Parco delle Gole della Breggia

	Points of Interest
	Traces of History in the Park
	Despite the geological features represent the most showy attraction in the Park, its territory is also characterized by features of historical, archaeological, scientific, and naturalistic interest. A careful observation of the general morphology, where the Po Plain meets the Prealps, gives the opportunity to understand the role played by the region in the past. As a matter of fact, since it is situated along the way of the Alps, at the border with northern Italy, it has been an important crossroads of people and goods since Prehistory.

	Historical Ways The deep furrow of Breggia has always represented a difficult obstacle to cross the valley. The Park is rich in traces of the different ways used to move from one side to another: the most ancient one is probably Murnée ford. The first information about Farügin bridge (or St Peter's Bridge) date back to 1426: it is the extraordinary bridge built between two rocky spurs, 35m above the riverbed in the narrowest point of the Gorges. The road between Castel San Pietro and Morbio Superiore, crossing the Breggia with a stone bridge called Punt da Canaa, was built around 1820. The big iron bridge (Punt da Castel) was built in 1912 and was replaced by the current concrete bridge in 1997.

	Historical Monuments The past importance of the area as a crossroads of people and goods led to the building of fortresses to control and exploit the ways of communication. In the Park surroundings and within the Park it is possible to admire the ruins of at least five fortresses. Several graves and coins dating back to the Roman period have been found on San Pietro hill, while the ruins of the perimetral halls of the castle, property and temporary residence of the Bishop of Como, date back to the Middle Ages. On the hill there were two churches: one of them, probably built in 1323 and situated within the walls, has disappeared. The other, built outside the walls by Bishop Bonifacio from Modena between 1343 and 1345, is called "Chiesa Rossa" (Red Church) and is today a national monument.

	Works The mills and the other rural buildings have followed the destiny of the various connections crossing the valley. Along the most ancient road bordering Castel San Pietro there is Farügin agricultural holding, while on the side of Morbio Superiore, immediately after the bridge, there is "ul Mulin da Canaa", dug into the rock of the Breggia bed, unfortunately now partly destroyed. In the area "ai Murnée" there was a double mill which worked until mid-20th century and was later destroyed to build the cement works. With the building of Ghitello Bridge in the late 16th century, also the Mill was built (1606): the latter is one of the best preserved hydraulic works in Switzerland. Further information (Italian text)