Traditional Friday market

Italiano

The Traditional Friday market of Barzio is an outdoor market held weekly in Barzio, in Valsassina, on Friday. The marketplace is Parking 2, or P2, near the town center, under Via Roma.[^] For this reason, Parking 2 is also known as the Mercato Parking (Market Parking), or Piazza Mercato Parking (Square Market Parking), although it lacks a specific street sign. Probably already at 7.30 in the morning you can buy, and the market lasts until around one in the afternoon, when the sellers dismantle their stalls. Road signs indicate that it is forbidden to park with forced removal on the whole square on Friday from 6.00 to 15.00.
I copied the name mercato tradizionale del venerdì from two advertising banners that the Municipality of Barzio displays in the summer in a strategic place, along the road that crosses the Valsassina at the entrance to the road that goes up to Barzio. They are at Ponte Folla, in the municipality of Pasturo, at the crossroads of Provincial Road 62 of Valsassina and Provincial Road 64 Prealpina Orobica, ramification Ponte Folla - Barzio. In truth, I believe that hardly anyone adds the traditional adjective to this market or is aware of it.

The traditional Friday market of Barzio consists of a series of stalls which become more numerous in July and August. As in many other open-air markets that take place one day a week, the fruit and vegetable stalls attract the largest number of people, then there are others that sell food, cheeses, gastronomy, fish, but there are also many vendors of clothing, household items and more, in short, it is worth a visit. In fact, the market is very popular, especially in the summer, and also a reference point for the towns bordering the beautiful mountain tourist resort.[^][^]

The market stalls

The glance you have in the summer, coming down from Pasticceria Passoni in Via Roma towards the Friday market, is really pleasant, between two rows of stalls, so many people in the middle, up to the bottom of the parking lot.
Going down the ramp, someone immediately asks you to sign in favor of the fight against something, it will be drugs, perhaps then hazarding a request for money for charity. The first market stall you come across is a florist,[^] which, thanks to the greenery and the aromas of the plants and the colors of its flowers, lilies, chrysanthemums, daisies, puts those who visit the market in a good mood. Below, you will find sellers of shoes, clothing and underwear, and others of steel pots, mugs and more for the home.[^] In the middle of the entrance row, after the parking meter at a yellow tower, in July and August the market widens to the right. I remember a seller of wooden housewares, a leather seller and a fruit and vegetable stand run by people with a Bergamo accent;[^] then a candy seller and a toy seller.
Returning to the main row of the outdoor market,[^] in the bottom of the parking area, from the uneven surface and repaired by trees, with a view of Fiumetta Valley, its pedestrian area and Tensile structure, there is a fruit and vegetable stall. Right away, another of a woman from "La Fiorita" Berghem farm. Nives, sometimes helped by her young blond children, sells cheeses, such as Bergamo and goat formagella, salami and rolled bacon, produced on her own by about fifty cows in Dalmine and by goats in Artavaggio. At the end of the car park, the fish and fried fish van always has a queue of people because it offers good quality products, appetizing rings, anchovies, cod among others. [^] Friday is the right day to sell fish because Barzio follows the tradition of Christian origin that on this day of the week no meat is eaten in memory of the death of Jesus; fish can also be found in food stores in the country. Next, to the delight of the children, candies!

Doing wrong to other stalls that I do not know directly, I go up the Friday market of Barzio in the second main row, where on the corner there is a large fruit and vegetable stall.[^] Near the bar that divides P2 from P3, always on the right, two more fruit and vegetable stalls,[^] confirming that these are the main products of each market because they are consumed every day and spoil quickly, alternating with two vans, a deli with spit-roasted chickens and chips, and cheese.[^] Finally, other stalls of household items, a honey seller and one who with a microphone entertains those who pass by showing the validity of cleaning products.

There will be more than fifty market stalls in the summer. As a whole, the street market in Barzio offers good quality products. The traders come from the area, Valsassina and the province of Lecco, some are from the nearby province of Bergamo and Brianza.

The Friday market for Barzio and for me

The traditional Friday market in Barzio is an event that animates the town in all seasons. For the market many people come from neighboring countries, Cremeno, Maggio, Cassina, Moggio, and even from the whole valley, the economy, in particular bars, grocery stores and the pharmacy, benefits. The weekly outdoor market, as it happens everywhere, is a meeting place and a way to spend an hour of the morning, which goes beyond the need to buy. Sometimes, we are surprised to meet old acquaintances, and to exchange a few words.[^]

In the non-summer period, in which the village is empty on weekdays, the arrival of the market is the awakening to life, which anticipates the weekend, when Barzio, in good weather, will be frequented for the beauty of its mountains and for the skiing at Piani di Bobbio.

I too, like so many barziesi (inhabitants from Barzio), villagers, vacationers, tourists, do not miss a trip to the Barzio market on Friday, even postponing walks or trips to other days, or to the afternoon. I spend some time among people, I buy fruit, eggs, cheeses, salami and honey.

References

1. Mauro Vezzoli (21 July 2016). "Summer 2016 also begins with a photo of P2 and its no parking sign on Friday 6.00-15.00 on the whole market square!". In Estate and P2 (Piazza del Mercato). [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
2. Mauro Vezzoli (5 August 2011- ). "Mercato tradizionale del venerdì di Barzio". [Google Photos album]. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
3. Mauro Vezzoli. "Mercato tradizionale del venerdì di Barzio". [Flickr album]. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
4. Mauro Vezzoli (26 June 2015). "The florist's stand at the start of the Friday market in Barzio.". In In giro per Barzio and Mercato tradizionale del venerdì di Barzio. [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
5. Mauro Vezzoli (3 July 2015). "Stalls on the right side at the beginning of the market, with household items such as pots and cups.". In Estate and Mercato tradizionale del venerdì di Barzio. [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
6. Mauro Vezzoli (24 July 2015). "The fruit and vegetable stall along the small street of Località Cesura, at the Friday market. The managers are from Bergamo, it seems to me from Almenno. They come to Barzio only in the months of July and August. The fruit is often ripe, it must be eaten immediately, the prices are low. Smooth melons are very sweet.". In Estate, Mercato tradizionale del venerdì di Barzio and P2 (Piazza del Mercato). [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
7. Mauro Vezzoli (24 July 2015). "A flood of people at the traditional Friday market. The beautiful and hot weather of this July has helped to bring tourists up to the mountains, many of which reside permanently in the summer in Valsassina, owners of a second home or rented one.". In In giro per Barzio. [Facebook photo]. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
8. Mauro Vezzoli (3 July 2015). "Always lots of people at Il Fritto - Il Fresco, the van that sells fish at the end of the Friday market. Mum likes fried cod, which is a bit expensive.". In In giro per Barzio. [Facebook photo]. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
9. Mauro Vezzoli (3 July 2015). "The fruit and vegetable counter at the corner of the Barzio's market, where I usually shop. The quality of the seasonal products, grapes, figs, cherries, peaches, plums, apricots, is good and the price is quite low. The exhibitors are from the valley, cool, and stock up in the area. Eggs are great.". In In giro per Barzio and Mercato tradizionale del venerdì di Barzio. [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
10. Mauro Vezzoli (5 August 2011). "View of the Barzio market, with a customer paying at the fruit and vegetable stall that precedes Renzo Formaggi.". In In giro per Barzio. [Facebook photo]. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
11. Mauro Vezzoli (5 August 2011). "'Il Formagiat' serves tourists from his van. The Friday market is the weekly appointment in Barzio which cannot be missed by villagers and vacationers.". In In giro per Barzio and Mercato tradizionale del venerdì di Barzio. [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
12. Mauro Vezzoli (3 July 2015). "Women talking at the Barzio market.". In Estate and Mercato tradizionale del venerdì di Barzio. [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 23 August 2017.

Fiumetta stream

Italiano

The Fiumetta is a stream that runs down from the coast of Monte Orscellera in Valsassina to flow after very few kilometers into Pioverna Orientale (Eastern Pioverna) stream, flowing entirely in the Municipality of Barzio; its notoriety comes from crossing the town center.[^] The regime is irregular, the water flows during rains and is exhausted after a few days.

