Milan landmark: Castello Sforzesco. Sforzesco Castle in Milan - history, description and famous inhabitants Sforza Castle opening hours

The Sforzesco Castle (or Sforzesco) is one of the most famous landmarks of Milan and a true symbol of the city. The building has existed for seven centuries. It bears the name of Duke Francesco Sforza, whose residence it served. Nowadays the castle is architectural complex V historical center with a large garden and several museums located on its territory.

At the beginning of the 16th century, Leonardo da Vinci himself was engaged in decorating the Sforzesco Castle.

Over the seven centuries of the castle’s existence, several famous sculptors, architects and artists managed to work on its external and internal appearance. Around it lies Piazza delle Armi, which previously served as a parade ground. Also around the walls of the fortress in 1893, Sempione Park was laid out, which is still considered one of the main parks in Milan. In the Sforza Castle and Sempione Park you can often meet not only tourists traveling around the city, but also local residents who also like to spend their free time here.

Story

This castle was originally built in the 14th century, when the aristocratic Visconti dynasty decided to acquire a residence near Milan (at that time this territory was not part of the city). Despite the fortifications erected around the castle, the Visconti family was attacked during the overthrow of power and was forced to leave their home. The castle itself was half destroyed by the rioting crowd.

After a few years of existence new republic Francesco Sforza, a military leader and the new Duke of Milan, came to power, who made Sforzesco his residence, and under him the dilapidated castle was restored. More reliable defenses were built around Sforzesco, and towers were also erected. It is worth noting that the Duke thought not only about the defensive capabilities of the castle, but also about its beauty, and we can still see the decoration of the facades remaining from then, made by the famous architect Averumin.

The castle became the residence of the dukes only under Francesco Sforza’s son, Galeazzo. He expanded the castle and brought in the skilled architect Ferrini for the interior decoration. Galeazzo also paid great attention to the interior of his residence, so under him, luxurious expensive furniture, paintings and other objects of art appeared in the castle. The main part of all this beauty can still be seen once inside Castello Sforzesco.

Galeazzo's brother, Ludovico Sforza, continued to work on the improvement of the castle and invited Leonardo da Vinci to carry out the paintings. Some fragments of the great artist’s frescoes have been preserved to this day in very good condition. They are located in the Sala delle Asse. Some manuscripts of his literary works have also been preserved.

In the 16th century During the Italian wars, the castle was abandoned by its owners and fell into disrepair. Sforzesco continued to be raided during the Revolutionary Wars and was significantly damaged. Its restoration was carried out only in 1833, and then the castle acquired many romantic features. However, during the wars in the mid-19th century. Between the Italians and the Austrians, the Sforza Castle was again plundered and remained in disrepair until 1900. This year, a large-scale restoration of the castle was carried out, and to this day it exists in the form that it acquired during the restoration.

Exterior view of Castello Sforzesco and the Moscow Kremlin

Russian tourists visiting the Sforzesco fortress immediately note its external resemblance to the Moscow Kremlin. The main similar features of these two attractions are the shape of the towers and the series of battlements on the fortress walls. The reason for these similarities is this: the main tower of the Sforzesco was designed by Antonio Filarete. This architect at one time worked with another famous Italian master, Aristotle Fioravanti. It was Fioravanti who was the author of the Kremlin project in Moscow.

The Sforzesco Central Tower itself is shaped like a tetrahedron 70 meters high. It is decorated with a bas-relief depicting the Italian king Umberto I. Also on the first tier of the tower there are frescoes with images of coats of arms and a portrait of St. Ambrose. On the second tier there is a clock called the “Sun of Justice”, left here since the time of the Visconti dynasty. The tower houses the main gate of the Castello Sforzesco, through which you can enter the courtyard.

Museums of the Sforzesco Castle

Nowadays, Castello Sforzesco is a very important place from a cultural point of view, not only because of its historical role, but also because it now houses several museums. First of all, it is worth mentioning the magnificent art gallery of the castle, where works of famous Italian artists from different eras are exhibited. In Sforzesco there are also Archaeological Museum, the Museum of Medieval Art (household objects and art of the 13th-15th centuries are presented here) and the Reunification Museum.

