Leonardo in Lombardy: 8 itineraries to discover the places of Vinci

8 itineraries in Lombardy to discover the genius of the Renaissance.

The itineraries are:

• Around the Naviglio Grande
• Leonardo between Brescia and the Orobie and Brescia valleys
• The lakes of Brianza, the course of the Adda and the Naviglio della Martesana
• Leonardo between Lario, Valsassina and Valtellina
• Leonardo and Isabella d’Este in Mantua and Cremona
• Leonardo in Pavia
• The serial model of the Virgin of the Rocks: embroidery at the Sacro Monte of Varese
• Leonardo in Vigevano

Around the Naviglio Grande — The Naviglio Grande was not only a waterway to carry the goods and marble used to build the Duomo, but also the favourite way for the dukes to comfortably move from the castle in Milan to their other ducal residences. Leonardo would observe, draw, and upgrade this extraordinary waterway system, which was also the subject of many of Leonardo’s drawings. Since the 15th century, villas and country mansions of Milan’s nobility were built along the banks of the Naviglio or closely nearby. Some of these buildings, or the chapels next to them, were decorated with Leonardo's motifs.

Leonardo between Brescia and the valleys of the Orobie Alps and those near Brescia — Around 1497, Francesco Sanson, the Minister General of the Franciscan order, tried, alas unsuccessfully, to convince Leonardo da Vinci to make a painting for the church of San Francesco in Brescia. Leonardo was much attracted by the mountains around Brescia, by their watercourses, as well as by the nearby lake Garda. He would record the distances between the rivers in the province of Bergamo and in Brescia (Mella, Oglio, Cherio, Serio and Brembo) tracking real itineraries in the Brembana valley and the Camonica valley of Lake Iseo, from Palazzolo sull'Oglio to Ponte di Legno. He would also visit the Trompia Valley and Lake Idro. Leonardo’s interests in this area focused on the iron ore mines of Collio and how this precious metal was being worked and employed.

The lakes in Brianza, the river Adda and the naviglio della Martesana — For sure, Leonardo visited Brianza and the stretch of the river Adda between Lecco and Trezzo. He wanted to find a better way to carry goods in that portion of the river where it flows out of lake Como and it is so tortuous that it is impossible to navigate. Leonardo's sketches are real field surveys and the oldest cartographic recording of the Brianza lakes of Annone, Pusiano, Segrino and Alserio.

Leonardo between Lario, Valsassina and Valtellina — A few sheets of the Codex Atlanticus contain brief descriptions of Valsassina, Valtellina, Chiavenna and other places in the Lake Como area, the essence of which Leonardo was able to capture in just a few words. Leonardo correctly described the Grigna – meaning ‘bald’– as the highest mountain in the whole area between the lake Como and Valsassina. He paid particular attention to the rivers, flowing through most spectacular and picturesque parts of this land, with a very modern spirit of observation: the intermittent river Fiumelatte in Varenna; the Troggia waterfall in Introbrio; the falls of the Mera river at Acquafraggia in Valchiavenna; the thermal baths of Bormio.

Leonardo and isabella d’este between Mantua and Cremona — Leonardo da Vinci left Milan, no longer the capital city of the Sforzas, in 1499, and on his way to Venice, he stopped in Mantua. Here the marquise Isabella d’Este wanted Leonardo to make a portrait of hers. She had seen and much admired the portrait of Cecilia Gallerani (the Lady with an Ermine). The former mistress of Ludovico il Moro, Cecilia would often stay at San Giovanni in Croce, in the Cremona province, in the now Villa del Vascello. Isabella’s portrait would never be completed, which probably only increased her desire to own a work by Leonardo, which she insistently kept asking him in the following years: she would have liked either a sweet Madonna or a young Christ.

Leonardo in Pavia — Leonardo was also in Pavia with Francesco di Giorgio Martini in the spring of 1490, called there to work as a consultant for the construction of the new cathedral. The church to be reconstructed was to be as great as the Santa Sofia of Constantinople. On that occasion, Leonardo also studied the plan of the now destroyed church ofSanta Maria in Pertica. Leonardo also seemed to be interested in the architecture of the Visconti’s castle and also benefited from the rich library kept there. Constantly fascinated by water, he studied the hydraulic systems of the large park. He also explored the foundations of the Pavia walls near the river Ticino. The famous Regisole – a Roman equestrian monument, and a model for the horse designed in memory of Francesco Sforza – was also part of Leonardo’s studies in Pavia.