Along the course of the stream, in the riverbed or beside it, or on bridges that cross it, the Municipality of Barzio has placed a series of yellow signs authorizing discharge, as it does for other waterways in the country, most they can be read looking towards the valley. They are also useful for identifying the presence of a torrent in the covered sections. The format of the signs is Comune di BARZIO autorizzazione allo scarico n. 135 del 22.03.2006 scarico n. 2.X valle name (Municipality of BARZIO authorization to discharge n. 135 on 22.03.2006 discharge n. 2.X name Valley), where X is a number. For the Fiumetta, scarico n. 2.X valle Fiumetta (discharge n. 2.X Fiumetta Valley).

La Fiumetta in the country

The Fiumetta stream comes from the mountain descending steeply along the edge of some houses in Via Valtorta and passes under a bridge, where it feeds the municipal wash house. It continues steeply along Via Rena between two walls about two meters apart, discharge n. 2.8 and discharge n. 2.9. Near the rear of the building in Piazza Garibaldi 11 (Locanda di Mirò), the watercourse goes underground. An upstream branch of the stream crosses Via per Concenedo (discharge 2.1 Fiumetta valley) before a high condominium and descends channeled in the right side of Via Rena to join the main waterway under the square. In Piazza Garibaldi, at the corner of Via Francesca Manzoni, you will find the yellow sign Municipality of BARZIO authorization to discharge n. 135 on 22.03.2006 discharge n. 2.2 Fiumetta Valley. The Fiumetta crosses Piazza Garibaldi under the houses of street numbers 13-21, to exit a few meters later at the beginning of the pedestrian area along Valle Fiumetta.
Two documents on maintenance work carried out in the square in the first half of the nineteenth century, when it was still the Piazza Comunale, hand down to us how two technicians called the watercourse. In 1829, the expert Bartolomeo Combi in his report calls the stream la fiume (the river), with feminine gender and in lowercase. In 1842, for the engineer Paolo Scandella it was the Fiumicella.[^][^] The stream flowed uncovered in the square, and a bridge connected it to Via Francesca Manzoni, until the 1930s when it was buried.

La Fiumetta, as the watercourse is called by barziesi (inhabitants of Barzio), runs along the first section of the pedestrian area to the right, while to the left there are some houses. Its course is rather steep, observable from Via Roma, between Bar Gelateria Châlet (discharge 2.7) and Piccolo Bar.[^] The stream continues passing under Via Martiri Patrioti Barziesi, where towards the mountain it can clearly see between the end of the first houses of the street and the bus stop coming from Lecco.[^] In the direction of the valley (on the same pole, discharge 2.3 and 2.4[^]), the river goes down closed between two walls (discharge 2.5), going decidedly to the left where the Fiumetta Valley widens in plan for a hundred meters,[^] between P2 (Market Square) and Tensile structure (discharge 2.6, 2.10 with 2.11[^]). In 2023, the overgrown valley meadow[^] was cleared for an artificial bicycle amusement track, which has a couple of names in English pump track & skill park. At the end of the pedestrian area created along its route, the torrente Fiumetta flows between P3 and the playground at the tensile structure;[^] in Via Provinciale, at the entrance-exit of the parking lot, it is observable towards the mountain from a bridge with white railings.

The Fiumetta can be heard flowing in the town when there are heavy rains due to the speed with which it descends into the town.[^][^] As far as I know, the stream water has never created any problems or damage.

Last course of the stream

Beyond Via Provinciale, Fiumetta continues almost flat and hidden, it flows near Conca Rossa with a curved, free and wide bed. Here it collects the waters of the stream that comes from Cremeno, Torrente Berniga.[^] Then, it descends into a steep valley with little slope for about a hundred metres, Valle Inscea, skirting locality Coldognetta. After crossing the Provincial Road 64 Prealpina Orobica branch Barzio - Ponte Folla, the Fiumetta torrent flows into the Pioverna Orientale in the locality Mulino di Barzio.

References

1. Mauro Vezzoli (27 June 2012- ). "Torrente Fiumetta". [Google Photos album]. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
2. Oriani, Federico (July 2015). "Le strade di Barzio, trasformazioni e denominazioni tra Sette e Novecento [The streets of Barzio, transformations and denominations between Eighteenth and Twentieth Century]" [PDF File] (in Italian). Doc Player. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
3. Oriani, Federico (July 2015). "Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi". In 2 - Viabilità urbana barziese [2 - Urban roads of Barzio]. Le strade di Barzio, trasformazioni e denominazioni tra Sette e Novecento [The streets of Barzio, transformations and denominations between Eighteenth and Twentieth Century] [PDF File] (in Italian). Comune di Barzio. pp. 36-39. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
4. Mauro Vezzoli (8 July 2014). "July 2014 is really very rainy. The Fiumetta swells of the waters coming from the Monte Orscellera and flows strongly downstream. The Torrente Fiumetta photo album is in Google Photos in my account. In Blogger a post describes the flow of the stream in Barzio, published on June 28, 2015, modified in September 2017 and in September 2019.". In In giro per Barzio. [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
5. Mauro Vezzoli (29 July 2014). "Continue July 2014 with heavy rains. After the full on 8 July, another on 29 July, even stronger. The Fiumetta stream flows downstream with great speed, taken from the bridge of Via Martiri Patrioti Barziesi.". In In giro per Barzio. [Facebook photo]. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
6. Mauro Vezzoli (22 August 2013). "The pedestrian area from Via Martiri Patrioti Barziesi with the concrete walkway, the stream, the road sign and the two yellow signs of the municipality of Barzio, discharge authorization n. 135 of 22.03.06 discharge n. 2.3 valle Fiumetta and under discharge 2.4.". In giro per Barzio. [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
7. Mauro Vezzoli (2 April 2013). "The Fiumetta stream at the beginning of April, it is cold and there is still snow. I return to Barzio for the last 'wintry' of my long season of ascents to Piani di Bobbio. The bare landscape allows to admire the valley of the stream on the slope below the Parking 2.". In Area pedonale lungo la Valle Fiumetta, In giro per Barzio, Primavera and Torrente Fiumetta. [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
8. Mauro Vezzoli (1 September 2017). "The two signs of the discharge authorization of the Municipality of Barzio, 2.10 and 2.11 Valle Fiumetta, under Parking 2. The sign 2.11 is above 2.10. I take this photograph because I am rewriting the text of the photo albums I published on Blogger, Pedestrian area along the Valle Fiumetta and Torrente Fiumetta. Now a photographer only on rare occasions because I realized that it is almost impossible to be able to give the right place to the ones I have.". In Estate and Torrente Fiumetta. [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
9. Mauro Vezzoli (27 June 2012). "Third photo of Valle Fiumetta in Barzio taken at four in the afternoon of 27 June 2012. The pedestrian street for Via Martiri Patrioti Barziesi from P3.". In Area Pedonale lungo la Valle Fiumetta, Estate and Torrente Fiumetta. [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
10. Mauro Vezzoli (27 June 2012). "Torrente and Valle Fiumetta with the background of the Tensile structure tent. With dad and mom I spend my 2012 summer vacation in Barzio. It is the second year, after Riccardo bought a house in Via Milano 30 at the end of summer 2010. I get the idea of photographing the streets and places of Barzio to have a memory of the country and the days gone by, which will last several years. In the same way I concentrate on the Grignone, photographing paths, huts, mountain pastures, locality and other views. Last year my goal was to climb the most significant mountains of Valsassina.". In Estate and Torrente Fiumetta. [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
11. Mauro Vezzoli (8 July 2014). "The course and the water of the Fiumetta along the pedestrian area after so much rain. The sound of water against the walls of its bed impresses, a stream that is generally calm or without water.". In In giro per Barzio. [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
12. Mauro Vezzoli (10 September 2017). " Even a video of the stream that runs through the center of Barzio. We have to wait until September 10th to see so much rain in a summer that is lacking in rainfall. You can hear the water flowing because of the great speed with which the Fiumetta falls and slams into its bed channeled into the cement and between the houses.". In giro per Barzio. [Facebook video]. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
13. Oriani, Federico (July 2015). "Odonimi-toponimi [Odonyms-toponyms]". In 6 – Dai toponimi agli odonimi [6 - From toponyms to odonyms]. Le strade di Barzio, trasformazioni e denominazioni tra Sette e Novecento [The streets of Barzio, transformations and denominations between Eighteenth and Twentieth Century] [PDF File] (in Italian). Comune di Barzio. p 170. Retrieved 1 September 2017.

