The Naviglio Grande is the oldest canal in Milan and the surrounding area. It was built between 1177 and 1257 and draws its water from Ticino (Ticino). It is over 50 km long and served as an export and import route to Lake Maggiore and Switzerland, e.g. for the transport of the marble blocks that were needed for the construction of the Milan Cathedral.
In the second half of the XIX century with the introduction of the railway, the Navigli were less used as a means of transport and finally abandoned completely. Today they are mainly used to irrigate agriculture.