HISTORY OF VIGEVANO:
Vigevano was populated since the pre-Roman age, as evidenced by the numerous archaeological finds discovered in the area. However, there is no evidence of a settlement during the Roman times, and the first documented information about a castrum (fortified settlement) dates back only to 963. Read More [...]
In the 12th century, the precarious fortifications were replaced by more solid structures and the settlement grew within the fortified area. During that period, Vigevano was disputed between Pavia and Milan, and it was repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt.
Later, between the 14th and 15th centuries, the village was ruled by the Della Torres family, then by the Viscontis, and finally, between 1450 and 1535, by the Sforzas. During the Sforza period, Vigevano reached its peak, becoming one of the ducal residences.
After the death of Francesco II Sforza, the last Duke of Milan, Vigevano fell under the Spanish rule, and the next century was marked by famines, plague epidemics and sieges.
After a brief Austrian domination, the city became part of the Kingdom of Sardinia in 1745. After the Napoleonic domination, Vigevano returned in 1814 to the House of Savoy and was incorporated into the Kingdom of Italy in 1861.
GEOGRAPHY OF VIGEVANO:
Today, Vigevano is a town of about 62,000 inhabitants in the province of Pavia, part of the Italian region of Lombardy. The town is located in the historical area of Lomellina, on the right bank of the Ticino River, which separates it from the metropolitan city of Milan. Read More [...]
Vigevano is located 35 kilometers southwest of Milan, 85 kilometers southwest of Bergamo, 110 kilometers northeast of Turin, 120 kilometers north of Genoa, 125 kilometers west of Brescia, 240 kilometers northwest of Bologna, 300 kilometers west of Venice, 335 kilometers northwest of Florence, 615 kilometers northwest of Rome, and about 820 kilometers north of Naples.
TRANSPORT TO VIGEVANO:
The closest airport to Vigevano is the Milano-Malpensa Airport, located about 42 kilometers north. About the same distance east is the Milano-Linate Airport, located near Milan. The Orio al Serio Airport, also known as Il Caravaggio International Airport, the third airport of Milan, is located about 85 kilometers away, near Bergamo. Read More [...]
The easiest way to get to Vigevano is by train. A trip from Milano Centrale, the main railway station of Milan, takes about one hour, and the ticket costs 3.80€. From Turin, the trip takes almost two hours, and the cheapest ticket costs 10.35€. From Genoa, a trip takes between 2 and 3 hours, and the cheapest ticket costs 11.85€.
TOURIST ATTRACTIONS IN VIGEVANO:
The most important attractions of Vigevano are the Renaissance Piazza Ducale, built between 1492 and 1494 at the behest of Ludovico il Moro as an antechamber of Castello Sforzesco, the Visconti-Sforza Castle, a 15th century castle which occupies an area of over 70,000 square meters, being one of Europe's largest fortified complexes, and the Cathedral of Vigevano dedicated to Saint Ambrose (Cattedrale di Sant'Ambrogio), erected in the 16th century, with a beautiful concave facade built in the 1670s.
