Castello Sforzesco
A Visconti fortress rebuilt by Francesco Sforza from 1450, frescoed in part by Leonardo, now holding Michelangelo's last, unfinished Pietà.
Knocked down, and built again
Galeazzo II Visconti raised the first castle here between 1358 and about 1370, on the site of a Roman fortification. His successors enlarged it into a square fortress with 200-metre sides and walls up to seven metres thick, and in 1447 the Golden Ambrosian Republic pulled it down. Francesco Sforza began rebuilding in 1450 as his own residence and engaged Filarete in 1452 to design the central tower that still carries his name. Under Ludovico Sforza, Leonardo frescoed rooms here and worked on the Sala delle Asse ceiling around 1498. Napoleon's forces later demolished the outer fortifications, which is how the parade ground in front of it became a square.
Explore Castello Sforzesco on the map
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What there is to see
A fortress that became a museum complex.
🗼 The Filarete Tower
- Designed by Filarete in 1452 and the castle's emblem
- Rebuilt by Luca Beltrami during the restoration of 1891-1905
🗿 The Rondanini Pietà
- Michelangelo's last work, unfinished, held in the castle's collections
🎨 The Sala delle Asse
- Leonardo worked on the ceiling around 1498, under Ludovico Sforza
- Bramante also contributed frescoes to the castle
🖼️ The museums
- Art, Egyptian, musical instrument and archaeological collections share the building
🌳 Parco Sempione
- The park behind the castle occupies the former parade grounds
Getting there
North-west of the cathedral, at the head of its own square.
🧭 Position
- Piazza Castello, with Parco Sempione opening behind the building
When to go
The courtyards and the park are free; the collections are not.
🌳 Combining it
- The castle and Parco Sempione together make an afternoon rather than an hour
Before you go
Several museums under one roof, and they are not one visit.
⏱️ Time
- Choose a collection rather than attempting all of them
Close by
Central Milan.
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