Ecomuseo della Roggia Mora - Mulino di Mora Bassa
Fifteenth-century mill in Vigevano with an exhibition on irrigation waters and working wooden models of Leonardo da Vinci's machines.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Ecomuseo della Roggia Mora is housed in the Mulino di Mora Bassa, a 15th-century water mill with two large wheels, powered by the waters of the ancient Roggia Mora. It was commissioned by Ludovico il Moro, who in 1494 gave it to his wife Beatrice d'Este; after her death he handed it over to the Dominicans of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, who remained its owners until the Napoleonic era. It then passed to several private owners, and in 1988 the stretch of the roggia with its hydraulic buildings was transferred to the Associazione Irrigazione Est Sesia, the current owner.
In 2000, thanks to a contribution from Lombardy Region and the Municipality of Vigevano, the mill was restored and converted into a museum. The rooms host a teaching exhibition of forty panels, titled “L'acqua disegna il paesaggio” (Water Shapes the Landscape), on the changes to the territory brought about by the irrigation network.
Since 2002 the cultural association La Città Ideale has managed the visits, the workshops and the permanent exhibition on Leonardo da Vinci's machines: working wooden models, built by two craftsmen from the designs of the Florentine master, which visitors can touch and try. The mill is also linked to the legend of the meetings between Ludovico il Moro and Cecilia Gallerani, the “Lady with an Ermine”. Outside there is a garden with a trail-workshop on the systems for measuring irrigation water, and a multipurpose hall.
Highlights
- 15th-century mill with two large water wheels
- Exhibition “L'acqua disegna il paesaggio” with forty panels
- Working wooden models of Leonardo da Vinci's machines
- Trail-workshop on measuring irrigation water in the garden
- Educational workshops for schools
Permanent exhibitions
- L'acqua disegna il paesaggio – Teaching exhibition of forty panels on the changes to the landscape brought about by the irrigation network over the centuries.
- Le macchine di Leonardo – Working wooden models of Leonardo da Vinci's machines, built by two craftsmen on the basis of the original designs.
- Founded
- 2000
- Operated by
- Associazione culturale La Città Ideale (edificio di proprietà dell'Associazione Irrigazione Est Sesia)
Admission & discounts
| Half day for schools: guided tour, workshop and lunch room | €8Price per pupil |
|---|---|
| Day at the court of Ludovico il Moro for schools (exhibition, workshop, Castello Sforzesco and historic centre) | €13Price per pupil |
Admission prices for individual visitors are not published on the website. With the ticket for the Torre del Bramante and the “Leonardiana”, reduced admission to the exhibition applies, and vice versa.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
- Family tours & workshops
- Hands-on stations
Leonardo's machines are working and can be touched and tried by young and old alike; the museum offers educational workshops for schools.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Private parties
The multipurpose hall can be booked for parties, conferences, lectures and other events (tel. +39 393 951 7846).
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
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| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | The exhibition is visited with a guide by reservation. The association offers educational workshops (operating the locks, building Leonardo's movable bridge, the necklace of the “Lady with an Ermine”) and day or multi-day trips that combine the ecomuseum with the historic centre of Vigevano, the Enel hydroelectric plant and the Ticino Park. |
