COMENIUS ROADS CONNECTING US – CONNECTIONS BETWEEN OUR COUNTRIES AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE EUROPEAN INTEGRATION THE HISTORICAL ROADS OF LOMBARDY

Roads of Lombardy were used for commercial acitivities but also for religious purposes They connected the most important centres

Some mountain roads were built with steps so it was impossible to use wagons but in winter they could be covered by sledge

It connected Roman municipalities and the Po Valley The Via Gallica

The Via Gallica branched off from the Via Postumia that went on to the Veneto Plain, near Verona and connected the cities of Brescia (Brixia), Milan (Mediolanum) and Bergamo Roman Bridge, Palazzolo sull'Oglio Ponte San Giacomo, Brescia

The Via Gallica lapped Lake Garda and was used by the Roman centres located on the lake: Peschiera del Garda (Arilica), Desenzano, Sirmione and Lonato

Via Regina Via Ducale There were two roads that ran along the shores of Lake Como: one on the east side and one on the west side

The Via Regina was on the western shore of Lake Como. Its function was to support the waterways which were preferred for the transportation of people and goods. It was made during Roman times

Via Ducale or Del Viandante is less famous than the Via Regina. It runs along the eastern side of the lake

In the Middle Ages this road was of notable importance for transit and trade. Thanks to the tolls wayfarers had to pay, it made the Duke of Milan very rich The Via Ducale was used to avoid the contagion of the Black Death

In Lombardy not only land routes were important but also waterways Transport via lake was easier for carrying heavy loads Maintenance costs were low

The northern lakes of our country have always been a great attraction thanks to their pleasant environmental setting and surrounding landscape. Lake Como is important for its memories of Manzoni’s great novel, “I Promessi Sposi”.

Passenger transport on the great Italian lakes is provided both by state and private companies. The first public company was founded in the middle of the last century, when it inherited the service from the various private enterprises that had managed it since the 19th century

At the end of World War I in 1918, the "Lariana" company that used to run the navigation service on Lake Como to cope with the increasing number of passengers, built new steamers, one of them was called "Patria."

At the end of 1826 the Lariana company launched a second steamer, the Plinio. The two boats sailed between Como and Colico, making adventurous dockings and embarkations along the way. They would stop at Cavagnola to restock on timber and at Bellagio to allow passengers to change for Lecco

Presentation by Marco Nava Natalia Borella Beatrice Martinelli Irene Pisnoli Teresa Talio