ヴェッルーアポーのおすすめウォーキング＆ハイキングルート

giant red bench

A memorial to the laundresses. Thanks to Willem VS for his excellent descriptions!

Beautiful distant view of Pavia with the possibility of also seeing the Alps in the background

nice view from the bench, there is also a small picnic area

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.

Sanctuary in the middle of the fields just outside Pavia.

The Sanctuary was built at the end of the 1500s by the Bonacossa family. Inside it is still possible to admire the original fresco of the ancient chapel.

The statue depicts a washerwoman intent on washing clothes in Ticino, a practice that was widespread in ancient times. It was created in 1981 by the Borghigiano sculptor Giovanni Scapolla.