A Vigevano, it is possible to follow an itinerary to discover the traces of the Renaissance genius, starting from the Sforzesco Castle with the Leonardiana museum, then moving outside the city to visit the Mora Bassa Museum.
In the then village of Vigevano, the lavish court of Ludovico Il Moro and Beatrice d’Este was Leonardo’s residence, where he came into contact with the artists who made the history of the city, probably influencing their ideas and providing advice on ongoing projects.
Precisely during the duchy of Ludovico il Moro, in fact, the city was beautified and expanded, with the construction of the Castle Stables as a place dedicated to housing the breeding of horses of illustrious guests invited to participate in hunting trips; according to some scholars, the first stable inspired the model stable designed by Leonardo da Vinci in the B manuscript of Paris.
Among other renovation works, the “Loggia delle Dame,” the “Falconiera,” and the Tower, inspired by the architecture of Donato Bramante. At the same time, the Ducal square was built as a monumental entrance to the castle, and it is said that Leonardo himself reviewed the projects of the ducal engineer Ambrogio da Corte, contributing to the realization of the work.
As further testimony to Leonardo’s genius contributions to the city of Vigevano, in 2016 Leonardiana was born, a permanent exhibition created inside the rooms of Sforzesco Castle: a unique place in the world where visitors can admire the entire, vast, and heterogeneous work of one of humanity’s greatest geniuses.
The Museum offers an unprecedented itinerary through the life and work of Leonardo, who stayed in Vigevano as superintendent of the waters on behalf of Ludovico il Moro, but also as a member of the court of Ludovico and Beatrice, who always appreciated his exquisite artistic skills, worldly flair, and scientific and mathematical genius.
The Museum displays all the works Leonardo was able to conceive and realize throughout his life: the drawings, now kept in dozens of museums and libraries scattered around the world, the notebooks that accompanied his days, full of his thoughts and brilliant insights, the codices which after his death were assembled by friends and heirs and are now preserved in the greatest libraries and institutions worldwide.
The exhibition is completed by the “impossible art gallery,” in which all 26 paintings currently recognized as his work are exhibited, reproduced in actual size with special high-resolution techniques, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the entirety of the work, a unique experience that enables close and thorough analysis of his artistic language.
Opening hours: Tuesday to Friday 9:00 – 13:00 and 15:00 – 18:00. Saturday and Sunday 10:00 – 20:00
Ticket price: €10.00 full – €8.50 reduced
Leonardo’s presence in Vigevano is also documented at the Mora Bassa Mill, a 15th-century mill equipped with two large water wheels. The building was restored and transformed into a museum in 2000, thanks to a contribution from the Lombardy Region and the Municipality of Vigevano. Commissioned by Ludovico il Moro, it features some architectural characteristics that refer to Leonardo da Vinci’s vast skills and knowledge, who was present at the Sforza court at that time. Today, the museum displays machines designed by Leonardo in his sketches and drafts, created by a local craftsman who illustrates to visitors the revolutionary and innovative ideas of the inventor.
Opening hours: Saturday 14:30 – 18:00 – Sunday 10:30 – 12:30 and 14:30 – 18:00
Free admission
