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The Adda (Latin ''Abdua'', or ''Addua''; in Lombard ''Ada'' or, again, ''Adda'' in local dialects where the double consonants are marked) is a river in North
Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
, a tributary of the Po. It rises in the
Alps The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Sw ...
near the border with
Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
and flows through
Lake Como Lake Como ( it, Lago di Como , ; lmo, label=Western Lombard, Lagh de Còmm , ''Cómm'' or ''Cùmm'' ), also known as Lario (; after the la, Larius Lacus), is a lake of glacial origin in Lombardy, Italy. It has an area of , making it the thir ...
. The Adda joins the Po a few kilometres upstream of
Cremona Cremona (, also ; ; lmo, label= Cremunés, Cremùna; egl, Carmona) is a city and ''comune'' in northern Italy, situated in Lombardy, on the left bank of the Po river in the middle of the ''Pianura Padana'' ( Po Valley). It is the capital of the ...
. It is long. The highest point of the
drainage basin A drainage basin is an area of land where all flowing surface water converges to a single point, such as a river mouth, or flows into another body of water, such as a lake or ocean. A basin is separated from adjacent basins by a perimeter, ...
is the summit of la Spedla (a subpeak of Piz Bernina), at . Towns along the river Adda include
Bormio Bormio ( lmo, Bormi, rm, italic=yes, , german: Worms im Veltlintal) is a town and ''comune'' with a population of about 4,100 located in the Province of Sondrio, Lombardy region of the Alps in northern Italy. The centre of the upper Valtellina ...
, Tirano,
Sondrio Sondrio (; lmo, Sùndri; rm, Sunder; archaic german: Sünders or ; la, Sundrium) is an Italian city and ''comune'' and Provincial Capital located in the heart of the Valtellina. , Sondrio counts approximately 21,876 inhabitants (2015) and it is ...
, Bellagio and
Lecco Lecco (, , ; lmo, label= Lecchese, Lècch ) is a city of 48,131 inhabitants in Lombardy, northern Italy, north of Milan. It lies at the end of the south-eastern branch of Lake Como (the branch is named ''Branch of Lecco'' / ''Ramo di Lecco''). ...
(both on Lake Como),
Brivio Brivio ( Brianzöö: ; Bergamasque: ) is a town and '' comune'' in the province of Lecco, in the Lombardy (man), (woman) lmo, lumbard, links=no (man), (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_bla ...
and Lodi.


Course

The Adda's true source is in Alpisella valley near the head of the Fraele
glen A glen is a valley, typically one that is long and bounded by gently sloped concave sides, unlike a ravine, which is deep and bounded by steep slopes. Whittow defines it as a "Scottish term for a deep valley in the Highlands" that is "narrower ...
, but its volume is increased by the union with several smaller streams, near the town of
Bormio Bormio ( lmo, Bormi, rm, italic=yes, , german: Worms im Veltlintal) is a town and ''comune'' with a population of about 4,100 located in the Province of Sondrio, Lombardy region of the Alps in northern Italy. The centre of the upper Valtellina ...
, at the Rhaetian Alps. Thence it flows first southwest, then due west, through the fertile
Valtellina Valtellina or the Valtelline (occasionally spelled as two words in English: Val Telline; rm, Vuclina (); lmo, Valtelina or ; german: Veltlin; it, Valtellina) is a valley in the Lombardy region of northern Italy, bordering Switzerland. Tod ...
, passing Tirano, where the Poschiavino falls in on the right bank, and
Sondrio Sondrio (; lmo, Sùndri; rm, Sunder; archaic german: Sünders or ; la, Sundrium) is an Italian city and ''comune'' and Provincial Capital located in the heart of the Valtellina. , Sondrio counts approximately 21,876 inhabitants (2015) and it is ...
, where the
Mallero Mallero is a river in the Province of Sondrio. Course Its source is near the Monte del Forno, it flows south through the Valmalenco and joins the Adda after crossing Sondrio. Towns along the river include Chiesa in Valmalenco Chiesa in Val ...
joins, also on the right. This first half of the course of the Adda makes it the only big river of northern Italy to flow from east to west. It falls into Lake
Como Como (, ; lmo, Còmm, label= Comasco , or ; lat, Novum Comum; rm, Com; french: Côme) is a city and '' comune'' in Lombardy, Italy. It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como. Its proximity to Lake Como and to the Alps ...
, at its northern end, and mainly forms that lake. On issuing from its southeastern or Lecco arm, it crosses the plain of Lombardy where it is joined from the left by the
Brembo Brembo S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of automotive brake systems, especially for high-performance cars and motorcycles. Its head office is in Curno, Bergamo, Italy. History Brembo was established in Paladina, Italy on January 11, 196 ...
, Serio, and finally, after a course of about , joins the Po, above Cremona. The
Trezzo sull'Adda Bridge The Trezzo sull'Adda Bridge or Trezzo Bridge was a medieval bridge at Trezzo sull'Adda in Lombardy, Italy, spanning the Adda river. Completed in 1377, the single-arch bridge held the record for the largest span for over four hundred years, until ...
, erected in 1377, holds the world record of for the longest bridge arch built before the introduction of metal into bridge construction. The lower course of the Adda was formerly the border between the
Republic of Venice The Republic of Venice ( vec, Repùblega de Venèsia) or Venetian Republic ( vec, Repùblega Vèneta, links=no), traditionally known as La Serenissima ( en, Most Serene Republic of Venice, italics=yes; vec, Serenìsima Repùblega de Venèsia ...
and the
Duchy of Milan The Duchy of Milan ( it, Ducato di Milano; lmo, Ducaa de Milan) was a state in northern Italy, created in 1395 by Gian Galeazzo Visconti, then the lord of Milan, and a member of the important Visconti family, which had been ruling the city sin ...
, after the Treaty of Lodi, 1454; and on its banks several important battles have been fought, notably that of Lodi, where
Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader wh ...
defeated the Austrians in 1796; several battles have also taken place at the bridgehead of
Cassano d'Adda Cassano d'Adda (Milanese: ; Bergamasque: ) is a town and '' comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Milan, Lombardy, Italy, located on the right side of the Adda River. It is on the border of the Metropolitan City of Milan and the province of Berga ...
and surrounding countryside.