Pedestrian area along Valle Fiumetta

Italiano

The pedestrian area along Valle Fiumetta at Barzio in Valsassina runs along Fiumetta stream for about four hundred meters, from Via Roma, few meters below Piazza Garibaldi, to Parking 3 (Tensile structure) or P3.[^] The pedestrian area does not have a proper name, so I can dedicate it to Luca, the dear cousin from Turin who died prematurely in September 2019. The pedestrian path along the Fiumetta was designed to shorten the distances for those who travel on foot, in the direction of the town center, Via Martiri Patrioti Barziesi, the parking lots and Via Milano. The first section, from Via Roma to Via Martiri Patrioti Barziesi, which is quite wide, has been around for many years; pedestrian crossing, where there is the main bus stop in Barzio for buses to Lecco and Taceno, connect it to the second. The pedestrian area is not particularly attractive; it is illuminated by poles, each pole has a vase of flowers, in summer they are geraniums.[^]

From Via Roma to Via Martiri Patrioti Barziesi

Next to Piccolo Bar in Via Roma, the pedestrian area goes down steeply with an S-curve, just where La Fiumetta emerges from the underground stretch of Piazza Garibaldi.[^] Above is the outline of Chalet Bar Gelateria, address Piazza Garibadi 1, surrounded by a green garden, which has a splendid exotic tree; a secondary gate to the garden warns with a plaque Beware of the dog.[^]
The street reserved for pedestrians is large, the floor is made up of large light-colored tiles. The distance of the curve is facilitated by steps, which occupy the widest part of its width.[^] The pedestrian street continues then almost straight with a slope that gradually decreases. Beside, on the right, it is a narrow bed with four benches,[^] on which no one sits, while on the left, next to houses, the stream flows protected by railings interspersed with concrete.[^] You will soon arrive at the intersection of Via Martiri Patrioti Barziesi and to the pedestrian crossing.

This part of the area is quite popular, a shortcut between the town center and Via Martiri Patrioti Barziesi, and vice versa.

From Via Martiri Patrioti Barziesi to Parking 3 (Tensile structure)

The pedestrian area along the Fiumetta beyond Via Martiri Patrioti Barziesi is much narrower, there is space for two people. You meet people on the market day. The bottom is in rough concrete, certainly not the best flooring for walking. In November 2020, at a cost of 35,000 euros, a new synthetic flooring in marble grit was installed, draining and anti-slip.[^][^]

At the intersection with Martiri Patrioti Barziesi, on a pole is a sign that indicating the pedestrian area and other two yellow signs. The first one is Comune di Barzio authorization to drain n. 135 of 22.03.2006 drain n. 2.3 valle Fiumetta, and the second one, with the same writing but drain 2.4.[^]
The pedestrian driveway along the Fiumetta follows the sinuous path of the little river, which descends gently to the right, imprisoned by two walls in an obscure depth of three metres. For protection there is a black metal railing with horizontal bars. On the left, there is an 80s-style apartment building and its garden, on the right, the garden of other houses. After about 100 meters, on the left, at an old stone lodge, a dirty path goes to P2 (Market Square), about ten meters long; in front, isolated, there is a three-storey house with balconies inhabited by vacationers, Località Cesura 1. After a few meters, Via Clemente Buzzoni intersects, joined by a bridge over the stream.[^][^] Via Buzzoni ends in Via Milano, at the end of the oratory straight, just beyond the Banca Popolare di Sondrio.

With a more open view and the Fiumetta returned to the left for those who walk downhill, you arrive at a small valley with a lawn* and a group of isolated plants[^] which descends from the lower part of Parking 2. Continue to the wooden kiosk with the bar of the Tensile structure, to finish, after a last crossing of the Fiumetta,[^] to P3.

* In 2023, those who walk on the pedestrian path along the Fiumetta stream no longer enjoy the natural environment of the stream because the valley has been leveled, but observe the new Pump track & Skill park of Barzio,[^] in a nutshell an artificial track with bumps and curves for bikes, roller skates, scooters.

References

1. "45.944913,9.4666936,336". Google Maps. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
2. Mauro Vezzoli (13 August 2007- ). "Area pedonale lungo la Valle Fiumetta". [Google Photos album]. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
3. Mauro Vezzoli (28 June 2015). From Via Roma, the beginning of the pedestrian area in steep descent with the steps. In September 2019 I dedicated this pedestrian path to Luca after his untimely death.". In Area pedonale lungo la Valle Fiumetta and Estate. [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
4. Mauro Vezzoli (2 August 2014). "The elegant and characteristic building of Piazza Garibaldi 1 from the pedestrian street; on the first floor there is the Châlet Gelateria Cremeria, which is at ground level in Piazza Garibaldi. A plaque on the green gate of its well-kept garden warns Beware of the dog.". In Area pedonale lungo la Valle Fiumetta and Estate. [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
5. Mauro Vezzoli (24 August 2013). "The hairpin bend of the pedestrian street before Via Roma; in the background the exotic tree, genus Araucaria, of the Chalet Bar's garden. The ascent is facilitated by spacious steps.". In In giro per Barzio. [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
6. Mauro Vezzoli (9 September 2014). "The four wooden benches along the pedestrian area between Via Martiri Patrioti Barziesi and Via Roma. Rarely someone sits.". In In giro per Barzio. [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
7. Mauro Vezzoli (8 July 2014). "July 2014 is really very rainy. The Fiumetta swells of the waters coming from the Monte Orscellera and flows strongly downstream. The Torrente Fiumetta photo album is in Google Photos in my account. In Blogger a post describes the flow of the stream in Barzio, published on June 28, 2015, modified in September 2017 and in September 2019.". In Area pedonale lungo la Valle Fiumetta, Estate, In giro per Barzio and Torrente Fiumetta. [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
8. Editorial board (7 November 2020). "Barzio: interventi al cimitero e al vialetto pedonale della Fiumetta [Barzio: interventions on the cemetery and on the pedestrian path of the Fiumetta]". Valsassina News (In Italian). Retrieved 15 June 2021.
9. Mauro Vezzoli (26 August 2021). "How beautiful it is to walk in Barzio on the new synthetic marble grit flooring of the pedestrian walkway.". In Area pedonale lungo la Valle Fiumetta and Estate. [Google Photos Video]. Retrieved 26 August 2021.
10. Mauro Vezzoli (22 August 2013). "The pedestrian area from Via Martiri Patrioti Barziesi with the concrete walkway, the stream, the road sign and the two yellow signs of the municipality of Barzio, discharge authorization n. 135 of 22.03.06 discharge n. 2.3 valle Fiumetta and under discharge 2.4.". In In giro per Barzio. [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
11. Mauro Vezzoli (14 January 2013). "In mid-January 2013 I decide to spend a few days in the village in Valsassina that is dear to us, located about 800 meters above sea level. With my scarce but effective pocket machine Sony DSC-W510 I photograph the pedestrian area from the bridge over the Fiumetta torrent that joins it to Via Clemente Buzzoni. In winter the bare vegetation leaves the view to the landscape and to the distances.". In Area pedonale lungo la Valle Fiumetta and Inverno. [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
12. Mauro Vezzoli (1 July 2015). "The pedestrian street along the Fiumetta Valley with the series of electricity poles and the green house on Via Buzzoni. Never that I take a picture with people!". In In giro per Barzio. [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
13. Mauro Vezzoli (2 April 2013). "The Fiumetta stream at the beginning of April, it is cold and there is still snow. I return to Barzio for the last 'winter' of my long season of ascents to Piani di Bobbio. The landscape is bare and allows to admire the valley of the stream on the slope below the Parking 2.". In In giro per Barzio. [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
14. Mauro Vezzoli (14 January 2013). "Beautiful picture with winter light bridge over the Fiumetta stream for parking 3 of Barzio". In In giro per Barzio. [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
15. Mauro Vezzoli (2 August 2023). "The bicycle track next to the parking lots is the new attraction of Barzio. Tourists walking along the pedestrian path of the creek stop to observe the many children and young people running around on the pump track. In the meadow of Valle Fiumetta demolished by bulldozers, where there was a small group of trees, a solitary birch remains, perhaps not cut down because it is on private land.". In Area pedonale lungo la Valle Fiumetta, Estate and Pump track & Skill park di Barzio. [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 2 August 2023.

