Picca Bridge

Site overview

The Picca Bridge is made of stone, built in the second half of the 14th century. The bridge was restored by the A.N.A. group of Corio in 1989. The current Picca bridge over the Malone (also called “mill bridge” due to a nearby mill on the right bank, recently demolished) was probably rebuilt at the beginning of the 14th century, in place of an almost certain previous crossing of the torrent. It seems to be the oldest of all, featuring a craftsmanship of the cornices—protruding stones above the arches with decorative, protective, and stabilizing functions for the structure—and of the parapet covers, which is rougher than that of the almost contemporary Mulino bridge. It consists of a single arch, in Gothic style due to the pointed arch, in local stone, suspended between two natural rock walls, with thick parapets; it was restored from progressive deterioration once in 1824 and subsequently by the Corio Alpini Group in 1989. At the exit head of the bridge, as was custom, a chapel dedicated to the Consolata was built in 1600, today in ruins due to neglect and lack of civic sense; both were located on the main commercial route to the Upper Canavese, through La Rocca, Levone, and Rivara.