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The following french and spanish dominations were
really bad for the city, only destruction,famine and
pestilence. Even if that, its inhabitants create a 
economic texture (agricolture, workshops for silk), 
wich got the city into a new market in the XVII and
XVIII century.
The Piemontese army won agaist the Autrian one 
(Sforzesca Battle 21.03.1849) and with the realisation
of the rail network between Vigevano-Mortara (1854),
The bridge over Ticino (1870) the city is easy connected
with the new rail netwok of Milano. During these years 
the economy changes with theopening of the first italian 
shoe maker centre in 1866, and durind the years after
borned other 36 shoe industries (about 10.000 worker ,
and  7/8.000 home worker).
In the 1937 the factory were 873, with over 20.000
employes,worker and sellers, but the real economic boom,
into the shoe production in around the '50 and '60;
Vigevano is the shoe capital. About at the end of the 
1960, the shoe commerce has a great crisis (especially 
for other italian factory and withthe technology) and from 
1970 until today starts for Vigevano the end of the shoe
production " Made in Italy".
Today the city is the centre of important industries for the 
production of shoe machine wich takes it to be one of the
world market leader. The second Sunday od May waiting 
the "Palio "you can see a parade aroud the street od the
city around the court of  Duke Francesco Sforza and in
his onor, you can see typical plays and dances. During
"Beato Matteo " City's counseil, the second Sunday of 
October you can see the "Palio delle Contrade" with the
historic parade with more than 400 guests dress in typical
clothes, and they show the tipical plays organized at the
court of the Duke.
The event strarts in Piazza Ducale and stops with the 
several matches into the  Castello Sforzesco garden,
after the winner receive the "Cencio" to the district. 

The falconer's huose

Covered street

S. Bernardo

"Melo Cotogno" play

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Folk fashion show pre-Palio