The old washhouse in Malesco is located in Piazza della Chiesa, behind the Oratory of San Bernardino da Siena. It was built in 1895, at the same time as the construction of the first major aqueduct supplying water to the town. Inside you can still admire eight large granite tanks, placed side by side in two series, 40 cm (16 inches) deep and with a total capacity of 444 litres (98 gallons) of water. It is undoubtedly one of the largest washhouses in the Ossola Valley and would have been used by as many as 24 washerwomen at the same time. Thus, the washhouse was not only a community tool for washing laundry, but also an important social gathering place. Completely restored in 2002, since 2007 the old washhouse in Malesco has hosted an interesting thematic exhibition with panels on the life and work of Giovan Maria Salati, originally from Malesco, the first man to swim across the English Channel in 1817.
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