Tensile structure

Italiano

The tensile structure of Barzio is a covered space approximately thirty meters long and a dozen wide, which the Municipality of Barzio[^] set up in 2006[^] to host events just three hundred meters from the town center. The property is located in a fenced flat area between Fiumetta stream and Via Provinciale in front of Parking 3. The tensile structure has no proper name. In the advertising billboards of the municipality, the covered space is the Tensostruttura, in capital letters, with the common noun becoming a proper noun, or Tensostruttura of Barzio. It is probably not possible to translate while maintaining the assonance of Italian as Tensostructure. The complex includes a bar, right at the entrance in a wooden house, known as kiosk, open every day in summer, which has outdoor tables and umbrellas, and, beyond the tensile structure, a playground, a meeting and entertainment place for children, parents, grandparents,[^][^] now with the name of Parco della Fiumetta. The marquee and playground are accessed from P3, walking a few meters along the pedestrian area along Valle Fiumetta, which continues towards the center of Barzio.

The vast area that includes the Piazza Mercato car park, the always free car park bordering the tensile structure, the tensile structure and the playground, the Fiumetta Valley, with the pedestrian driveway and the new track for bikes and scooters to be traveled with push and balance of the body Pump track & skill park is the main meeting point of the town, together with Piazza Garibaldi and Via Roma, the Conca Rossa.

Definition

A tensile structure is a building made of materials held in place by tension alone and no compression or bending. Tensile structures are used to create the roofs of buildings or to create temporary constructions, one reason is the low economic cost.[^] They are relatively recent buildings: it was the Russian engineer Vladimir Shukhov at the end of the nineteenth century who was one of the first to develop practical calculations of stresses and deformations of tensile structures, shells and membranes and to build them. The Tensile structure of Barzio is composed of cables and tie rods that support a fabric cover, stretched, to provide the stable structural support of the building and create an adherent membrane

Space for events

Barzio is a tourist town set in a splendid position at almost eight hundred meters above sea level with a view of the Grigne and the departure station of the cable car to the Piani di Bobbio. In summer, it is populated by Milanese, Brianza, Lecco, Lombard people, who spend their holidays in a cool climate, in their own or rented homes, hotels; the country is also a destination for a one-day tourism and attracts people from all over the valley; in the other seasons, it is popular on weekends.
A country with this tourist vocation is in great need of a place near the center where it can host indoor events for hundreds of people. The pearl of Valsassina has long had a sports hall, which is nothing more than an indoor gym with stands, in località Conca Rossa, a bit far from the center. This is an outdated, not well built structure, not suitable for public entertainment events. So in 2006 this marquee was built with little money, which still resists today. Over time, the tensile structure has proved to be a valid solution because it is economical to manage, of the right size for the number of people participating in the events, has a roof from above and is open on the side; this property allows natural circulation of air while maintaining a cool temperature in summer and at the same time inviting people to enter. Furthermore, it offers organizers and spectators the certainty that the event will not be postponed or canceled because it takes place sheltered from rain and bad weather. Its location is strategic, along Via Provinciale, the main road for those arriving in the village and with lots of parking, Parking 3 and P2 (Market Square). On the side flows the Fiumetta, which after having crossed the center of Barzio in a straight line and with a steep slope, here has a sinuous and almost flat course; so as not to fall down, the small Fiumetta Valley is protected by a fence with a green net, which continues along the playground.[^]

The Barzio tensile structure has a white fabric cover. The orientation is west-east, at the head, towards mountain, there is a permanent stage, the rest is empty, which is filled with rows of chairs before a demonstration, if this requires it. 300 or 400 people can comfortably sit down. On stage music is played, bands have played that propose the hits of famous singers or groups of the past, and dance corps performed. An event that lasts for the months of July and August is the summer cinema, with film screenings in the evening suitable for children. The indoor space is so versatile, that in 2017 and 2018 it even hosted the Italian indoor and outdoor trial championship.

The events are not so numerous and the structure held up by tension alone is almost always empty. Children take advantage of its coverage and shadow, which give free rein to their imagination and creativity, playing with or without the ball,[^] and making friends. Starting from the feast of Sant'Ambrogio, 7 December is the day of the patron saint of Milan, and throughout the winter, the permanent marquee becomes an ice skating rink, in a stand you can rent skates.[^]

Playground

Building a playground next to the permanent marqueee of Barzio was the idea that got this area off the ground, which otherwise would have had an audience only for a few summer evening events. You cannot miss it, because it is located next to the curve of Via Provinciale, separated from the sidewalk by a green fence. The playground is located in a meadow, which climbs towards some villas; next to it there is a strip of asphalt[^] to allow the passage of a vehicle that collects the garbage, which enters through a gate on the provincial road.

The playground is small, there are only two slides, a swing with two seats, a wooden hut, but the children have fun all the same. It remains the only place to spend free time[^] together with the sports fields at the Conca Rossa because the parish oratory of Via Milano is always closed.
There is the castle, a step staircase and a wooden one for climbing arrive at a covered terrace from which you go down with a yellow curved slide, on the ground floor a small table[^] At a lower level than the lawn, there is a vessel with a colored fairing and designed with three anchors, a rudder and a flag above. The ship-shaped slide has two climbs, one is on the net. Under a space to play.[^] Now, what good is it since the slide is gone?
Finally we arrive at the swing, with the red structure, where we will not be able to go back and forth because the seats are only two and always occupied.[^] To play, there is a small wooden house or hut, with a small table inside.[^]

Parents, grandparents, friends can safely observe the behavior of children on wooden benches or benches equipped with a table. The playground is in the sun, there are only five young trees. For water there is a fountain with a button.

Parco della Fiumetta

Years later, in 2023, the playground along the provincial road is arranged and enriched with new structures; according to one definition, it is inclusive because it is accessible to children with mobility difficulties.[^] Now the place has a proper name, it is the Parco della Fiumetta, an area intended for children from 2 to 12 years old.

Kiosk

The tensile structure area is one of the most popular places in the country. At the entrance a prefabricated wooden house was then placed where there is a small restaurant offering ice cream, water, soft drinks, beer, coffee and something to eat. The public place is known as kiosk (in Italian chiosco), Barzio kiosk or kiosk at the tensile structure,[^] the house number is 12, I don't know what it is since the area is not marked with a road sign. In the paved section in front of the bar, tables with umbrellas where to consume, for years with Sammontana Gelati all'italiana (Italian-style ice creams) advertising.[^] In the afternoon, elders gather here to play cards. The bar organizes some themed evenings with typical mountain dishes to attract customers, pizzoccheri, polenta taragna, casoncelli, even to take away.

Future

In 2022, the strategic position and the numerous people who frequent the tensile structure of Barzio, led the municipal administration, led by Giovanni Arrigoni Battaia, to plan a modernization. The goal is to make this space usable all year round thanks to a heating system, more functional for events and exhibitions, and a strategic place in case of disaster. The new tensile structure is a project by the architect Mario Uberti of Cortenova for over one million euros, of which 400 thousand financed by the Lombardy Region,[^] that the Municipality obtained through the call for proposals for urban regeneration.

