navigli is a extraordinary way to discover the wonders of our territory but above all to immerse in a uncontaminated nature.
The history of navigli began in the second half of XII century with the building of the first navigable stretch. Milan is a city crossed by the water, crossed by rivers and by canals regulated by ingenious technical devices. The first canal, Ticinello, was inaugurated in 1179 and with his 50 kilometres it gave the beginning at the building of the Naviglio Grande. Some great engineers started the project that nowadays we can admire thanks to the innovative system of locks ideated by Leonardo Da Vinci at the end of  '400. Over the years the navigli have been very neglected so in 1977 the State gave the administration of Martesana's naviglio to the region. The region started a project for the upgrading of the zone. The navigli were once very popular and they were the
hangout of shop and markets.
Nowadays the navigli's zone is characterised by the presence of many artist, models, musicians and young men thanks to the attendance of numerous locals and restaurants which made this zone of Milan very attractive. The atmosphere that you can breathe in the navigli are very peculiar and the landscape is very exciting to admire. Milan is the fashion and design city; this beautiful town will give hospitality to Expo 2015, however again a lot of places which scent of history and antiquity still exist. Walking through one of the most characteristics part of the city, hidden bars and restaurants, you can observe the fantastic Vicolo dei Lavandai.
NAVIGLIO GRANDE is the oldest of Milan's canals and it was accomplished in 1179 with function of irrigating the campaigns. After in 1270 the Naviglio Grande was considered as a navigable canal. This naviglio is born by Ticino and it gets to the center of Milan. It is 48,5 km long, between12 m and 14 m large and about 1 m deep. The goods were transported by big boats which, arrived to Darsena, and were distributed in the navigli’s area. The marble to build Milan’s Duomo was transported through this water canal. NAVIGLIO PAVESE was started in 1365; it begins from Milan’s Darsena and arrives to Pavia, where it joins with Ticino after a 30 km long path. The Naviglio Pavese, which in the past was used for cargo shipping, now is a night attraction because there are a lot of bars and pubs. In addition to restaurants, pubs and discos, the attractions are the big boats permanently moored on its riversides. These boats were originally used to transport sand but they have been transformed into floating bars and pubs attended by young people to chat and drink.
Naviglio Grande I lavatoi
Naviglio Grande San Cristoforo
Elementi architettonici San Cristoforo
Aspettando l’EXPO
La Darsena: situazione attuale