The beauty of the traditional Lombardy: a day in Abbiategrasso
A quiet little town rich in historical monuments, where you get the impression that circulate more bicycles than self, where people stop to chat under the arches that recall the style of the cities of Liguria, and whose name seems to be a wish for prosperity here Abbiategrasso. Yet this peaceful corner is very close, more precisely, about twenty miles from the hustle and bustle of Milan. Bordered by the Grand Canal, along which many people are walking or playing sports on weekends in winter, Abbiategrasso combines the virtues of small towns to those deriving from its proximity to the metropolis.
Our walk started from their own symbol of the city, more than any other demonstrates the strategic role that Abbiategrasso had in the past: the Visconti Castle. Probably built in 1382 by Gian Galeazzo Visconti, the Castle is in line with the Grand Canal and the road linking Milan and Vigevano. Since 1865 belongs to the City and is home to several associations. Inside we admired the frescoes from different eras, noting also written "A bon droit", the motto Visconti. A guy who works at one of the associations suggested we go see a room in the east wing of the building, top floor, which is perhaps the most mysterious corner of the castle. Centuries ago it was a prison wall and you still see the graffiti of prisoners. In this castle was born Gian Galeazzo Maria Sforza, Duke of Milan, but was not particularly inclined to play that role. In fact, after his marriage to Isabella of Aragon, he preferred to devote himself to the pleasures of life, Duke, and neglecting the rest of the positions are occupied by letting more and more his uncle, Ludovico Sforza, Il Moro said.
In addition to Duke, Abbiategrasso gave birth to several celebrities in recent times, including fashion designer Franco Moschino, the player who is dedicated to Giovanni Invernizzi stage, the rider Marco Villa, a bronze medal at the 2000 Olympics, and was born in Palermo, but the singer grew up here Giusy Ferreri.
Visiting the most important religious monuments of the city, has particularly affected the beauty of the Basilica of Santa Maria Nuova, and its cloister, because unlike many beautiful cloisters of churches of other major cities, it is open to anyone who wants visit or stay for a while 'to meditate or reflect. When we were there, we shared this space of spiritual intimacy with a priest who said the rosary walking under the arcades of the cloister. The Basilica was built in 1388 on the occasion of the birth of the son of Gian Galeazzo Visconti, and underwent several changes and renovations.
There is also the church of Santa Maria Vecchia, the ancient church of Abbiategrasso, where once there was a convent of Benedictine nuns, but is desecrated since the late eighteenth century, and they said that is home to a dance school .
After visiting the Church of St. Peter and the Church of San Gaetano, who is the most recent of all the churches of Abbiategrasso, we decide to spend the evening at the table, "together with" another very important saint: St. Anthony . In fact, we go to dinner at the Osteria St. Anthony, a warm and rustic atmosphere of the local houses of Lombardy than once, Naviglio Grande, the towpath. Inside the restaurant there is even an old icebox, a charming brick rotunda. "This is one of the historic Abbiategrasso, dates back to 1411, and still retains the style of an inn of the past," he tells the owner, Mr. Conrad while we sit at our table near the fireplace. We start our dinner, the flavor of the area with authentic deli meats and salami, gorgonzola cheese flan with a cream of pumpkin and walnuts, and beef carpaccio with raspadura grain. We continue with the fresh pasta, homemade noodles with taking the almond cream, chicken livers, quail egg and white truffles, tagliatelle pasta with sausage and raspadura grain, and potato gnocchi with meat sauce with sausage with pecorino cheese. In the second choice of our group is divided between the Milanese cutlet, pork in potato crust with creamy leeks, reduce the cloud of Porto and crispy leeks, sliced ??beef with spinach and potatoes savory pie, while a pair all'ossobuco of our friends do not stand up to Milan with mashed potatoes. Let's water these delicacies with fine wines from selected wineries, and conclude with a sweet tiramisu Osteria, the tart with jam for extra berries and chocolate poker.
It 's true: sometimes, just to spend a day discovering the treasures that we have close to home.
Frances Bertha
FOR INFORMATION:
www.comune.Abbiategrasso.mi.it
Osteria S. Antonio
Towpath of the Naviglio Grande, 16 Abbiategrasso (MI)
02/94699293