The toponym Iria was mentioned in 197 B.C., in the reports on the penetration of Roman troops in the dominions of the Ligurians. In 44 B.C., the Romans founded a colony at the site named Iria and developed it into a town. Between the 6th and the 8th century, during the Kingdom of the Longobards, Voghera was the home of free people – noble Longobards, owners of lands and houses, and their servants. During the rule of the Longobards, there was a gestaldate judiciary that administered civil and criminal law. In the early 10th century, Berengar I confirmed the ‘teloneo’ tax, the district and every public function to the parish church of Voghera and placed it under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Tortona. The church granted the permission to open a channel in the river Staffora to build mills, granting the free use of the water, subject to approval from the Bishop. Frederick I took away the dominion of Voghera from the Bishops of Tortona. After the long rule of Henry VI (the son of Barbarossa), it came under the dominion of the Visconti and, after them, of the Dal Verme family. Voghera was part of the Dukedom of Milan during the rule of the Sforza and Philip, the King of Spain. Under Charles Emmanuel III, the King of Sardinia, the city became the capital of the Province of Voghera that included the Oltrepò. In the 19th century, however, it was added to the Province of Pavia. The city is situated on the crossroads of the highways of Milan – Genoa and of Turin – Bologna, which is why it was heavily bombarded during World War Two. Places of interest: • Cathedral of San Lorenzo Martire / DUOMO-SAN LORENZO MARTIRE – Piazza Duomo Tel +39 0383 41572 • Church of Our Lady of the Graces / SANTA MARIA DELLE GRAZIE– Via S. Maria delle Grazie - Tel +39 0383 47889 • Church of the Carmelite Order / Chiesa del CARMINE – Via Mazzini • Church of SAN GIUSEPPE – Via Giovanni Plana • Shrine of the Chivalry / SACRARIO DELLA CAVALLERIA – Via Tempio Sacro della Cavalleria • Visconti Castle / Castello VISCONTEO – Via Castello - Tel +39 0383 336228 • Town Hall /Palazzo del MUNICIPIO – Piazza Duomo, 1 - Tel +39 0383 336228 • Museum of Natural Sciences / Museo di SCIENZE NATURALI – Via A. Gramsci – Tel +39 0383 644200 • Museum of History / Museo STORICO – Via A. Gramsci – Tel +39 0383 43636 • Remains of the Roman Bridge / Resti del PONTE ROMANO – Via Piacenza