Editing Vigevano (section)

==Main sights==

===Castello Sforzesco===

Vigevano is crowned by the [[Visconti-Sforza Castle (Vigevano)|Castello Sforzesco]], a [[fortification|stronghold]] rebuilt 1492–94 for Ludovico Maria Sforza ([[Ludovico Sforza|Ludovico il Moro]]), the great patron born in the town, who transformed the fortification/hunting lodge of Luchino Visconti (who in turn had re-used a [[Lombards|Lombard]] fortress) into a rich noble residence, at the cusp of Gothic and Renaissance. [[Leonardo da Vinci]] was his guest at Vigevano, as was [[Donato Bramante|Bramante]], who is ascribed with the tall tower that watches over the piazza from the Castello Sforzesco. The old castle has a unique raised covered road, high enough for horsemen to ride through, that communicates between the new palace and the old fortifications; there is a Falconry, an elegant [[loggia]]to supported by 48 columns, and, in the rear area of the [[mastio]], the Ladies' Loggia made for Duchess [[Beatrice d'Este]].

===Piazza Ducale===
Vigevano's main attraction is the Piazza Ducale, an elongated rectangle that is almost in the proportions 1:3,  built for [[Ludovico Sforza]], starting in 1492-93 and completed in record time, unusual for early Renaissance town planning. Piazza Ducale was actually planned to form a noble forecourt to his castle, unified by the arcades that completely surround the square, an amenity of the new North Italian towns built in the 13th century. The town's main street enters through a sham arcaded façade that preserves the unity of the space as at the [[Place des Vosges]]. Ludovico demolished the former palazzo of the [[medieval commune|commune]] of Vigevano to create the space.

At the outside of town is the [[Villa La Sforzesca, Vigevano|La Sforzesca]], a rectangular villa-fortress with corner palace-towers, built in 1486 by Ludovico il Moro.

===Cathedral===
{{Main|Vigevano Cathedral}}
In the 17th century one end of the Piazza Ducale was enclosed by the concave [[Baroque]] façade of the Cathedral, cleverly adjusted to bring the ancient duomo into a line perpendicular to the axis of the piazza and centered on it.

The Cathedral was begun in 1532 under Duke [[Francesco II Sforza|Francesco II]], who commissioned the design to [[Antonio da Lonate]]. The edifice was completed in 1606. The interior is on the Latin cross plan, with a nave and two aisles, and houses works by [[Macrino d'Alba]], [[Bernardino Ferrari]] and others, as well as tempera [[polyptych]] of the school of [[Leonardo da Vinci]].
<gallery>
File:Vigevano-street01.jpg|A street in central Vigevano
File:Vigevano0002.jpg|[[Donato Bramante|Bramante]]'s Tower, Castello Sforzesco of Vigevano
File:Vigevano01.jpg|Court of the Castello Sforzesco
File:Vigevano03.jpg|The famous road-gallery in the Castello Sforzesco
</gallery>