Piazza Ducale is the main square of Vigevano, located in the historical center of the city. Piazza Ducale is one of the first Renaissance-style squares in Italy and is among the best examples of Lombard architecture of the 15th century. SHORT HISTORY OF PIAZZA DUCALE The area on which the square currently stands was characterized by a wide road surrounded by buildings with porticos, the result of the 14th-century expansion of the village. The Sforzesco Castle, located in an elevated position in the immediate vicinity, was accessed via a ramp or a stairway placed in correspondence with the current Bramante Tower (Torre del Bramante). Piazza Ducale was built between 1492 and 1494 at the behest of Ludovico Maria Sforza, also known as Ludovico il Moro (the Moor), as an antechamber of the castle. Under the direction of the ducal architect Ambrogio da Corte, some of the buildings located in the area were demolished and some of them had their facades aligned. The southern side of Piazza Ducale was interrupted by a wide ramp, in correspondence with the tower, connecting the square to the castle. The western side of the square was divided into two parts joined by a triumphal Read more [...]
All SEE 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.
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Cathedral of Sant’Ambrogio
The Cathedral of Sant’Ambrogio, dedicated to Saint Ambrose, is the Cathedral of Vigevano, located in the wonderful Piazza Ducale. Due to its beauty, the concave facade of the Cathedral of Vigevano is considered one of the most refined examples of Baroque architecture not only in Lombardy, but throughout Italy. SHORT HISTORY OF THE CATHEDRAL OF SANT’AMBROGIO According to a document of 963, a primitive church dedicated to Sant’Ambrogio already existed in Vigevano at that time. The ancient church was rebuilt in the second half of the 14th century. The diocese of Vigevano was created by Pope Clement VII on March 16, 1530, at the request of Francesco II Sforza, Duke of Milan. In 1532, the construction of the new cathedral began at the behest of the same Francesco II Sforza, based on a project by the architect Antonio da Lonate. Of the previous church, the apse and some fragments of the decorative arches in Gothic-Lombard style were preserved. After Francesco II Sforza died in 1535, the works continued to be financed by the faithful, the Municipality and by various bishops of the city. The construction reached the roof level in 1553. Under the guidance of bishop Giorgio Odescalchi, the Read more [...]
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Castello Sforzesco
Castello Sforzesco is a castle in Vigevano, located in an elevated position in the historical center of the town, near Piazza Ducale and the Cathedral of Sant’Ambrogio. The castle covers an area of about 70,000 square meters, being one of the largest fortified complexes in Europe. Castello Sforzesco houses Pinacoteca Casimiro Ottone, the National Archaeological Museum of Lomellina (Museo Archeologico Nazionale della Lomellina) and the Pietro Bertolini International Footwear Museum (Museo Internazionale della Calzatura Pietro Bertolini). SHORT HISTORY OF CASTELLO SFORZESCO The primitive castle of Vigevano, built in the 7th century, consisted of a small wooden structure. Before the 10th century, the structure was replaced by a building with brick walls and was separated from the town by a moat. Luchino Visconti, podestà (chief magistrate) of Vigevano between 1319 and 1337, decided to transform the village into a defensive stronghold. With this in mind, in 1341, he built a defensive fortress, located at a certain distance from the ancient castle, on the eastern limit of the village. At the same time, the work of transforming the old castle into a ducal residence began. The new structure had a quadrangular plan formed by crenellated walls, with towers at the corners Read more [...]
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Church of San Pietro Martire
The Church of San Pietro Martire is a church in Vigevano, located near the southern wall of Castello Sforzesco, in the historical center of the town. The church is also dedicated to San Cristoforo (Saint Christopher). SHORT HISTORY OF THE CHURCH OF SAN PIETRO MARTIRE At the beginning of the 13th century, on the site of the current Church of San Pietro Martire, there was a small chapel dedicated to San Domenico (Saint Dominic). Later, the chapel was replaced by a larger structure, completed around 1363. The current church, dedicated to Saint Peter the Martyr, was built starting with 1445 and consecrated in 1480. The annexed convent of the Dominican friars and the bell tower, with its imposing octagonal structure leaning against the right side of the apse, date back to the same period. In 1840, the interior of the church was modified in Neo-Gothic style. ARCHITECTURE OF THE CHURCH OF SAN PIETRO MARTIRE The facade of the church, in pure Lombard Gothic style, is divided into three parts corresponding to the naves, and surmounted in the central part by three pinnacles. The central part of the facade is divided by four buttresses and has a sloping roof Read more [...]
