Things to Do and See in Pavia

Pavia, the capital of the province of the same name, was one of the most important centers in northern Italy. Among its many monuments, the most notable are the Duomo, which features one of the largest domes in Italy, and the Romanesque Basilica of San Michele, the city’s most famous and important medieval religious monument. Not to be missed is the Visconti Castle, a square-shaped building with four towers and a wide moat, now home to the Civic Museum, where visitors can admire an art gallery featuring interesting Venetian paintings, a collection of ancient Roman jewelry, vases, and sculptures. Other landmarks of the city include the university, which dates back to ancient times and was founded in 1361 by Galeazzo II, and the covered bridge—a reconstruction of a 14th-century structure destroyed during World War II—which leads to Borgo Ticino, home to the Church of Santa Maria in Betlem. Known as one of the most important monuments of the Renaissance, the monumental marble complex of the Carthusian monastery was founded by Gian Galeazzo Visconti of Milan as a family mausoleum and was later inhabited by monks. Known as the Certosa di Pavia, it features splendid period architecture in the Gothic and Renaissance styles: even at the entrance, the carved marble door sets the tone for the grandeur with which the site was conceived; inside, in fact, stands the Ducal Palace, where distinguished guests once resided. Elsewhere in the province—specifically in the Oltrepò region—must-see destinations include Voghera, home to the Visconti Castle and the Collegiate Church of San Lorenzo, surrounded by magnificent arcades; Varzi, with the Malaspina Palace, the quadrangular tower, and the Capuchin Church, built of sandstone in the Gothic-Romanesque style. Meanwhile, in the Lomellina region, don’t miss Vigevano, a small town characterized by Piazza Ducale—an example of Renaissance architecture—where the Baroque façade of the Duomo extends along the fourth side.