Sforzesco Castle of Vigevano

The Sforzesco Castle is a complex of buildings in the Italian city of Vigevano.

The perimeter extends over an area of ??over two hectares, at the highest point of the city.

The castle covers an area of ??70,000 m² over 5 floors.

The first nucleus dates back to the Lombard age (7th-10th century). Its transformation into the residence of the Dukes of Milan begins with Luchino Visconti who, between 1341 and 1347, created monumental works such as the Covered Road, a marvel of European fortified architecture.

Ludovico il Moro starting from 1489 accentuates its function as a splendid residence and representation of the court.

The fortified complex becomes a Renaissance palace and the choice of the professional to whom to entrust the renovation falls on the star architect of the time, Donato Bramante.
The image alongside was kindly granted by Stefano Gusmeroli.

The residence of the ducal court originally had a fourth side that closed it and all around a moat with drawbridges. Until 1340 it served as a defense function for those who lived there and as a safe refuge for the inhabitants of the village and the suburbs.

From that date and thanks to Luchino Visconti, it began its transformation into a sumptuous residence of the court with ducal apartments, banquet rooms, large spaces for ball games and for musical and theatrical entertainment.

The first floor is now home to the “Leonardiana”, a museum dedicated to Leonardo's thought.

His visit is also an opportunity to admire the large spaces used by the dukes and frescoed with Bramante-style drawings.

The external façade shows the interventions carried out, starting in 1854, by the military engineer Ludovico Inverardi, who remade mullioned windows and Tudor-style windows, adapted the splendid rooms into barracks for the soldiers, and demolished an ancient staircase.

Starting in the mid-nineteenth century, the Vigevano Castle was transformed into the Barracks of the Sardinian Army and then of the Royal Italian Army and remained a military headquarters until 1968. Only in 1978 did the recovery and restoration work begin and are still in progress.

Map: Sforzesco Castle of Vigevano