VANO VIGE THE DUCAL SQUARE The Cathedral Treasure Museum. It exhibits mainly the gifts by Fran- cesco II Sforza. It houses a very precious silver reliquary engraved in gold by Lombard School Artists The Ducal Square. It is one of the first Renaissance Piazzas The Cathedral of S. Ambrogio. (XVI century) as well as precious realized following the classic layout of the Roman Forum and It was first started by the Duke choir books and manuscripts illu- is one of the best examples of the Lombard architecture of the Francesco II Sforza in 1532 and de- minated by Ferrante Decio; Flemish 15th Century. It was ordered by Ludovico il Moro between 1492 signed by Antonio da Lonate. The tapestries coming from the tape- and 1494 and was intended as a noble forecourt to the castle. interior, built in the shape of a Latin stry works of Brussels and Oude- It appears as a 134 metre long and 48 metre wide rectangular cross, houses remarkable works of naarde (early seventeenth centu- shape, built on three sides (the fourth side is occupied by the art and among the others valuable ry); a sixteenth century vestment Cathedral). The actual aspect of the Cathedral with the baroque paintings by Macrino d’Alba and embroidered in pure gold and façade is a work by the Bishop-architect Juan Caramuel who Bernardino Ferrari. built it in 1680. used at Monza in 1805 for the co- ronation of Napoleone Bonaparte. THE SFORZESCO CASTLE The Sforzesco Castle. It is the ancient and hidden heart of the town of Vigevano and one of the greatest fortified complexes in Europe. The first historical nucleus dates back to the Longobard age (VII – X century) while its transformation into a noble residence is due to the Viscontis and Sforzas. Its realization is due thanks to the contribution of artists of the calibre of Bramante and Leonardo, the last one was also hired by the Dukes of Milan during those years to manage the works for the canalization of the waters around Vigevano. The castle was ended between 1492 and 1494. The keep or Ducal Residence. It was first started by Luchino Visconti in the first part of the four- teenth century and it was com- pleted by his offspring and by the Sforza family. Originally it was com- pletely covered by fresco paintings Bramante Tower. It is 60 metres and for the whole fifteenth centu- high and it was realized by Braman- ry it has been the residence of the The Stables. The three stables en- te in 1492 on the basis of a civic Dukes of Milan. Falconry. The fine open arcades close the courtyard of the castle. tower dating back to the twelfth gallery which receives 48 columns The first one (the entrance is on century. The little copper dome on bears this name because the Dukes the right coming from the Piazza) used to launch the falcons during the top was realized between the was built under the order of Ludo- hunting days. It was first started vico il Moro: it gave the inspiration sixteenth and the seventeenth cen- under the order of Galeazzo Maria to Leonardo for his “model stable”. tury to replace the previous spire- Sala dell’Affresco. It houses fresco Sforza in 1475 and it was comple- The third stable is the house of the paintings depicting hunting scenes dome. ted in 1488 under the order of Lud- “National Archaeological Museum realized between 1466 and 1476. ovico il Moro. of Lomellina”. Civic Picture Gallery “Casimiro Footwear and shoe-making tech- Ottone”. The Civic Picture Gallery The so called “Strada Coperta”. nology Museum “P. Bertolini”. is situated on the first floor of the It is a unique building in the Euro- The Footwear museum was esta- first stable, the Ludovico stable, pean castle architecture and repre- blished thanks to the private collec- and exhibits a collection of paintin- sents one of the most extraordinary tion of Pietro Bertolini who donated gs and plaster works by the major works of medieval military enginee- Strade Sotterranee. Evocative sub- his collection to the municipality local artists from Vigevano and Lo- ring: it was commissioned by Lu- surface passages connecting