Of particular note is the unfinished Pieta Rondanini sculpture by Michelangelo.

Among the other most interesting exhibits of the Sforza Castle are a hall dedicated to the work of Leonardo da Vinci, a huge collection of musical instruments, and the tombstone of Duke Visconti. Individual rooms are also of great interest to tourists: here you can see the ballroom and the room from the Roccabianca Castle. The frescoes in this room depict the heroine of Boccaccio's Decameron, an iconic image of its time.

Additional Information

Castello Sforzesco is open to the public every day. Exceptions are January 1, May 1 and December 25. You can get here from 7:00 to 19:30; visiting the fortress territory is free.

If you want to explore not only the castle grounds, but also the museums located in it, you will need to purchase single ticket. The price of a single ticket is 10 euros, the ticket is valid for one day and allows you to visit all the museums and exhibitions of the castle. There is a system of discounts for children and preferential categories. The Sforzesco Museums are open from Tuesday to Sunday, opening hours: 9:00–17:30, last entry until 17:00. They are closed to the public on major holidays, such as Christmas.

How to get to Sforza Castle

Sforza is located near the center of Milan, in the Porta Umberto area, so getting here by public transport is easy. Near the castle there are metro stations Cadorna - Cairoli (line M1) and Cadorna - Lanza (line M2). There is also a stop here public transport Cadorna. Bus routes 50, 57, 58, 61 and 94 go to it. Trams number 1, 2, 4, 12, 14 and 27 also go to the castle.

If you want to get to Costello Sforzesco with the greatest comfort, use taxi services such as Uber or Yellow Taxi.

Sforza Castle on Google panoramas:

The Sforzesco Castle in Milan is one of the most visited attractions in the city. It was named after its founder and first owner, Francesco Sforza. Interestingly, the Sforza surname is actually a nickname. Francesco's father's name was Muzio Attendolo, he was a condottiere, commander of a detachment of mercenary soldiers. For his extraordinary physical strength (according to legend, he could bend a horseshoe with his hands), he was nicknamed Sforza - Strong (“sforzo” from Italian “strengthening, tension”). And his children have already begun to bear this nickname as their official surname.

Historical information about the castle

Initially, another residence was built on the site of the Sforza Castle in the 14th century, that of the Duke of Visconti. However, it was completely dismantled by the rebel people in the 15th century. In 1450, Francesco Sforza became the ruler of the Duchy of Milan. It was then that he began to build himself a residence, called the Sforza Castle.

Castello Sforzesco (as the name of the castle sounds in Italian) was actually built in the middle of the century, but for several decades it was decorated and supplemented. For example, the great Leonardo da Vinci built a pergola there - an arch-shaped canopy for climbing plants, which is placed above the terraces and passages to protect from the sun.

Interestingly, the castle in Milan is very reminiscent of the Moscow Kremlin. There is the main tower of Filaret, similar to the Trinity, only smaller in size (70 and 80 meters in height, respectively). The walls, like the Kremlin wall, are decorated with battlements in the form of “swallowtails”. This similarity can be explained very simply: Italian architects were involved in the construction and design of the Moscow Kremlin.

In the 16th century, the castle underwent reconstruction. Its owner Ferrante Gonzago (he was the viceroy of the King of Sicily, the de facto ruler of Milan at that time) decided to turn the castle into a fortification. The halls of Castello Sforzesco were converted into barracks for soldiers. And one courtyard was paved with tiles and turned into a parade ground.

Napoleon Bonaparte played a significant role in the history of Milan and the Sforza Castle. When the city came under his authority, some local residents demanded that the emperor demolish the castle. Allegedly, he was for them a symbol of the hated rule of the Dukes of Milan. However, Napoleon not only did not destroy the fortress, but restored it. So modern tourists should be grateful to Napoleon for the fact that they can now observe this ancient landmark.

Later, the castle underwent several more reconstructions. And at the end of the 19th century it was recognized as an architectural monument and reconstruction began. It ended at the beginning of the 20th century and since then the castello has served as a museum. However, during the Second World War, the castle suffered again, mainly as a result of bombing, the fortress walls were destroyed. Post-war reconstruction ended in the 50s of the 20th century. After this, the Sforza Castle was no longer destroyed. And now it is protected by the state as a significant architectural monument of Italy.

