OLD BRIDGE (Ponte Vecchio)

The Azzone Visconti bridge, also known as Old Bridge (Ponte Vecchio in Italian), is one of the symbols of the city of Lecco.

It was constructed between 1336 and 1339 on the river Adda, commissioned by the homonymous lord of Milan.

The Old Bridge was also a strategic route for the transport of men and goods between Valsassina, the Dukedom of Milan and the village of Lecco, guaranteeing its military protection.

At the extremities, it was originally protected by two towers and a drawbridge with a small central chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
Along the Lecco lakeside, one of the towers was separated from the mainland by a channel, whose structure was object of changes over the centuries right after the bridge’s construction.

Its origins date back to the sixteenth century: it was formed by the aggregation of the bearing material during the works for the construction of the bridge and later was used as a defense fort.

On the meridional edge there is a building, that testifies the presence of the old fort, with a circular tower on two levels.

The isle is about 110 meters long and 30 meters wide; the minimum distance that separates it from the mainland is about 11 meters.