Porta Genova
Encyclopedia
Porta Genova is a district ("quartiere
") of Milan
, Italy
, located within the Zone 6 administrative division. The name "Porta Genova" means "Genoa
gate"; the district is named after a city gate of the old Spanish Walls of Milan, namely that leading to Genoa
, that used to be in what is now Piazza Cantore. The only remnants of the old gate are the small buildings that used to house the customs offices, which replaced the Spanish gate in the 19th Century.
As for all Milanese quartieri, the boundaries of Porta Genova are not formally defined; yet, they are usually thought of as comprising Via Solari, Via Bergognone, the Naviglio Grande
canal and the Darsena. The district is centered in Piazza Cantore, where the city gate used to be, and the Porta Genova railway station, the oldest Milanese railway station to be still in operation. The station is the terminus of the railway connecting Milan and Mortara
. Since the station is in the centre of Porta Genova, the district is divided in two parts by the railway; an old iron bridge connecting the two sides known as "la scaletta" (the "ladder"), located next to the station, is one of the traditional landmarks of the district.
The Porta Genova district is also characterized by the Navigli canal
s; by the Darsena (the old dock
) two major Navigli meet, namely the Naviglio Grande
and the Naviglio Pavese
. As a consequence, much of the district is traversed by watercourses. One of the best known landmarks of the canal banks in Porta Genova is Vicolo Lavandaie, a small alley where Milanese woman used to wash clothes in the Naviglio's waters.
While Porta Genova is one of the most old-fashioned districts in Milan, and it is strongly connected to the tradition, it is also extremely popular with the Milanese youth, both for the vibrating night-life (especially along the banks of the Naviglio) and its eternal "trendy" and anti-comformist atmosphere. This reflects, for example, in the almost ubiquitous street art
works, the numerous" alternative" shops, as well as the peculiar character of the main street market of the area, the Fiera di Senigallia, which is renowned as one of the best places in Milan where to look for unusual, rare, bizarre (and possibly illegal) merchandise.
Quartiere
A quartiere is a subdivision of certain Italian towns. The word is from quarto, or fourth, and was thus properly used only for towns divided into four neighborhoods. The English word "quarter" to mean a neighborhood A quartiere (plural: quartieri) is a subdivision of certain Italian towns. The...
") of Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, located within the Zone 6 administrative division. The name "Porta Genova" means "Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
gate"; the district is named after a city gate of the old Spanish Walls of Milan, namely that leading to Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
, that used to be in what is now Piazza Cantore. The only remnants of the old gate are the small buildings that used to house the customs offices, which replaced the Spanish gate in the 19th Century.
As for all Milanese quartieri, the boundaries of Porta Genova are not formally defined; yet, they are usually thought of as comprising Via Solari, Via Bergognone, the Naviglio Grande
Naviglio Grande
The Naviglio Grande is a canal in Lombardy, northern Italy, joining the Ticino river near Tornavento to the Porta Ticinese dock, also known as the Darsena, in Milan. It drops 34 m over 49.9 km. It varies in width from 22 m to 50 m from Tornavento to Abbiategrasso, dropping to 15 m between there...
canal and the Darsena. The district is centered in Piazza Cantore, where the city gate used to be, and the Porta Genova railway station, the oldest Milanese railway station to be still in operation. The station is the terminus of the railway connecting Milan and Mortara
Mortara
Mortara refers to:* Mortara, Lombardy, a town in Lombardy Mortara is the surname of:* Edgardo Mortara, a victim in a famous and Antisemitic controversial kidnapping* Edoardo Mortara , a professional Italian racecar driver...
. Since the station is in the centre of Porta Genova, the district is divided in two parts by the railway; an old iron bridge connecting the two sides known as "la scaletta" (the "ladder"), located next to the station, is one of the traditional landmarks of the district.
The Porta Genova district is also characterized by the Navigli canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
s; by the Darsena (the old dock
Dock
-In transportation:*Dock , a structure for handling ships**Drydock, a basin that can be flooded and drained to allow a load to come to rest on a dry platform**Ferry slip, a docking facility that receives a ferryboat...
) two major Navigli meet, namely the Naviglio Grande
Naviglio Grande
The Naviglio Grande is a canal in Lombardy, northern Italy, joining the Ticino river near Tornavento to the Porta Ticinese dock, also known as the Darsena, in Milan. It drops 34 m over 49.9 km. It varies in width from 22 m to 50 m from Tornavento to Abbiategrasso, dropping to 15 m between there...
and the Naviglio Pavese
Naviglio Pavese
The Naviglio Pavese is one of the canals making up the Navigli system in Lombardy, Italy. Once navigable, it is 33 km long and connected the city of Milan to Pavia, and through a flight of six locks to the River Ticino....
. As a consequence, much of the district is traversed by watercourses. One of the best known landmarks of the canal banks in Porta Genova is Vicolo Lavandaie, a small alley where Milanese woman used to wash clothes in the Naviglio's waters.
While Porta Genova is one of the most old-fashioned districts in Milan, and it is strongly connected to the tradition, it is also extremely popular with the Milanese youth, both for the vibrating night-life (especially along the banks of the Naviglio) and its eternal "trendy" and anti-comformist atmosphere. This reflects, for example, in the almost ubiquitous street art
Street art
Street art is any art developed in public spaces — that is, "in the streets" — though the term usually refers to unsanctioned art, as opposed to government sponsored initiatives...
works, the numerous" alternative" shops, as well as the peculiar character of the main street market of the area, the Fiera di Senigallia, which is renowned as one of the best places in Milan where to look for unusual, rare, bizarre (and possibly illegal) merchandise.