Serial model of the virgin of the rocks: the embroideries of Sacro Monte di Varese — The Virgin of the Rocks wasthe first work we know for sure was commissioned to Leonardo in Milan. His invention on the theme of the Immaculate Virgin portrayed in a cave immediately became viral. In the early 16th century, the image became a sort of ‘souvenir-subject’ to be purchased in Milan’s workshops after a stay in the city. There is an incredibly great number of copies with some variants kept in public and private collections, or in ecclesiastical buildings. The success of the model was such that it was also taken up in embroideries. In Santa Maria del Monte above Varese (Sacro Monte), in the Museo Baroffio, for example, there is a refinedaltar-frontal with in the centre a reproduction of the first version of the Virgin of the Rocks, now kept in the Louvre.

Leonardo in Vigevano — The Ducal residence in Vigevano was the actual seat of the court of Ludovico il Moro (1479-1499).Hence, most probably, Leonardo lived for some time between the castles of this town and the surrounding experimental agricultural estates, such as the pilot estate of the Sforzesca. The Vigevano compound was linked from both a defensive and a residential point of view to a series of buildings such as the castles of Gambolò, Galliate and La Maura in Villanova di Cassolnovo. In his notebooks, Leonardo wrote down various information about the countryside around Vigevano: the system used by farmers to protect the vineyards from frost; a system of water ‘ladders’ used to reclaim marshy lands and to irrigate the watermeadows.

Take me here: Leonardo in Lombardy: 8 itineraries to discover the places of Vinci

Nose up in the streets of Milan

We wander around the city observing plaques and inscriptions

Art & Culture

Lodi, invitation to court

Scenes of court life in the majestic Castle of Sant'Angelo Lodigiano that dominates the plain with an unequaled past

Art & Culture

OPEN WINDOWS

A new project by the Association Tapirulan

Art & Culture

Sondrio, the legend of Orlando

Castel Masegra is an imposing building which sits atop a 60m-tall rock, dominating the Sondrio skyline

Art & Culture

Theaters in Lombardy

Milan a city rich in theaters that are also famous internationally. But not only that: do not exclude other provinces such as Pavia and Mantua

Art & Culture

Immerse yourself online in art in Lombardy

Visit online the architectural beauties, cities, monuments, museums, exhibitions and places of culture in Lombardy

Art & Culture

Castles Brescia

From Sirmione to Breno, from Desenzano to Padernello, a journey through the fortified manors to the discovery of local history

Art & Culture

More than just cows

Everything you need to know about the Baronchelli dairy farm. A trip to Lodi to discover what's behind the milk we drink

Art & Culture

The Lombard seigniories: key figures, history and places

Gonzaga, Visconti, Sforza: a journey through cities steeped in history and culture

Art & Culture

Cammino del Vescovado: vineyards and villages

A route in three stages to discover the Terre del Vescovado, amidst picturesque villages, charming hills and famous vineyards

Art & Culture

Legend of the Seven Brothers

An evocative tale of eight brothers, linked to each other, who lived in the Lecco area

Art & Culture

School trips

Cremona is the ideal destination for your school trip

Art & Culture

In the footsteps of the Promessi Sposi

An unusual itinerary to relive the places, moods and atmospheres of Manzoni's novel, symbol of national identity

Art & Culture

Walking through time between Grosio and Grosotto

The most extensive historiated rock in Europe

Art & Culture

Museums Mantua

Indelible traces of a past full of history and emblematic characters. Museums tell us about the rich biography of the territory

Art & Culture

The Legend of the Giubiana

The Giubiana festival is a very popular tradition in Lombardy

Art & Culture

Milan in the 1920s: Déco and tradition

Art & Culture

The Archaeological Museum

on Google Arts & Culture!

Art & Culture

6 Interactive museums for children

Explore Lombardy with your children! Experiential and interactive museums to stimulate curiosity and creativity.

Art & Culture

Monuments in Lombardy

Cultural tourism and monuments in Lombardy

Art & Culture