Sometimes you come across something by chance and are glad afterwards that you took a closer look. Like we did with Portello Park in Milan.
We walk from the metro station (Lotto) on the main road to our hotel. A cone-shaped mountain rises up next to us, which doesn’t really fit here. We make a quick turn and find ourselves in Portello Park.
The park is located in the residential area of Portello and the signs also bear the name “Alfa Romeo Industrie Park”. An artificial park of 35,000 m2 has been created here for the population. Originally, factories of the car manufacturer Alfa Romeo stood here for 110 years. The entire residential area was shaped by these plants. Thousands of people found work here and contributed to the economic development of the city. However, the factories were abandoned in the 1980s. In the meantime, many new residential areas have been built here. Since 2012, the park has been a small oasis between the motorway and residential buildings. The entrances are in Viale De Gasperi and Via Palazzolo and Serra.
Portello Park
The architect Charles Jencks designed the park. He repeatedly used circular shapes (hills, lake).
In the middle of the park is the conical hill, the so-called helix. A spiral path leads us to the top. As we walk up we realise that it must be two separate paths. A couple with a dog was first one lap above us and suddenly one lap below us, without having met. And really. At the top we realised that there were two separate spiral paths.
At the top of the hill is a sculpture. This represents the double helix of DNA. This also makes the double spiral path clear to us, which takes up the theme of the double helix. From the top of the hill we look out into the park and the neighbouring residential and office complexes. It is a pity that it is so hazy, otherwise we would have been able to see more.
After our walk down, we go for a walk through the park. We pass a small lake, a small playground and a small “open-air stage”. In one corner is the Garden of Time. Different flowers grow here depending on the season. It is remarkable that you can hardly hear the noise of the motorway. Here you can really switch off a bit.
The park is really quite small. If you live nearby, it’s a nice change to take a walk or sit in the sun. Even if you visit the AC Milan fan shop on the opposite side of the motorway, you should make a flying visit to the park afterwards. But it’s not worth the extra trip.
Address:
Viale Renato Serra,
20149 Milan MI,
Italy
Opening hours:
January – March: 7 am – 6 pm
April – May: 7 am – 8 pm
June – September: 7am-2pm
October-November: 7am-8pm
December: 7-18 h
There are large gates at the park entrances that are locked by security.
Admission fee:
free
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