Naviglio Grande

Naviglio Grande
The canal near Turbigo
Map
Specifications
Length49.9 km (31.0 mi)
History
Construction began1177
Date completed1272
Geography
Start pointTicino river near Tornavento
End pointPorta Ticinese dock in Milan
Longitudinal profile of the Naviglio Grande in 1903

The Naviglio Grande is a canal in Lombardy, northern Italy, connecting the Ticino river near Tornavento (23 km (14 mi) south of Sesto Calende) to the Porta Ticinese dock, also known as the Darsena, in Milan. It drops 34 m (112 ft) over 49.9 km (31.0 mi). It varies in width from 22 to 50 m (72 to 164 ft) from Tornavento to Abbiategrasso, dropping to 15 m (49 ft) between there and Milan. Initially it carries 63 cubic metres per second (2,200 cu ft/s), 116 outlets take water to irrigate 500 square kilometres (190 sq mi) leaving the canal 12 m (39 ft) wide and carrying 12 m3/s (420 cu ft/s) as it enters the dock.