the in the 50s; It presents 4 sections: mellina (Ottone, Raffele, Barni, ecc.), chino Visconti and started in 1347. lower part of the town and the castle. historical, ethnographic, modern, as well as the “fruits” of the fine local It was realized for a very precise pur- curiosities. patronage and collections of the pose: to allow the Dukes of Milan to nineteenth and twentieth century. enter and exit the castle without being seen. HISTORICAL CENTRE San Dionigi. An ancient Church is Palazzo Merula–Archivio Storico. nowadays an auditorium of Fonda- The building situated in the street zione Piacenza e Vigevano. It hou- called “Via Merula” was built in its ses cultural events. In the interior actual shape at the beginning of you can admire a big canvas by the seventeenth century and it was the seat of the Female Dominican Cerano (G.B. Crespi) representing Monastery dedicated to Our Lady of the martyrdom. Assumption. In 1805 it became the seat of a male orphanage dedicated to a priest from Vigevano, Giovanni Merula. Today, completely restored, it is the house of the Historical Ar- chive of the City. THE SURROUNDINGS The Ticino River Park. Vigevano is one of the municipality of Ticino Ri- The Mora Bassa Mill. On the tracks ver Park Territories, a Fluvial Nature of Leonardo: water and mills. Leo- Reserve since 1974. The Ticino River nardo, during his stay in the Sforza Valley is part of the M.A.B. (Man and Dukedom, had the opportunity to Sforzesca | Colombarone. The lo- Biosphere) Natural Areas, recogni- manage the reclamation works in cality of Sforzesca is a few kilometres sed by UNESCO as one of 425 re- the land surrounding Vigevano. He serves of the Biosphere distributed from the centre (direction Pavia). studied the several mills that were in 95 countries in the world. The It is a farm-house commissioned by built to improve the production as woods distributed along the land Ludovico il Moro and represents well as the applications. Among the of Vigevano are some of the widest the typical model of Lombard Farm; retrieved ones we suggest the “Mu- and most important for their biodi- it was visited by Leonardo da Vinci lino di Mora Bassa”, managed by versity. In spring the bloom in the and excited his admiration. It is a na- Consorzio Est Sesia, today it is the brushwood is considered a natural tural gate to reach the woods of the house of the permanent exhibition wonder to respect and to photo- Ticino River Park and the starting on the working machines copied graph. The Ticino River is navigable point for walking and bike tours. from Leonardo’s manuscripts. by boats and canoes. MUSEUMS AND MONUMENTS The Sforzesco and Visconteo Castle Info Point Castello The Footwear Museum “P. Bertolini” and Tel. 0381.691636 | Fax 0381.630411 Civic Picture Gallery “Casimiro Ottone” [email protected] From Tuesday to Sunday 10.00 | 13 and 14.00 | 17.30 - Tel. 0381.695018 IAT Pro Loco Free entrance Tel. e fax 0381.690269 | Via Merula, 40 | [email protected] National Archaeological Museum of Lomellina From Tuesday to Saturday 9.00 | 13.00 - Tel. 0381.72940 | Free entrance Bramante Tower TOURISTS AGENCIES From Tuesday to Friday 10.00 | 12.00 and 14.00 | 16.00 Vigevano Promotions Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays 10.30 | 13.00 and 14.00 | 18.00 Tel. 0381.386046 Tel. 0381.691636 | Pay Entrance Fee [email protected] | www.vigevanopromotions.it The Entrepreneurship of Vigevano Museum | Palazzo Merula | Via Merula 40 Dedalo Open on Sundays and Holidays - Tel. 0381.692303 Tel. 0382.539638 | 338.7713679 Free entrance [email protected] | www.dedalopv.it Overland Museum of the Treasure of the Cathedral | Piazza S. Ambrogio 14 Info and opening times tel. 3381581977 Tel. 0381.695112 Pay Entrance Fee [email protected] | www.overlanditalia.it La città ideale Ecomuseum of Mora Bassa | Strada Mora Bassa 38 Tel. 3939517846 | Fax 0381.81915 | www.lacittaideale.org Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays 10.00 | 18.00 Tel. 3939517846 - Fax 0381.81915 | Pay Entrance Fee www.comune.vigevano.pv.it.