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Italy
Lombardy
Pavia

Statue of the Washerwoman (Statua della Lavandaia), Pavia

Discover
Places to see
Italy
Lombardy
Pavia

Statue of the Washerwoman (Statua della Lavandaia), Pavia

Highlight • Monument

Statue of the Washerwoman (Statua della Lavandaia), Pavia

Recommended by 87 cyclists out of 97

This Highlight is in a protected area

Please check local regulations for: Parco Lombardo della Valle del Ticino

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    Top cycling routes to Statue of the Washerwoman (Statua della Lavandaia), Pavia

    4.3

    (11)

    66

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    1. Ticino River Embankment – View of the Coperto Bridge loop from Zerbolò

    73.3km

    04:36

    130m

    130m

    Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

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    Intermediate

    Expert bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

    Expert

    Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

    Intermediate

    Tips

    November 8, 2023

    beyond the bridge extends the Borgo Ticino, the former quarter of the fishermen and washerwomen, as illustrated by the statue of the pale star on the shore.

    Translated by Google •

      April 4, 2024

      The Statua della Lavandaia in Pavia is one of the symbols of the city. This beautiful sculpture, created by local artist Giovanni Scapolla in 1981, recalls the time when the banks of the Ticino River were populated by women who washed clothes in the river.
      Giovanni Scapolla was inspired by his mother, a famous washerwoman named 'Sciura Teresina', who always wore a traditional 'caplina' on her head.
      Names of the washerwomen: The washerwomen often had nicknames related to physical characteristics. The most famous was 'Angiuleta', but there were others such as 'Marieta dai pe tort' (with crooked feet) and 'Gianina la culona' (the plump one).
      Method: The women worked all day on the riverbank. The clothes were soaked overnight in large concrete containers and then washed by the river using a wooden board (‘a scägn’). Men and children collected the washed clothes and delivered them throughout the city. It was hard and unprofitable work, with only one or two lira each.
      Singing and entertainment: To pass the time, the washerwomen often sang. One of their favorite songs was “La donna è mobile” from Verdi's opera Rigoletto. They even adapted the text: 'La dona l'è UN MOBIL da met in sala, l'om l'è un asin da met in stala', referring to the fact that men walked around all day while the women stood still to to wash.

      Translated by Google •

        June 16, 2022

        Made in 1981 by the bourgeois sculptor Giovanni Scapolla, the statue recalls the times when the banks of the Ticino were filled with women washing clothes in the river.

        Translated by Google •

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          Elevation 110 m

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          Location: Pavia, Lombardy, Italy

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          Ponte Coperto (Covered Bridge) of Pavia

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