Note

1. "Comune di Barzio". comune.barzio.lc.it. (in Italian). Retrieved 2 August 2022.
2. Redazione (7 March 2022). "Con 450mila euro Barzio fa rivivere la tensostruttura di via Provinciale [With 450 thousand euros, Barzio revives the tensile structure in via Provinciale]". (in Italian). Lecco Today. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
3. Mauro Vezzoli (22 July 2012- ). "Tensostruttura di Barzio". [Google Photos album]. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
4. Mauro Vezzoli. "Tensostruttura di Barzio". [Flickr album]. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
5. "Tensile structure". Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
6. Mauro Vezzoli (29 August 2014). "Fiumetta flows placidly at the end of August 2014 from the fence of the tensile structure area.". In Estate, Tensostruttura di Barzio and Torrente Fiumetta. [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
7. Mauro Vezzoli (21 June 2015). "Improvised football match on 21 June under the municipality's tent. A tensile structure is a building made of materials that are held in place by tension. Lightweight materials make construction very simple and economical, especially for covering large areas.". In In giro per Barzio. [Facebook photo]. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
8. Mauro Vezzoli (8 December 2015). "Ice skates rental stand next to the wooden house, Tensile structure - Barzio, 8 December 2015.". In Inverno and Tensostruttura di Barzio. [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
9. Mauro Vezzoli (24 August 2013). "The playground along Via Provinciale and next to the permanent tent of the Municipality of Barzio da P3.". In In giro per Barzio and Tensostruttura di Barzio. [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
10. Mauro Vezzoli (29 July 2016). "At the end of July 2016, it is filled with joy that the playground is crowded with children and parents. I comment on the photos of the tensile structure and rewrite the post describing it in my blog Around Barzio in August 2022, spent in the village of Valsassina thanks to Aunt Giuliana who rented an apartment on the same floor as Riccardo.". In In giro per Barzio. [Facebook photo]. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
11. Mauro Vezzoli (29 August 2014). "In my tour of Barzio with the camera of my Samsung SIII phone on the afternoon of 29 August, from the raised lawn I shoot the playground that is part of the space where the tensile structure is, which borders Via Provinciale.". In In giro per Barzio and Tensostruttura di Barzio. [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
12. Mauro Vezzoli (28 June 2015). "The vessel, one of the three attractions of the playground at the Barzio tensile structure. The small construction is nothing more than a slide with the addition of a colorful silhouette and decorations that make it look like a ship.". In Estate, In giro per Barzio and Tensostruttura di Barzio. [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
13. Mauro Vezzoli (21 June 2015). "It is easy and fantastic to photograph on the morning of June 21, 2015 because a clear sun shines in the mountains. Coming down from P2, I stop at the playground of the tensile structure and take a photo that time does not fade, also thanks to the Samsung NX3000 camera, bought last Christmas. Children on the swing and others standing nearby under the watchful eye of the two mothers. ". In In giro per Barzio. [Facebook photo]. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
14. Mauro Vezzoli (21 June 2015). "Wooden playhouse where children can take refuge.". In Estate and Tensostruttura di Barzio. [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
15. (21 April 2023). "Barzio, aperto il parco giochi inclusivo sulla provinciale. Si rivedono i ‘cantonieri volontari’ [Barzio, the inclusive playground on the provincial road is open. The 'voluntary roadmen' are reviewed]". (in Italian). Valsassina News. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
16. (6 July 2022). "Barzio, trovato il gestore per il chiosco alla tensostruttura [Barzio, found the manager for the kiosk at the tensile structure]". (in Italian). Valsassina News. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
17. Mauro Vezzoli (28 June 2015). "Sammontana tables and umbrellas at the kiosk bar of the tensile structure.". In Estate and Tensostruttura di Barzio. [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
18. (16 June 2022). "Barzio: la nuova tensostruttura alla prova della crisi internazionale [Barzio: the new tensile structure to the test of the international crisis]". (in Italian). Valsassina News. Retrieved 2 August 2022.

P3 (Tensile structure)

Italiano

The free parking of Barzio closest to the town center which has many parking spaces is located along Via Provinciale, near a playground and a tent. The car park has a capacity of about 110 cars, the center is no more than 400 meters away. There is usually free space, except on days when everyone goes to Piani di Bobbio and during the peak hours of the Friday market in July and August. Until a few years ago at the entrance to the car park there was a P3 road sign,[^] which identified it as one of the five numbered parking lots in the village, what's its name now?. Parking 3 is adjacent to P2 (Market Square), which is paid on Saturdays and holidays, in July, August and in winter. The two parking lots are divided by a bar, often left open, allowing the transit of vehicles. The parking is in good condition.[^][^]

In front of Parcheggio 3 there is a tensile structure, to which the car park is associated as position, becoming Parking 3 (Tensile structure) or P3 (Tensile structure) or, not wanting to use the old numbering anymore, Parking at the Tensile structure. It is accessed to it by walking a few meters of the pedestrian area along Valle Fiumetta. The tensile structure of Barzio is a tent used in many ways by the Municipality of Barzio,[^] from a play area to a place to host events and evenings; there is also a kiosk bar and the playground for children.

Parking description

In Via Provinciale near a bend, the car park is marked by a blue road sign P. Access to the car park is in two lanes over a bridge on the Fiumetta. Those who leave will find a stop at the intersection with the Provincial Road. Circulation in the parking lot is marked by large arrows on the asphalt.[^]
The parking spaces have the bottom in small rhombus-shaped tiles, empty inside,[^] slightly raised from the road. Small flower beds with beautiful birch trees divide series of parking spaces.

A first part of the car park is almost flat, containing about 30 parking spaces;[^] at the edge, along the house in Via Provinciale, there are beech trees. On the side along the Fiumetta Valley, where there are three splendid specimens of chestnut, a road sign indicates that it is forbidden to park cars, because it is reserved for campers. Of course they only park cars,[^] which were once fined.[^] Before the climb, there is also a small building, with two windows and two boxes closed by wooden doors,[^] on the other side, two other wooden doors; on its wall, house number 1, from who knows what locality. A curve and an uphill stretch lead to the second parking space.[^]

The upper part of Car Park 3 of Barzio is the largest, on a slight slope, with 80 parking spaces.[^] The vehicles go up one-way to the right, surrounded by lime trees, and go down to the left in the same way. At the top, on the left, there is a bar, which divides the free parking of the Tensile structure from the Piazza Mercato car park; a road sign reminds you that P2 is paid and parking is prohibited when holding the Friday market. The barrier is left up, allowing vehicles to move from one parking lot the other,[^] and therefore between Via Roma and Via Provinciale. Near the bar, two places are reserved for vehicles with disabled mark; going down there is a lawn with some wooden steps for the pedestrian who moves between the two parking lots and a beautiful elderberry plant. Then, two other special places, equipped with a charging station for electric vehicles.[^]
The car park borders the Valle Fiumetta, which descended to the stream with an uncultivated meadow. In 2023, the valley was flattened to make way, at a cost of 135,000 euros, for a pump track (and a skill park),[^][^] a circuit of ups and downs and parabolic curves for bicycles, skateboards, scooters, to be covered without pedaling , with only the push of legs and arms.

Conclusion

The parking lot at the tensile structure is a modern design car park, the most used by those who come to the village because it is always free, along Via Provinciale, near the town center. .[^][^] To get there, those who leave the car at P3, walk through the Piazza Mercato park and climb the ramp with a view of the Passoni pastry shop. Usually there is free parking, on Friday it is crowded until full because the weekly market is held in the parking area above.
In Google Maps, Parking 3 of Barzio is simply Parking, which instead marks as Parking P3 Barzio - Piani di Bobbio the parking lot along Via Provinciale two hundred meters away from this, near the Prada condominium, Via Provinciale 15.[^] In OpenStreetMap is P3.[^] In Barzio, place names overlap or even missing its own, this car park testifies to it.
So I tell an anecdote. On 6 August I invited my cousin to celebrate my fiftieth birthday in the mountains at Piani di Bobbio, giving an appointment to P3, thinking about parking at the Tensile structure. Roberto followed the directions of Google Maps, stopping at the Prada condominium, where there was a P3A sign. Arriving early, he stayed with his family in that isolated parking lot for nearly an hour before phoning me.

