The small lake of Darsena, next to the Porta Ticinese, is all that remains of the complex system of canals and rivers that once crossed the city of Milan since Roman times. The Naviglio Grande that ran from Abbiategrasso ran into this lake, as well as the Pavese canal, which joins it at the junction of the Ticino and the Olona River that today runs underground. La Darsena was built in 1603 by the Spanish governor, the Count of Fuentes. It was here that cargoes were loaded and unloaded from the barges that reached the city via the Lombardian rivers.
