VIGEVANO IS LOCATED IN THE HEART OF LOMBARDY'S PICTURESQUE TICINO VALLEY,
at the crossroads between waterways and artificial canals that bear witness to the city's agricultural
core. Vigevano's principal calling, however, is the production of shoes-for every size and price,
from the cheapest that end up in flea markets to the custom-made that adorn the most stylish feet
in the world. The art of conzare Ie scarpe (shoemaking) in Vigevano can be traced back to a document
from 1392 that prohibited the tanning and working of leather on the public square.
The first modern
shoe factory was born in Vigevano in 1866, and since the beginning of the twentieth century the city
has produced more than one third of the shoes made in Italy. In 1952, when Vigevano hosted the International
Shoe Fair, it was manufacturing thirty million pairs of shoes a year. Despite the high value placed on the
shoe industry, the basic agricultural soul of the city has been preserved. Just beyond the fortifications
are rice fields, windmills, and farms that are active to this day.
To enter the historic center of Vigevano is to be transported to another time.
The Piazza Ducale was built between 1492 and 1494 by Ludovico il Moro Sforza, Duke of Milan, and is rightly
considered one of the most beautiful Renaissance squares in Italy. A perfect rectangle paved with cobblestones
taken from the Ticino riverbed, the piazza was cut to fit into the urban fabric of Vigevano. On one side of the
square stands the seventeenth-century concave facade of the Duomo, designed by the bishop-architect Juan Caramuel
de Lobkowitz. Some believe the facade was renovated because it is not in alignment with the church but is
accentuated by four great arches and perfectly integrated into the square.
The complex of the Palazzo Ducale
is imposing, but hidden from sight by houses, even on the side where once a long ramp connected it with the
square; only its high tower betrays its presence. Luchino Visconti, the powerful ruler of Vigevano in 1337,
began the transformation of the medieval center to make room for a castle. With the help of Gian Galeazzo
Visconti, Galeazzo Maria Sforza, and Ludovico il Moro, the castle became one of the most elaborate residences
of the fifteenth century and included stables, the Palazzo delle Dame, and even a falconry. Among the artists
and architects who contributed to the project were Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) and, arguably the greatest
architect of his time, Donato Bramante (1444-1514). The stables appearing in Leonardo’s drawings were designed
to hold up to three hundred horses.
Vigevano: how to get there.
Visiting Vigevano is an easy half-day trip from Milan, you can get there by car in about half hour, or you can take
the train from the station Milano Porta Genova, it takes 27 minutes by train, and the trains run at least once every
hour. Check with the Italian state railways company Trenitalia site http://trenitalia.com for updated train schedules.
Milano Porta Genova can be easily reached with the "metropolitana" (underground) line 2, green. With the suburban
line S9 you can reach the station immediately after Porta Genova, Milano San Cristoforo. The S9 line connects locations
from the North of Milan, in the direction of Como and Switzerland, through the East, and the South of Milan.
In Vigevano the train station is in the center of the city, an easy 7
minutes walk from Piazza Ducale, follow the yellow tourist direction signs
for "Piazza Ducale".
If you decide to drive to Vigevano, you arrive with the car from Milan on
the road SP494, immediately after the bridge on the Ticino River. There are
on the banks of the river small outlets that sell fried river fish in
summertime, don't miss them. You must enter in the city and pass the
railroad to get close to the monuments and the Piazza Ducale. A number of
yellow tourist signs will direct you to the Piazza. Remember that the Piazza
Ducale is a pedestrian zone, and you need to park outside the pedestrian
area and wank to the Piazza. The most convenient pkace to park is Piazza
Sant'Ambrogio, in the back of the Duomo, two easy steps from the Castle.