References

1. Mauro Vezzoli (20 August 2013). "The P3 road sign at the entrance to the Barzio car park in Via Provinciale, 20 August 2013. The sunlight after five in the afternoon is ideal for taking pictures.". In In giro per Barzio and P3 (Tensostruttura). [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
2. Mauro Vezzoli (27 June 2012- ). "P3 (Tensostruttura)". [Google Photos album]. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
3. Mauro Vezzoli. "P3 (Tensostruttura)". [Flickr album]. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
4. "Comune di Barzio". comune.barzio.lc.it. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
5. Mauro Vezzoli (26 July 2013). "The entrance and exit from Parking 3 in Via Provinciale with the two directions of traffic on the asphalt. At the bottom, there is still a lot of room.". In P3 (Tensostruttura). [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
6. Mauro Vezzoli (25 August 2013). "Cars parked in P3 di Barzio.". In Estate and P3 (Tensostruttura). [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
7. Mauro Vezzoli (20 August 2013). "I insist with P3 (Tensile structure), full at five in the afternoon a few days after August 15th. In the summer of 2013 I really worked hard to photograph Barzio and Grignone. It is the third year that I spend my holidays in the renowned town of Valsassina with my parents. They also enjoy being in the mountains.". In In giro per Barzio. [Facebook photo]. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
8. Mauro Vezzoli (28 August 2021). "Also this summer is dedicated to the parking lots in Barzio that I rewrite in my blog with a pair of eyeglasses folded over the black Lenovo laptop while mum sunbathes on the balcony on a deckchair. Places occupied along the Fiumetta of the parking lot near the tensile structure, a sign says that it is forbidden to park except for campers. The Municipality of Barzio seems virtuous, thinks of everything, including campers and electric vehicles to be recharged.". In Estate and P3 (Tensostruttura). [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
9. RedCro (19 August 2021). "Auto in sosta sugli stalli dei camper, a Barzio arrivano le multe [Cars parked on camper stalls, fines arrive in Barzio]". Valsassina News (In Italian). Retrieved 28 August 2021.
10. Mauro Vezzoli (14 January 2013). "Facade of the house with house number 1 inside P3, with two wooden doors as garage shutters and two windows.". In Inverno and P3 (Tensostruttura). [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
11. Mauro Vezzoli (27 June 2013). "The two arrows in P3, left exit, right climb to the top of the parking lot.". In Estate and P3 (Tensostruttura). [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
12. Mauro Vezzoli (20 August 2013). "View of the Barzio Parking 3 with the uphill lane.". In In giro per Barzio and P3 (Tensostruttura). [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
13. Mauro Vezzoli (31 August 2017). "Passage between P3 and P2 left free in 2017.". In Estate and P3 (Tensostruttura). [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
14. Mauro Vezzoli (28 August 2021). "Charging station for electric vehicles with two spaces at P3 di Barzio. I have rarely seen a vehicle charging.". In Estate and P3 (Tensostruttura). [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
15. (3 July 2023). "Piste da Pump Track e Skill: che spettacolo a Barzio! [Pump Track and Skill slopes: what a show in Barzio!]". (in Italian). prima Lecco. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
16. Mauro Vezzoli (27 July 2023). "Cars in the free parking lot, overlooking the new pump track of Barzio. At the beginning of summer 2023, the sloping meadow of Valle Fiumetta was flattened with bulldozers to make way for a track for bikes and wheeled vehicles such as skates and skateboards. A precious natural territory lost forever for an amusement space that can be built elsewhere.". In Estate and P3 (Tensostruttura). [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
17. Mauro Vezzoli (26 July 2013). "On the afternoon of Friday 26 July 2013 the people finally arrived in Barzio. In the upper part of the free parking P3 (Tensile structure), which is the part closest to the town center, it is difficult to find where to put the car. o find where to put the car.". In Estate, In giro per Barzio and P3 (Tensostruttura). [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
18. Mauro Vezzoli (22 February 2015). "Skiers to the car in P3 of return from Piani di Bobbio, Sunday 22 February 2015, the parking lot is full. Early in the morning it was bad weather, so being back in Milan for the Sunday at the market was useless and Dad is not well. Then, the weather opened up and a beautiful day came out.". In In giro per Barzio and P3 (Tensostruttura). [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
19. "Parcheggio P3 Barzio - piani di Bobbio". Google Maps. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
20. "map=17/45.94460/9.46795". OpenStreetMap. Retrieved 28 August 2021.

P2 (Market Square)

Italiano

The largest car park near the town center is located under Via Roma, house numbers 42 and 44, hundred meters away from Piazza Garibaldi, with a capacity of over 100 vehicles, on a slight slope.[^][^] Here it is held the traditional Friday market of Barzio. The parking has been around for a long time,[^] since 2011 it is paid; Via Roma was traced in 1930. Currently, you pay from 08.00 to 20.00, Saturdays and holidays all year round, every day in July and August, just as you pay for parking every day from December 1st to March 31st; beyond 6 hours of parking the rate does not increase. However, the first part of the car park from July 2021 is a one-hour parking disc from 8 in the morning to 8 in the evening, with white stripes, as well as having four spaces reserved for the disabled. In addition, there are stalls for residents only and authorized with mark, recognizable by yellow stripes. The car park is connected to another, free and of the same size, located at a lower ground level; a barrier is between the two parking lots, which is left open.

You pay for parking with cash or credit card at the parking meter located at the entrance, near a yellow tower, where the regulations and cost are on a Municipality of Barzio sign; no change is dispensed. The sign is titled Parcheggio di Piazza Mercato, in English Square Market Parking. The alternative payment method is digital, via application, EasyPark or MoneyGo, or with Telepass.

The parking is poorly maintained, the bottom is uneven with lifting near the trees. The direction of travel in white paint and the blue stripes of the spaces have been redesigned following the recent partial renovation of the car park.

Name

What is the name of the Barzio car park under Via Roma where the Friday market is held? One name is Piazza Mercato Parking, as mentioned above. However, the parking lots in Barzio have been numbered to make it easier for foreigners to find them, especially for the many tourists who go to Piani di Bobbio.

Going up to the village from Via Milano, at the intersection with Via Provinciale, you will find the road sign that I consider most significant, which indicates the disposition of the five numbered car parks. According to this sign, the parking is P2 (Piazza Mercato), in English P2 (Market Square), and the one next to it and further down is P3 (Tensile structure). We deduce that this parking lot can be called P2 or also, as P stands for parking, Parking 2. On advertising posters it is not uncommon to find Parking in front of P2.
For Google Maps, P2 is Parcheggio di Via Roma (Via Roma car park),[^] in OpenStreetMap the proper name is the same, P2.[^]

The two access ramps and the first part of the parking

The car park is accessed via a short but steep one-way descent, between Pasticceria Passoni and the two-story municipal building in Via Roma 42 and 44. The exit is uphill one way from the other side of the building.[^] In the basement of this building, on the side towards P2, there are a number of rooms,[^] including a warehouse of the municipality, those hosting the "Santa Cecilia" band of Barzio,[^] a medical clinic, with a study of a family physician and one of the summer medical services.

The first part of Parcheggio 2 (Piazza Mercato), from July 2021, following the restructuring of the mayor Giovanni Arrigoni Battaia, is free, for 1 hour disc parking from 08.00 to 20.00, with white stripes.[^]. There are fourteen parking spaces, in addition to four places for the disabled[^] and one reserved for staff on duty at the medical. A plane tree and lime trees make shade. Previously, this space was reserved for authorized vehicles with a badge,[^] which have been moved to the lower right half hidden.[^] From the old arrangement, some places remain here on the right along a gray railing of a private property, marked from A to F. A no parking sign warns that there is forced removal on Friday from 6 am to 3 pm on the whole square for the market.[^] In addition, this part acts as a passage to the exit ramp, even during market day.

The old sign of the City of Barzio and the parking meter at the little tower

The car parking for a fee is lower than the first part, at the entrance there is a road sign Ticket, where there is an old and still functioning little tower by Enel, which has a metal door and a window.[^] On a tube attached to this building is a sign of the Municipality of Barzio, with the regulation and parking rates, which are extremely cheap. Beside, there is the parking meter, which delivers the ticket to be exposed on the car.
The text of the sign is as follows, translated in English (July was covered with a black stripe):[^]

Comune di Barzio
PARKING OF PIAZZA MERCATO
From April 01 to November 30 paid parking from 08.00 to 20.00 on the following days: Saturday, Sunday and holidays.
From July 1 to August 31 daily paid parking from 08.00 to 20.00.
TARIFFS
€ 0.50 up to 1 hour of parking
€ 1.50 up to 2 hours of parking
€ 2.00 up to 3 hours of parking
€ 3.00 up to 4 hours of parking
€ 4.00 up to 5 hours of parking
€ 5.00 up to 6 hours of parking
over 6 hours of parking € 6.00
It works with coins of:
€ 0.05 € 0.10 € 0.20 € 0.50 € 1.00 € 2.00
ATTENTION, THE PARK METER DOES NOT GIVE THE CHANGE
In case of necessity call the following number: 335 7615399
It is strictly forbidden to park in a different way than that prescribed by horizontal signage.
Violators will be subject to sanctions pursuant to art. 157 paragraph 5 of cds
Expose the ticket clearly on the dashboard inside the car

This sign refers to the non-winter season. Probably, another one is exhibited from December to March.