Castle exposition

In Castello Sforzesco (Milan) tourists are interested in:

The fortress walls, towers and courtyards of the castle are well preserved to this day.
Parque Sempione, laid out around the castello, and located in the park, the Arch of Peace ( Triumphal Arch), built in the early 19th century by order of Napoleon Bonaparte. In the park you can walk along the alleys and relax sitting on benches. By the way, it is popular not only among guests of the city, but also among the Milanese themselves.
Museums located in palace halls.

The main museum of the castle houses a magnificent collection of paintings, sculptures and other works of art. The most valuable exhibit here is an unfinished sculpture by Michelangelo, called Pieta Rondanini. It depicts the Virgin Mary mourning the deceased Jesus Christ. This is the last work of the great master, on which he worked just a few days before his death. But at that time he was 89 years old! In his youth, Michelangelo had already made a marble Pieta (now kept in St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican), but his unfinished work is completely different from the first.

Ancient Egyptian,
dishes,
weapons,
musical instruments.

Information for visitors to the castle

A single entrance ticket to all museums of Castello Sforzesco costs 5 euros. Admission for children is free. The castle is open to visitors from 7 am to 7 pm. However, museums are only open until 5 pm.

The castle is located in the historical center of Milan; you can walk from the main Duomo cathedral in about ten minutes. By the way, the Filaret Tower is clearly visible from many areas of Milan, so it serves as an excellent landmark for tourists.

If you find yourself in Milan, plan to spend a few hours exploring the Sforzesco Castle and its museums. You will see a lot of interesting things from ancient and not so ancient history our world.

Sforzesco Castle (Castello Sforzesco) in Milan

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Sforzes Castle (Castello Sforzesco) in Milan - Photo

(Italian Castello Sforzesco) - fortified residence of the Dukes of the Sforza dynasty in Milan (Italy).

The castle in Milan was first built in the 14th century as the residence of the Visconti family, but was destroyed after the proclamation of the Ambrosian Republic. In the middle of the 15th century, Francesco Sforza restored the castle. In the 16th century, Leonardo da Vinci himself worked on the appearance of the castle. To this day, only a pergola and notes with literary experiments remain of his works.

The appearance of the Sforza Castle was taken as a model by the Milanese architects who built the Kremlin in Moscow, namely: the battlements on the walls, the shape of the towers. The main tower of the fortress (Filarete Tower) was designed by Antonio Filarete, who worked together with Aristotle Fioravanti.

During the Italian Wars, Ludovico Sforza left Milan, and his castle was occupied by the King of France, Louis XII. In 1521, lightning struck the gunpowder magazine located in the Filaret Tower, as a result of which it was resolved. The Spanish governor, Ferrante Gonzaga, decided to fortify the city and built new star-shaped fortifications around the Sforzesco Castle. Barracks for 2 thousand soldiers were located in the palace premises.

During the Revolutionary Wars, Milan was again captured by the French, who were briefly driven out by Suvorov in 1799. After Napoleon came to Milan, local residents handed him a petition that the Sforza Castle should be destroyed, following the example of the Bastille in France, as a symbol of the hated autocracy. But instead of destroying the castle, Napoleon ordered to build in front of it large area. In 1833, a large-scale restoration of the fortress was organized; during the restoration of 1900, the Filarete Tower was restored.

Nowadays there are several museums in the Sforza Castle: prehistoric, ancient egypt, dishes, musical instruments. Almost nothing remains of da Vinci's frescoes; the ballroom and portico are much better preserved.

In the fortress you can see Michelangelo's last sculpture - Pieta Rondanini.

