Pavia, Visconti Castle

The magnificent and imposing building, which Galeazzo II Visconti had set up between 1360 and 1365, was used as an armed stronghold and noble residence at the same time.
Two main styles coexist: the Gothic style of Venetian inspiration, which characterizes the decorations of the windows and the internal yard, and the Renaissance style, which is reflected by the harmonious modular shape of the squared plan, whose line has been drawn on in the design of the corner towers, the rooms and the painting of the background outside.
The northern side, which accommodated the feast hall frescoed by Pisanello, was destroyed during the plunder of Pavia in 1527 by the French, who thus avenged the defeat they had suffered two years earlier.
After the dismantling of the military buildings close to the castle around the 18th century, the garden and the tree-lined avenues that surround the castle.
Since 1950 the building has been hosting Pavia's Civic Museums, which are famous for the rich art and historical heritage displayed.