Unique sign for all seasons and payment via smartphone

In 2023, the cost of parking for up to 1 hour was increased to €1.00 and payment was restored every day in July. The new sign indicates the regulation both for the non-winter season and for the winter one, 1 December - 31 March, during which you pay every day. A significant new feature is that parking can be paid for without cash or credit card via mobile phone with the two applications EasyPark[^] and MooneyGo[^], which are added to the already active Telepass. Those who are familiar with this technology have the advantage that they no longer have to look for the nearest parking meter, nor display the traditional paper ticket, and extend their stay without having to return to the car.[^]

I copy the information from the sign, which is not arranged in the best way.[^]

Comune di Barzio
PARKING OF PIAZZA MERCATO
PAYMENT PARKING
SATURDAY, SUNDAY AND HOLIDAYS ALWAYS
FROM 08.00 TO 20.00

EVERYDAY

From July 1st to August 31st every day
From April 1st to June 30th and from September 1st to November 30th: Saturday and holidays
€ 1.00 up to 1 hour of parking
€ 1.50 up to 2 hours of parking
€ 2.00 up to 3 hours of parking
€ 3.00 up to 4 hours of parking
€ 4.00 up to 5 hours of parking
€ 5.00 up to 6 hours of parking
€ 6.00 over 6 hours of parking

From December 1st to March 31st every day
€ 1.00 up to 1 hour of parking
€ 1.50 up to 2 hours of parking
€ 2.00 up to 3 hours of parking
€ 5.00 up to 4 hours of parking
€ 10.00 up to 5 hours of parking
€ 15.00 up to 6 hours of parking
over 6 hours of parking € 20.00

ATTENTION, THE PARK METER DOES NOT GIVE THE CHANGE

It is strictly forbidden to park in a different way than that prescribed by horizontal signage.
Violators will be subject to sanctions pursuant to art. 157 paragraph 5 of cds
Expose the ticket clearly on the dashboard inside the car

The Municipality of Barzio warns that the parking in Piazza Mercato is always paid on Saturdays and holidays, redundantly on Sundays and holidays, as if people did not know that Sunday is a holiday. To find out the rates, however, you must read the complete regulation under Everyday, which specifies in which period, the other days (Monday to Friday), are subject to charges. The paid timetable is always 12 hours, from 8 in the morning to 8 in the evening, even if this information remains above Tutti Giorni. The rows do not comply with the header of the columns, Periodi and Tariffe (Periods and Rates). The sign is wrong because it informs you to always display the ticket on the dashboard, even for applications that do not issue it.

It should also be noted that, one, the rates beyond 3 hours of parking are much more expensive in winter. This is because the municipality takes advantage of the need for parking for many hours of tourists who love the snow up at Piani di Bobbio, or this maneuver is intended to discourage long-term parking. Two, for any period of the year, beyond 6 hours of parking, the cost for the motorist does not increase based on the length of stay.

Parking with blue and yellow lines

The Parking 2 of Barzio widens after the yellow turret by Enel, on the asphalt some white arrows indicate the direction of travel, which is slightly downhill. To get out, vehicles have to drive through the parking lot, about 50 meters, and go up it. The parking spaces of this part of the parking lot, public and for a fee, are delimited by blue stripes, in a perpendicular direction to the main direction of travel, apart from the latter at the bottom. There are numerous trees of a certain size, mostly lime trees.[^] On the right there are 27 yellow-striped places for residents and authorized persons with badge, and two equipped with a charging station for electric vehicles. The lower part of the parking lot, and to the right, is surrounded by a railing with two white horizontal bars now oxidized to protect from the inclined meadow of the Valle Fiumetta below, about ten meters deep, a natural environment[^] canceled forever in 2023 by the municipal administration led by Giovanni Arrigoni Battaia to make way for a bike track, the Pump track & skill park of Barzio.[^] From the ideal balcony, where it is easy to place your foot incorrectly because there is a sloping gap on the ground, you can see the pedestrian area along Valle Fiumetta and Fiumetta stream, the tensile structure and its playground. On the right, very close, there is the white house with three floors plus attic in Località Cesura 1, accessible by a small road as wide as a sidewalk bordering the parking lot. From it a path branches off for about ten meters, which leads to the pedestrian area in close proximity to Via Clemente Buzzoni.

From Parcheggio di Piazza Mercato, vehicles can get off at Parking 3 because the barrier that divides them remains raised; crossing the two car parks thus becomes a passage between Via Roma and Via Provinciale, and vice versa; from 2020, there is even an arrow pointing to Lecco towards P3,[^] as well as another at the end of the parking lot. Those who walk can go from one parking lot to another next to the barrier, even if it is closed, or along wooden steps on a small sloping lawn.[^]

State of parking and use

Barzio's Parking 2 or P2 or Market Parking is poorly preserved, its conversion to toll parking was not supported by investment in urban furniture and flooring, and ordinary maintenance is not done. The information is lacking, if not contradictory, there is no street sign with the name.
The asphalt of the parking is poor, rough and uneven,[^] there are bumps at the trees.[^] The signage on the asphalt, at least that one, has been redone after years. Parking spaces are not tiled and no space between one and the other, the slope of the parking lot is not adequately controlled. Paradoxically, although the free parking spaces P3, P4 and P5 are better maintained and modern.

The paid parking lot in the high season for Barzio fills up on winter weekends when it has snowed or there is a lot of snow on the Piani di Bobbio, when there is no longer a free parking space in the village,[^] and a few days in August. In fact, it is natural that motorists prefer the free parking below. P2, assuming that in 2021 it is still called that, is sometimes empty even on days when it is free because the tourist is not aware that there is no payment. On the other hand, the recently created parking spaces with parking discs are very used, because it is convenient to find free parking for a short stop very close to the shops.

Conclusion

The large area of Square Market Parking is extremely functional and versatile for the town of Valsassina pleasantly situated in front of the Northern Grigna. A few years ago, as in many places, the parking in the center became a fee. This solution allows tourists to find parking, and with an hourly rate that is really low, one euro per hour. However, the Municipality of Barzio[^] badly manages the large parking lot near the center, which for many is the place of the first impact with the country, which has one of its main resources in proximity tourism. The money available to the municipality is scarce. For many years, furniture and flooring have been left to go, without any control of the payment of the tariff.

Numbered parkings of Barzio

Barzio needs thousands of parking spaces due to the large number of skiers and tourists heading to the Piani di Bobbio on weekends and winter holidays.[^] Five parking areas have been numbered, P1, P2, P3, P4 and P5. Consequently, each car park is associated with a binomial, its natural position, known by those who already frequent the town, and the number. To identify it, one can favor one or the other form, or highlight both. The use of the numbering of the parking lots was put asideby the latest municipal administrations.

At the entrance to the town coming from the valley where Pasturo is located, in Via Provinciale at the intersection with Via Milano, a large sign with a blue background informs about the five parking lots, P1 and P2 on the left, P3, P4 and P5 straight following the half-curve. For each parking there is the type, paid or free, and two light signals operating in the winter season, one green and one red, that is, free or complete:

• P1 Cable car for a fee. It is the large car park at the departure of Barzio - Piani di Bobbio cable car, in La Piazza locality.
• P2 Market square for a fee.
• P3 Tensile Structure free.
• P4 Sports Hall free. It is in Provincial Street, near to Conca Rossa locality.
• P5 Cinema free. It is in Via Roma in front of the old cinema.

Under the parking lots P2, P3, P4 and P5 you can read Transfer by shuttle on holidays, implying transfer to the departure of the Barzio - Piani di Bobbio cable car. It is also true that, the bus for the cable car that circulates in the country for hikers, tourists and skiers is also available on Saturdays.

In Via Martiri Patrioti Barziesi, at the crossroads of the Via Milano roundabout, there are three direction road signs: P1 (blue background, payment), P2 (orange background, free) and P3 (green background, free). Under P2 and P3, Shuttle Bus on Holidays and Days before Holidays.[^] The signs are therefore prior to 2011, when P2 became payment.