Sforza Castle - Piazza Castello - 20121 Milano

Castle

Free entrance
7.00-19.30

Castle Museums

Opening hours

9.00-17.30 Tuesday-Sunday
Last admission 17.00 (only for ticket holders)

Info Point: tel. 02.88463700

Admission ticket

9.00-16.30 Tuesday-Sunday

Full ticket € 10,00
Reduced € 8,00
Reduced first Sunday of the month € 5,00

A ticket is valid for one day and includes the entrance to all the Castle Museums and Leonardo mai visto exhibitions

Ticket 5xLeonardo(30 days validity) € 38.00 (full); € 25.50 (reduced 18-25 years and over 65 years); € 4.50 (special reduced 5-17 years); free (0-4 years)
Tourist Museum Card (3 days) € 12.00
Musei Lombardia Milano subscription (1 year) € 45.00 (27-64 years), € 20.00 (6-14 years), € 30.00 (15-26 years), € 35.00 (over 65 years)

The ticket 5xLeonardo, the subscriptions and the Esselunga coupon allow admission to all of the Castle Museums and to the Leonardo mai visto exhibitions before ticket office closure at 16.30.

Free entry : every first and third Tuesday of the month from 14.00

Every Saturday at 15.00(in Italian and English) and every Sunday at 15.00(Italian only) Leonardo at the Castle(guided tour to Leonardo mai visto and Museums highlights) € 8.00 (max 25 people, meeting at 14.45 at Info point – Filarete Tower).
The tour is subject to availability, always guaranteed with any number of partecipants. Reservations are recommended.
Ad Artem, tel. 02.6597728, www.adartem.it
Opera d'Arte, tel. 02.45487400, www.operadartemilano.it

Buy ticket

Leonardo mai visto : due to the large turnout, the access to the Museum of Ancient Art that hosts the Leonardo mai vist o events are subject to restrictions. Queues of 30/60 minutes are possible. Entrance to the Sala delle Asse is limited to a maximum of 50 people at a time for conservation and safety. Buying the online ticket entitles you to priority admission to the Museum within 30 minutes of the time indicated on the ticket. Exceptionally, for the entire Leonardo mai visto event, the last ticket issued and the last entry to the Museum of Ancient Art will be at 16.30, excluding extraordinary openings.

Museo Pietà Rondanini-Michelangelo: the purchase of the online ticket does not entitle you to book the Museum entry time. The indicated time refers to the entrance to the Museum of Ancient Art which hosts the Leonardo mai visto event. There may be queues to access the Pietà Rondanini Museum. Entry is permitted to groups of 30 people at a time. In the case of a large turnout, the visit to the Museum will be limited to a maximum time of 20 minutes for organized groups and 10 minutes for individual visitors.

The Sforza Castle and Sempione Park are the pride of the Milanese and one of the symbols of this ancient and beautiful city. This huge and seemingly inconspicuous castle for its centuries-old history experienced many historical events - wars and destruction, riots and revolutions...

Truly majestic, beautiful and strict, Sforza Castle, or Castello Sforzesco, is located in the historical center modern city. But at the time when they began to lay it, the location of the castle was outside the city walls, and it was created as a defensive Milanese fortress.

The decision to begin construction of the castle-fortress was made in 1368 by the Duke of Milan, Galeazzo II Visconti, from the famous Visconti dynasty, which ruled Milan for about two centuries, from 1277 to 1447. Construction of the Sforza Castle began under Francesco Sforza, who seized power in Milan in 1450.

Francesco Sforza died in 1466, and his heirs, with the help of Leonardo da Vinci and Bramante, rebuilt the castle as a ducal residence. At the same time, the luxurious interiors of the castle were created, some of which can still be seen today. The castle began to include a series of courtyards, an elegant square framed by arcades by Bramante and Filarete. The palace becomes the residence of the Dukes of Milan; Galeazzo and his wife Bona of Savoy move here from the city palace.

During the reign of Duke Lodovico Moro, brother of Galeazzo (late 70s - 90s of the 15th century), the Sforza Castle became one of the most beautiful and rich ducal courts in Italy.

With the outbreak of the Italian Wars, Lodovico Sforza fled from Milan, and the French king Louis XII settled in Sforza Castle. Under his successor Francis, the castle fell into disrepair; in 1521, a powder warehouse in the Filaret tower exploded due to a lightning strike, after which it was dismantled.

The Spanish governor Ferrante Gonzaga, having begun to strengthen the city, built the Sforzesco castle in the center of the new Milanese fortifications in the shape of a star. Barracks for 2,000 soldiers were built in the palace chambers.

