Located along the Adige river, Lodi, capital of the homonymous province, was founded soon after the destruction of Laus Pompeia - which correspons to the actual Lodi Vecchio - by Milan in 1111.
Lodi, in fact, was built by the will of Frederick I Barbarossa, who ensured to its inhabitants many important privileges. It is also known for the famous Peace of Lodi, signed in 1454, putting end to thee war between Milan and Venice.
Among the beautiful things to see there are: the Cathedral (begun in 1160), with remarkable works by Callisto Piazza; the Broletto (1284); the Piazza del Mercato; the Palazzo Vescovile and the Santuario dell'Incoronata, a Renaissance treasure of octagonal design. Also worth a visit is the Church of S. Francesco, in gothic-lombardic style (1280-1290), for its unique collection of medieval paintings. We then point out the churches of Sant'Agnese (XVI century), S. Lorenzo, and Santa Maria del Sole e della Maddalena. Other "must see" are: the Ospedale Maggiore, the Museo Civico and the Museo del Tesoro dell'Incoronata.