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 [...]