Pavia

Pavia, capital city of the Lombardy province. It stands on the Ticino River, 35 km south of Milan. Its first name, when it was foundation in Roman times, was in fact Ticinum. It was surrounded by defence bastions most of which were turned into gardens and avenues in the XIX century. What remained, was torn down at the beginning of the 20^th century in order to build the ring road. Pavia is the capital of a province with a mostly agriculture-based economy with a strong production of wine, rice and cereals. The city is also famous for its university, one of the oldest in Italy, founded in 1361; the Policlinico San Matteo (Saint Matthew General Hospital) is very important, too. Pavia boasts numerous artistic-historical attactions, among which outstands the Certosa (Charterhouse)of Pavia: a monastery inhabited by Carthusian friars, dating back to the 14^th century and commissioned by Gian Galeazzo Visconti. It was at the north end of the viscount’s gardens which surrounded the Pavia castle, and of which only some parts remain today. The Certosa comprises several buildings and monastic cloisters in late-Gothic style, and boasts many decorations which in time have come to give additional value to the monastery. The Duomo di Pavia (Cathedral). Magnificent cathedral, whose building started in the 15^th century. It stands on the remains of another two old Romanesque cathedrals, Saint Stephen and Santa Maria del Popolo (Saint Mary of the People). It has Greek-cross plan; it is one of the largest churches in Northern Italy. The dome is imposing; it is the third in width in Italy, only surpassed by the Duomo of Florence cathedral and Saint Peter's in Rome. San Michele Maggiore. It is one of Lombardy most important Romanesque churches. Its building dates back to the 11th century. Another two important churches belonging to the medieval period are San Pietro in Ciel d’Oro (Saint Peter in Golden Sky) and San Teodoro (Saint Theodore). Ponte Coperto (covered bridge) or Ponte Vecchio (old bridge). Pavia is divided in Borgo Ticino (Ticino suburb), which was outside the wall and on the right bank of the Ticino River, and the historical quarter on the left bank. The two areas were connected by a bridge which was destroyed during the Second World War and was rebuilt not very far away from its original site during the post-war period. Castello Visconteo. Built by Galeazzo II Visconti in the 14^th century, it had a park that stretched up to the Certosa. Only a section of this park still remains today and it is called Parco della Vernavola. Some of the numerous historical palaces worth visiting are the Palazzo Malaspina, Palazzo Bottigella and Palazzo Mezzabarba.