References

1. Mauro Vezzoli (5 June 2005- ). "P2 (Piazza Mercato)". [Google Photos album]. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
2. Mauro Vezzoli. "P2 (Piazza Mercato)". [Flickr album]. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
3. Mauro Vezzoli (10 August 2009). "Cars get off at the free parking lot which is mostly full. Also this year, do not miss a trip to Barzio. We don't go on vacation, but in August we travel to the mountains and the cool, leaving Milan for a day. Traveling without traffic is really nice.". In Estate and P2 (Piazza Mercato). [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
4. "Parcheggio di Via Roma". Google Maps. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
5. "map=18/45.94441/9.46774". OpenStreetMap. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
6. Mauro Vezzoli (14 January 2013). "A glimpse of the municipal building of Via Roma and the parking exit ramp.". In Inverno and P2 (Piazza Mercato). [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
7. Mauro Vezzoli (3 August 2014). "The exit from P2 with the entire facade of the building in Via Roma 42-44. I photograph, in this rainy summer that I spend as is now customary in Barzio with my parents, with my Samsung GT-I9300 mobile phone.". In In giro per Barzio and P2 (Piazza Mercato). [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
8. "Corpo Musicale Santa Cecilia di Barzio". bandabarzio.it (In Italian). Retrieved 26 August 2017.
9. Mauro Vezzoli (24 August 2021). "The first part of P2 (Piazza Mercato) has become a 1 hour parking disc, from 08.00 to 20.00, an area bordered by white stripes. You can also park on Friday, the market day. Previously, the spaces were in yellow stripes reserved for authorized vehicles.". In Estate, In giro per Barzio and P2 (Piazza Mercato). [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
10. Mauro Vezzoli (24 August 2021). "Four disabled spaces at the beginning of the car park and the exit lane that runs alongside the municipal building. Before the renovation, the car spaces were 2.". In Estate and P2 (Piazza Mercato). [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
11. Mauro Vezzoli (21 June 2015). "The yellow numbered spaces 15 and 14 for authorized vehicles with a badge at the beginning of Parking 2.". In In giro per Barzio and P2 (Piazza Mercato). [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
12. Mauro Vezzoli (24 August 2021). "In July 2021, the municipal administration of Barzio of the mayor Giovanni Arrigoni Battaia, moved the parking spaces in Piazza Mercato for residents and authorized persons with a badge inside the paid parking lot, i.e. in the lower part, on the right.". In Estate and P2 (Piazza Mercato). [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
13. Mauro Vezzoli (21 July 2016). "Summer 2016 also begins with a photo of P2 and its no parking sign on Friday 6.00-15.00 on the whole market square!". In In giro per Barzio. [Foto di Facebook]. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
14. Mauro Vezzoli (27 June 2013). "The old ocher colored ENEL turret, which precedes the parking cash desk.". In Estate and P2 (Piazza Mercato). [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
15. Mauro Vezzoli (24 August 2021). "Returning to Barzio after two months, the changes to the Piazza Mercato car park made at the beginning of July 2021 force me to rewrite my piece P2 (Piazza Mercato) on Blogger. As in the summer of 2015, I photograph the parking meter and the sign with the rates, in which July was canceled, because the parking near the town center is paid every day only in August.". In Estate, In giro per Barzio and P2 (Piazza Mercato). [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
16. Easy Park". easypark.com. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
17. "MooneyGo". mooneygo.it. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
18. Redazione (7 April 2023). "Barzio più digitale: il parcheggio si paga con EasyPark e MooneyGo [Barzio more digital: parking is paid with EasyPark and MooneyGo]". (in Italian). Lecco Today. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
19. Mauro Vezzoli (19 July 2023). "July 2023, new Parking sign in Piazza Mercato, with rates for both the non-winter and winter seasons. The first hour of parking costs €1.00, from 1 December to 31 March parking for more than three hours costs much more. You can pay for parking without cash or credit card with the EasyPark and Mooneygo applications, as well as Telepass, where you save money by paying only for the actual parking minutes.". In Estate, In giro per Barzio and P2 (Piazza Mercato). [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
20. Mauro Vezzoli (27 June 2013). "The lime trees that shade the cars in P2.". In Estate and P2 (Piazza Mercato). [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
21. Mauro Vezzoli (21 June 2015). "Fiumetta Valley with the pedestrian path and the tensile structure from the P2 car park.". In In giro per Barzio. [Facebook photo]. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
22. Mauro Vezzoli (9 August 2023). "Bike trail from the parking lot where the market is held. Parents observe the sun on the benches, two boys clean the track, the little ones pedal because they have not yet learned to push the bike with their bodies.". In Estate, P2 (Piazza Mercato), Pump track & Skill park di Barzio and Tensostruttura di Barzio. [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
23. Mauro Vezzoli (4 August 2022). "From Car Park 2 you go towards Lecco passing through Car Park 3, there is even a road sign.". In Estate, P2 (Piazza Mercato) and P3 (Tensostruttura). [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
24. Mauro Vezzoli (31 August 2017). "Among the branches of a tree, the short and improvised passage downhill with wooden steps between P2 and P3.". In Estate and P2 (Piazza Mercato). [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
25. Mauro Vezzoli (21 June 2015). "Bumpy asphalt in correspondence of the places delimited by the blue stripes.". In Estate and P2 (Piazza Mercato). [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
26. Mauro Vezzoli (20 August 2016). "The damaged asphalt and the hump around a lime tree in P2. The parking lot, 5 days after August 15th, is empty; a red Peugeot heads to the neighboring Barzio car park 3, which is free.". In P2 (Piazza Mercato). [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
27. C.C. (7 January 2020). Barzio, è di nuovo caos parcheggi. Ma non doveva mai più succedere? [Barzio, it's parking chaos again. But was it never supposed to happen again?]". (in Italian). Valsassina News. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
28. "Comune di Barzio". comune.barzio.lc.it. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
29. C.C. (17 March 2018). "Parcheggi di Barzio, Ferrari dà i numeri: “Abbiamo 3000 posti auto, ne mancano 600 per giornate di piena” [Parking in Barzio, Ferrari gives the numbers: "We have 3000 parking spaces, 600 are missing for days full"". Valsassina News. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
30. Mauro Vezzoli (11 September 2014). "The sign at corner of Via Ingegner Manzoni". In In giro per Barzio. [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 26 August 2017.

Fallen names in War Memorial of Barzio

Above the base of the War Memorial of Barzio towards the mountain there are three white marble gravestones slightly tilted that remind inhabitants of Barzio fallen in all the wars, African War, World War I, World War II.
The names of the fallen are written in red capital letters.

On the left, the first stone:

Africa 1896	Arrigoni Antonio
1915 - 1918	Arrigoni Neri Giov.
	Arrigoni Rocco
	Buzzoni Antonio
	Buzzoni Arturo
	Costadoni Francesco
	Ganassa Alessandro
	Ganassa Ambrogio A.
	Ganassa Giovanni
	Ganassa Giuseppe
	Invernizzi Antonio
	Invernizzi Carlo di G.
	Invernizzi Carlo di P.
	Invernizzi Domenico
	Invernizzi G. Domenico
	Invernizzi Giuseppe
	Merlo Carlo Felice
	Molteni Carlo
	Molteni Goisuè
	Molteni Giovanni
	Molteni Isidoro

In the middle, the second stone:

	Moneta Calimero
	Pelagatta Biagio
	Pelagatta Romeo
	Plati Carlo
	Plati Giovanni
	Plati Giuseppe fu G.
	Plati Giuseppe fu B.
	Riva Casimiro
	Rosa Bernardo
	Rossi Carl Antonio
	Rossi Pietro
	Salvi Vittorio
	Valsecchi Carlo
	Valsechini Giovanni
1940 - 1945
Grecia	Arrigoni Neri Angelo
Albania	Camozzini Giuseppe di G.
Germania	Paroli Natale
	Platti Carlo
	Rosa Giuseppe
	Ruffinoni Giuseppe
	Tantardini Germano

On the right, the third stone:

Rappresaglia	Amanti Carlo
in Zona 1945	Gargenti Martino G.
(Retalion	Molteni Eufrasio
in Area 1945)	Pezzati Oreste
	Valsecchi Cesare
In Servizio	Pezzati Silvano
(In Service)
Dispersi	Arrigoni Domenico di V.
(Missing)	Invernizzi Antonio
	Rosa Giacomo
	Rossi Zanetti Luigi
	Rossi Pietro Riccardo
	Scandella Lorenzo

In the War Memorial of Barzio, the Lion of Barzio, are remembered for the War of Africa 1896 1 fallen, for the First World War 1915 - 1918 34 fallen, for the Second World War 1940 - 1945 19 fallen.