Sforzesco Castle (Castello Sforzesco) was built as a fortress during the 14th century and is one of the most iconic monuments in Milan. Today it houses some of the best museums.
The castle in the past
Sforzesco Castle was built as a fortress in 1368. Later it was transformed into a splendid ducal palace that would be practically destroyed during the Ambrosian Republic.
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| Sforzesco Castle |
The Sforza family strove to turn the castle into one of the most magnificent courts in Italy, although it later passed into the hands of the Spanish and Austrians and regained its former military function.
With the decree of June 23, 1800, Napoleon ordered the demolition of the castle and, in 1801, the side towers and the Spanish bastions were demolished.
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| Sforzesco Castle |
In the second half of the 19th century, the castle was the subject of discussion among the Milanese, as many citizens wanted to destroy it to build a luxurious residential neighborhood. However, historical culture prevailed and the architect Luca Beltrami carried out a major restoration, restoring the castle to the appearance it had in Sforza times. The restoration was completed in 1905 with the inauguration of the Filarete Tower and Sempione Park, built where the old parade ground was located.
During the Second World War the castle was badly damaged.
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| Sforzesco Castle |
At the end of the 20th century, the castle square was built with a fountain inspired by the one that previously occupied this place, before being destroyed in the 1960s by the construction of the metro. In 2005 the last restoration work was completed in the cortil area and in the castle rooms.
In addition to the museums indicated, in the Sforzesco Castle there are also other exhibition spaces: the Rondanini Pieta Museum, the Numismatic and Medal Collection, the “Sala delle Asse” by Leonardo da Vinci, the Collection of Drawings and the Collection of Engravings "Achille Bertarelli".