When construction began on 27 August 1396, Gian Galeazzo was the one to lay the first stone.

The church was covered at the behest of Francesco Sforza in 1462, while the large cloister was finished in 1472, consisting of brickwork arches supported by marble columns.

The facade of the Certosa is decorated with a series of medallions with heads of ancient historical or legendary characters that form the base. Higher up you can see scenes from the life of Christ and the Old Testament and figures of Saints and Prophets. The interior of the church retains its original gothic structure, inspired by the Milan cathedral. Its three naves are covered with vaults decorated with starry skies and figures of saints and the Carthusians. The frescoes dedicated to the families of the Sforza and Visconti are located in the left transept. Another beautiful work is the tomb of Ludovico and Beatrice d'Este, made by Solari.

The Certosa di Pavia opened its museum to the public for the first time in 1911. The ground floor of the Certosa Museum features a display of about 200 plaster casts of the reliefs that appear on the façade, the cloisters and other parts of the monastery. The first floor contains a display of hangings, sculptures, altarpieces, paintings on wood, marble reliefs and portraits of members of the Visconti and Sforza families.