Riale

The Riale is an irrigation channel that, starting from the Middle Ages, has brought in the centre of Parabiago the water of the Olona River for wash the dirty laundry, water the beasts, build houses and churches, irrigate gardens and vegetable gardens.

On the 27th july 1780 Maria Teresa of Austria closed the Riale of Parabiago. The Parabiago citizen Giuseppe Maggiolini furniture maker of court, asked  at the  archduke of Milan to re-open the Riale so he could make the expansion of the curch where he was the vestryman. With the enthusiasm of the Parabiago people the water of the irrigation channel came back to flow around the principal square up to 1928, year of his definitive closure.

Then, the pollution, the neglet and specially the purifier have relegate the small channel in the old stuff, remembered with nostalgy by the elderlies and in the history books.

The Ecomuseum, with others entity and associations (Parco dei Mulini, Legambiente, Protezione Civile, Consorzio Fiume Olona, Consorzio Est Ticino Villoresi; Contratto di Fiume Olona, Associazione Olona Viva, Scuole di Parabiago) are bringing back to light the Riale not only physically, but also culturally.