Tributaries

The Adda has the following
tributaries A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drain ...
(R on the right bank, L on the left, from source to mouth): * Frodolfo (L) * Bormina (R) * Roasco (R) * Rezzalasco (L) * Lenasco (L) * Poschiavino (R) *
Mallero Mallero is a river in the Province of Sondrio. Course Its source is near the Monte del Forno, it flows south through the Valmalenco and joins the Adda after crossing Sondrio. Towns along the river include Chiesa in Valmalenco Chiesa in Val ...
(R) * Masino (R) * Bitto (L) *
Tartano Tartano ( Lombard: ''Tarten'') is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Sondrio in the Italian region Lombardy, located about northeast of Milan and about southwest of Sondrio. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 236 and an a ...
(L) * Mera (Lake Como, R) * Livo (Lake Como, R) * Liro (Lake Como, R) * Albano (Lake Como, R) *
Pioverna The Pioverna is a '' torrente'' (a stream whose flow is subject to a high level of seasonal variation) of Lombardy in northern Italy. The stream is born in the Grigna massif and flows north and west through the Valsassina, forming a gorge at Bel ...
(Lake Como, L) *
Breggia Breggia is a municipality in the district of Mendrisio in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. On 25 October 2009 the municipalities of Bruzella, Cabbio, Caneggio, Morbio Superiore, Muggio and Sagno merged into the municipality of Breggia ...
(Lake Como, R) *
Cosia The Cosia is a torrent (stream), torrent whose springs are on the slopes of Monte Bolletone () in Brianza, Italy. Its course takes it through the comuni, communities of Albese con Cassano, Tavernerio and Como, then it enters Lake Como near the wa ...
(Lake Como, R) * Fiumelatte (Lake Como, L) *
Brembo Brembo S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of automotive brake systems, especially for high-performance cars and motorcycles. Its head office is in Curno, Bergamo, Italy. History Brembo was established in Paladina, Italy on January 11, 196 ...
(L) * Serio (L) File:Leonardo traghetto.jpg, Ferry designed by
Leonardo da Vinci Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci (15 April 14522 May 1519) was an Italian polymath of the High Renaissance who was active as a painter, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect. While his fame initially rested on ...
File:Brivio.Adda.river2.jpg, The Adda river in Brivio File:Ponte sul Adda Paderno.jpg, San Michele Bridge across the Adda at Paderno.


See also

*
Val Pola landslide The Val Pola landslide (Val Pola rock avalanche) happened in Valtellina, Lombardy, Northern Italian Alps, on July 28, 1987 and resulted in the Valtellina disaster (destruction of villages, road closure, and flooding threat) with a total cost of 4 ...
*
Battle of the Adda River The Battle of the Adda River occurred in 490 between the Ostrogothic Forces under Theodoric and the remaining army of the Heruli and Sciri under Flavius Odoacer. References Ostrogothic Kingdom 490 5th century in Italy Theoderic the G ...
, fought in 490 CE


Sources


External links


Kayaking in the Adda river
{{Authority control Adda basin Rivers of Italy Rivers of the Alps Rivers of the Province of Bergamo Rivers of the Province of Como Rivers of the Province of Cremona Rivers of the Province of Lecco Rivers of the Province of Lodi Rivers of the Province of Milan Rivers of the Province of Sondrio