Castello Sforzesco

One of the greatest symbols of Milan, the Sforzesco is one of the largest castles in Europe. Most of it was built in the 15^th century, in the gothic and renaissance styles, having been commissioned by Francesco Sforza the then new Duke of Milan.

The part of the castle that remains today is actually its oldest section, dwarfed by the surrounding fortifications. A green park surrounds the fortress, the Parco Sempione, created after the romantic style of English parks; a great place to spend a few relaxing hours in the open air.

The Sforzesco Castle is a very important cultural reference point for the city. Among the museums it houses, there is the Pinacoteca, with works - among the many - by Mantegna, Antonello da Messina, Correggio and Canaletto. Inside the Castle, as well as the Pinacoteca you'll also find the Prehistory Museum, the Museum of Ancient Art, the Furniture and Wooden Sculpture Museum and the Pietà Rondanini Museum, centred around Michelangelo Buonarroti's final sculpture.

Among the works by Leonardo da Vinci, Sforzesco Castle also contains the stunning trompe l'oeil pergola with overhanging vines painted on the ceiling of the Sala delle Asse, and the Codex Trivulzianus kept in the Castle's Trivulziana Library.