Route 6: from Riano to Ghirla (Strategies of war and daily life at the beginning of the Twentieth century)
The sixth route begins from the trenches of Riano. The open duct in the stone of the machine gun posts were studied to allow passage of the ammunition loading belts and are worth studying, just like the slits that interrupt the walls to allow the firing of rifles. The post is equipped with a double entry to make the soldiers' movements easier. The entry section is decorated with false ashlars that simulate a vault in the cement, proposing an unusual liberty-style charm. The trench is made up of niches for shielding the wounded or guards, channels for collecting rain water that also stopped the flooring from being eroded, fortifying walls, and stairs for the counterattack. The trench is continually interrupted to reduce the shots of infiltrating enemies and the effects of blast waves caused by possible bombings.
Near the trench there is a three-storey round tower. It is not a coincidence that here, just like in other places, the military fort is in the same place as the ancient hunting posts: both, in fact, required a good view.
Continuing towards Bedero, head left and take the road towards Monte Scerrè; you will see two slits, corresponding to the same number of machine gun posts, that penetrate the mountain to keep the Ghirla station and the fork that from Ghirla leads to Luino and Ponte Tresa under control.
A small bridge was built between the machine gun posts to leave uninterrupted the antique track of the peasants who would head towards the high mountain pastures from Ghirla. Beside the trench, in fact, there are still dairies for keeping cheese cool, haystacks and barns.
Continuing along the route you will reach the ghetto, the oldest living area of Ghirla, where the towers and the houses of the fishermen and woodcutters were located. The seventeenth century smithy can still be seen nearby, where the wheel pushed by the current of the Margorabbia stream moved the hammer that forged the mascalcie (draught animal shoes), the iron tools used to work the soil and even bell clappers.
Near the trench there is a three-storey round tower. It is not a coincidence that here, just like in other places, the military fort is in the same place as the ancient hunting posts: both, in fact, required a good view.
Continuing towards Bedero, head left and take the road towards Monte Scerrè; you will see two slits, corresponding to the same number of machine gun posts, that penetrate the mountain to keep the Ghirla station and the fork that from Ghirla leads to Luino and Ponte Tresa under control.
A small bridge was built between the machine gun posts to leave uninterrupted the antique track of the peasants who would head towards the high mountain pastures from Ghirla. Beside the trench, in fact, there are still dairies for keeping cheese cool, haystacks and barns.
Continuing along the route you will reach the ghetto, the oldest living area of Ghirla, where the towers and the houses of the fishermen and woodcutters were located. The seventeenth century smithy can still be seen nearby, where the wheel pushed by the current of the Margorabbia stream moved the hammer that forged the mascalcie (draught animal shoes), the iron tools used to work the soil and even bell clappers.
