The
Adda river, around 30 km eastward from Milan, was an important
river for Leonardo. He made several drawings of its surroundings,
and was inspired by its cliffs for the background of his famous
painting “The Virgin of the Rocks”.
At
Imbersago, in the northern part of the river, you can cross
the river using a curious ferry-boat built after one of
the drawings of Leonardo. The boat uses the current of the
river with an moving submarine wing that, like a sail, pushes
the boat across the river along a rope. The ferry can transport
even cars. It’s not clear if Leonardo was the first
to invent this boat, or if he drew it only because, like
us, he was fascinated by the geniality of the idea.
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The
boat of Imbersago

The
drawing of Leonardo
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