During the period of Spanish rule, the Sforza Castle, which continued to play the role of a defensive fortress, was surrounded by additional fortifications and massive ramparts. Drawings and literary sources of the time indicate that a hospital, a tavern, ice and food storage facilities, and two military churches were also located here. The halls, painted by Leonardo and Bramantino, were converted into utility rooms.

During the time of Napoleon, the ducal power fell again, and some Milanese professing extreme views demanded the destruction of the Sforza Palace. Napoleon, contrary to these demands, decided to restore the old part of the castle-fortress to house his troops. And the troops were again stationed in the castle - this time Napoleonic ones. Under Napoleon, numerous ramparts and fortifications built by the Spaniards were demolished. But only part of the territory was developed, turned into a vast public garden.

During the Revolutionary Wars, Milan was again captured by the French, who were briefly driven out of the city by A.V. Suvorov in April 1799. After the return of the French, local patriots presented Napoleon with a petition stating that Castello Sforzesco must share the fate of the Bastille as a symbol of the autocracy they hate. Instead of destroying the castle, Napoleon ordered a spacious square to be built in front of it. In 1833, a large-scale restoration of the Castello was carried out in a romantic spirit, which included the restoration of such medieval features as the moat around the castle.

Restoration of the palace began in the middle of the 19th century. But it was really started only after the creation of a single independent Italian state in 1861. At this time, the castle was not only included in the list of monuments subject to priority reconstruction, but was also recognized as one of the main symbols of the city.

The reconstruction was carried out according to a project proposed by the Milanese architect Luca Beltrami and based on a detailed study of all historical documents, literary sources and works visual arts, associated with the creation of the fortress-palace over all six centuries of its existence.

Work on the palace began with the restoration of the corner cylindrical towers of the facade of the palace. By the way, these towers were later equipped with storage facilities drinking water- it was thus possible to combine the problem of restoration of historical values with solving problems of life support and cultural life cities.

The partially restored palace was opened for the first visits in May 1900, and its complete reconstruction was completed in 1905 - it was then that the restoration of the Filaret Tower was completed. At the same time, the palace was transferred to Milan and the Milanese.

The appearance of the Sforzesco fortress was taken as a model by the Milanese architects who worked on the Moscow Kremlin (the shape of the towers and the crown of battlements crowning the walls), so the Sforzesco castle is a kind of prototype of the Kremlin)

Next to the palace is the beautiful Sempione Park, created in 1893, the largest in Milan public park. In the far part of this park you can get acquainted with an interesting architectural monument of the early 19th century - the granite Arch of Peace. Earlier in this article it was already said that the construction of this arch (and it was conceived as the Arc de Triomphe) was started at the direction of Napoleon in 1807 in honor of the victories of his troops on the Apennine Peninsula. The arch was supposed to become at the same time the informal 14th gate of Milan, the opening of which is oriented along the Paris-Milan axis. Through them, the Emperor of France intended to solemnly enter the city after the completion of the arch. However, construction did not progress very quickly. By 1815, i.e. By the time Napoleon's power came to an end following his defeat at Waterloo, the construction project was only two-thirds completed. The opening of the arch took place only in 1838 - at that time Milan was again under the yoke of the Austrian Empire, and the arch was renamed the Arch of Peace (in memory of the peace established in Europe in 1815 after the fall of Napoleon's empire). The arch was opened by the Austrian Emperor Ferdinand I. The arch is luxuriously decorated in the neoclassical style. Among the decorations are scenes that illustrate or symbolize events in which Napoleon was a contemporary and participant. The arch, if you look through it towards the center of Milan, is like a natural frame of the Filaret Tower of the Sforza Palace.

Nowadays, in the Sforza Castle there is a group of museums (ancient Egypt, prehistoric, musical instruments, dishes and a number of others), for which there is a single entrance ticket (on Friday afternoons admission is free), costing 7 euros per adult soul)

From Leonardo's frescoes in the ducal chambers Sforza Castle almost no trace remained; The ball game room and the “elephant portico” have survived to this day in much better condition. In the castle you can see Michelangelo's last (unfinished) sculpture, Pieta Rondanini, paintings by Mantegna, Giovanni Bellini, Filippino Lippi, Correggio and Pontormo, as well as a curious collection of musical instruments.

December 9, 2010 | Categories: Places , History , Architecture

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