What to see in Vigevano, one-day itinerary including the main monuments and places of interest, including Piazza Ducale, Duomo, Sforza Castle and works by Leonardo da Vinci.
Tourist information
City of Lombardy in the province of Pavia, Vigevano is surrounded by the Ticino Nation Park and is located about 40 kilometers from Milan.
The heart of the city is made up of the splendid Piazza Ducale, connected by a long staircase to the extraordinary complex of the Visconti-Sforzesco Castle, considered one of the largest in Europe.
At the end of the fifteenth century, Ludovico Maria Sforza called il Moro, Duke of Milan, had the square built by demolishing the houses at the foot of the ancient Castle, according to Bramante's plan and perhaps with the collaboration of Leonardo da Vinci, given that the two brilliant artists lived at that time in the Duke's court.
The square is surrounded on three sides by elegant decorated and arcaded buildings, while on the fourth side stands the Cathedral dedicated to Sant'Ambrogio, whose construction was started in 1532, on a project by Antonio da Lonate, and finished in 1606, while the sumptuous facade, designed by Bishop Juan Caramuel y Lobkowitz, was built to close the square in the second half of the seventeenth century.
What see
Ludovico Sforza, known as il Moro, also took care of the transformation of the Castle from the Lombard period, into an elegant residence, a work that the Visconti, especially Luchino, had already undertaken previously.
In Ludovico's time, new buildings such as the Falconiera, the Loggia delle Dame and the Torre del Bramante were renovated and built, offering a beautiful view of the square, the castle and the surrounding countryside.
Furthermore, thanks to Leonardo da Vinci, the waters in the area were rationally arranged, as the Castle was not only the stately home where famous people were welcomed, but also the farm where cattle were raised and experimental crops such as rice and mulberry, which was used for the production of the silkworm.
At Vigevano Castle today there are interesting museums to visit, including the Footwear Museum named after Pietro Bertolini, the Civic Art Gallery dedicated to Casimiro Ottone, the Archaeological Museum of Lomellina and the Leonardiana, concerning the life and works of Leonardo da Vinci , who was a guest at the Castle for a long time.
