Milano, ferro e acqua. La tutela dei ponti sui Navigli, tracce del passato industriale della città

The First Industrial Revolution reshaped the boundaries and morphology of Milan with the introduction of railways and the rise of factories with related services. The Porta Genova-Scalo di San Cristoforo and Greco-Breda areas, which benefited from the combined presence of rail and water transport thanks to the Navigli, became populated with factories, stations, and infrastructure. Directly or indirectly linked to the city’s secondary sector, the iron bridge near the former Richard-Ginori plant, the “Pont de Ferr” in Porta Genova, and the “Ponte del Pan Fiss” at Cascina de’ Pomm are among the few public crossings (of which only the first still in use today) that bear witness to Milan’s fervent expansion at the turn of the 20th century. The SABAP-Mi plays a central role in the recovery and conservation of these assets, applying protection ope legis or through direct restrictions (monumental or landscape). After an overview of the measures in place, the paper will analyze the rationale and specific features of such protection, its implications for restoration, and possible enhancements of local planning tools, with a view to securing their future.