Pavia the city of a hundred towers

Pavia was built following the first settlements by populations coming from Transpadane Gaul, probably the Levi, the Marici or the Insubres. The city was founded by the Romans, who were responsible for the layout which has remained intact to this day. The ancient name of Pavia was Ticinum. It was repeatedly sacked by the barbarians, conquered by the Lombards in 572 and elected capital of their kingdom with the name of Papia, from which its current name derives. The Lombard dominion lasted until 774, when the city was conquered by Charlemagne. During the Franco-Carolingian period and, under the rule of the emperors of Saxony, it was both one of the most flourishing trading markets in the Po Valley and the administrative center of an Italic Kingdom in the Holy Roman Empire of the West. In the 11th century Henry II, crowned king of Italy, had to leave the city following a popular uprising. In 1026 the city gates were closed to Corrado II, who came to Italy to receive the imperial crown. The city returned under the dominion of the Empire after two years and subsequently, the free city institutions expanded and, in the 12th century, there were the first consuls. After the creation of the municipality of Milan, the two centers fought to take over the Po Valley markets. During the battles between the German emperor Frederick Barbarossa and the municipalities of the Lombard League, the city remained faithful to the imperial army and over time lost political importance, until it was annexed, in 1360, to the Duchy of Milan, under the dominion of the Viscontis. In the sixteenth century there was the famous "Battle of Pavia", fought between the French and the Imperials. The latter won thanks to Captain Cesare Hercolani, who injured the horse of King Francis I of France and, thanks to this event, emerged victorious. Starting from the 13th century. until the mid-19th century, Pavia was dominated by foreigners: Spanish, French and Austrians. It was annexed in 1859 to the Kingdom of Sardinia, together with the rest of Lombardy.

We advise you to start your visit with the Castello Visconteo , a Lombard late-Gothic castle built by order of Galeazzo II Visconti between 1360 and 1365. The Visconti also designed an enormous hunting park, which extended up to the Certosa of Pavia. To date, part of the park is still present, and is called Parco della Vernavola. The complex is also the home of the Civic Museums of Pavia . The Cathedral of Pavia is one of the most important churches of the Italian Renaissance and was built to pay homage to Santo Stefano Martire and Santa Maria Assunta. A few steps from the Duomo, you can also see the remains of the Civic Tower. In addition to the Duomo, we recommend visiting an important place of worship in the city: the Basilica of San Pietro in Ciel d'Oro, a Basilica built in the Middle Ages, where today the remains of Sant'Agostino di Ippona and San Severino Boezio are kept , as Dante also wrote in canto X of paradise.

Walking along Strada Nuova, you can reach the Ticino river and see the Arnaboldi dome , an octagonal glass and iron dome that was built in 1877 by the mayor of Pavia Bernardo Arnaboldi. Corso Garibaldi, on the other hand, is the road that leads from Strada Nuova to the outskirts of the city. If you take Via San Michele from Corso Garibaldi, you can admire a symbol of the medieval Romanesque style, the Basilica of San Michele Maggiore . The façade is in sandstone, and is distinguished by its ocher color, compared to the façades of other churches, in brick color. The University of Pavia is one of the oldest in the world (in fact it was founded in 1361) and its courtyard of statues is definitely worth a visit. In this university they taught prominent personalities like Ugo Foscolo and Alessandro Volta, who did the first experiments on electricity in this building. Near the University of Pavia, there are the medieval towers of Pavia , dating back to the 12th century. The city, in fact, was called "the city of 100 towers" and currently the best preserved towers are located in Piazza Leonardo da Vinci.

In the heart of the city, between Corso Cavour and Strada Nuova, is Piazza della Vittoria, also called " Piazza Grande ". In the basement there is an underground covered market, built in 1958. The square has a rectangular plan, bounded on four sides by historic buildings and closed by the medieval palace of the Broletto, which was once the seat of the municipality, whereas today it is the headquarters of the company promotes tourism and within it there are numerous cultural activities. In Piazza della Vittoria there are also numerous bars and restaurants and, weather permitting, you can also sit at a bar or restaurant, and fully enjoy the city. On the corner of Piazza della Vittoria and Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, there is Palazzo Vistarini , a historic building in Lodi in the Gothic style. The brick façade is embellished with single-lancet windows decorated with terracotta frames. The arcade, on the other hand, is characterized by predominantly pointed arches and vaults, most of which was frescoed. Before leaving the city we advise you to visit the Certosa di Pavia , a monumental complex formed by a monastery and a sanctuary. According to legend, it was once connected with the Visconti Castle. It is located in the town of the same name and can be reached by train or by bus, leaving from the center of Pavia.