Leonardo da Vinci planned an ideal city with separate levels for pedestrians and vehicles.
After plague outbreaks in Milan, Leonardo developed urban plans intended to improve sanitation, transport, and public health. His proposed city used an upper level for pedestrians and an underground or lower level for traffic, services, canals, and waste movement. The separation was meant to reduce congestion and keep dirty or heavily used routes away from living spaces.
The plan was not built as a complete city. It was a group of drawings and proposals rather than a single finalized architectural blueprint. Leonardo’s ideas also included wider streets, controlled water flow, and organized buildings. The project is notable because it treats urban design as a coordinated system of public health, transport, and engineering rather than merely a collection of monuments.