Piazza Carlo Pedretti
A tribute to the great academic who studied Leonardo, including art, architecture and memory in the heart of Vinci
From Via Roma, recently transformed into a pedestrian zone, you enter the spectacular Piazza Carlo Pedretti. Inaugurated in 2019 by architect Oreste Ruggiero, it pays tribute to the great scholar of Leonardo da Vinci, Professor Carlo Pedretti (1928-2018), who was very attached to Vinci, the hometown of the Renaissance Genius.
The square serves as the entrance to the LEO-LEV Center, a multipurpose and exhibition space located in the heart of the town, dedicated to the promotion of culture and research linked to Leonardo. The large space is enriched by works created by Ruggiero, who oversaw its overall design, with the aim of evoking the extraordinary legacy of Leonardo and the memory of Professor Pedretti.
A distinctive feature of the square is the paving inspired by the Leonardesque Sala delle Asse in the Sforza Castle in Milan. Its decoration reinterprets the Lombard master's symbolic intertwining of trees, already used by Ruggiero for the Russian pavilion at Expo 2015. In the center of the space, there is a spectacular fountain, designed by the architect together with Professor Pedretti, inspired by Leonardo’s designs and built using innovative techniques that refer to the symbolism associated with the life and work of the Genius.
The square is also home to the "Skylines”, four brass engravings representing the towns linked to Leonardo: Vinci, Florence, Milan and Amboise. These elements, along with the paving and the fountain, create a visual and symbolic path that combines art, history and memory.
The creation of the square and the LEO-LEV Center is closely linked to the Rossana and Carlo Pedretti Foundation, established to preserve and promote Professor Pedretti’s research and enrich the cultural heritage linked to Leonardo. The premises located in Vinci, inside the renovated Baronti-Pezzatini villa, look out onto the square and host temporary exhibitions, events, lectures and educational activities, becoming a point of reference for scholars and enthusiasts.
Piazza Carlo Pedretti is not just an urban space: it is a place of remembrance and celebration, where art, architecture and culture linked to Leonardo come together to pay tribute to one of the greatest historians to have studied Leonardo, giving those who visit it an immersive experience in the world of the Genius and in the life of those who studied his works with passion and rigor.
