Castello Sforzesco of Milan – The life at Court

All castles exude a special charm, made up of courtly stories, ladies and knights, wars and mysterious legends…
On a guided tour of of the Castello Sforzesco of Milan, we relive the charm of courtly life, Gothic legends and architecture made up of crenellated towers and drawbridges as we stroll through its exterior. In the true heart of the city, we follow the Biscione, still considered the symbol of Milan, and explore the ancient fortress, home to great masterpieces by artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and other priceless treasures, now part of the Civic Museums. And finally a walk, with a view from the Sforzesco Castle over the Arco della Pace, in the green of Parco Sempione, where the hunting grounds of the lords of Milan once stood…

A guided tour of Milan’s Castello Sforzesco is an unmissable opportunity to find yourself immersed in the history, art, customs and traditions of Renaissance and modern Milan: so don’t miss it and come with us to discover the beauty of its exterior and the many secrets it holds.

The history of Milan at the Castello Sforzesco

Going on a guided tour of the Castello Sforzesco in Milan is like studying a concentrate of the city’s history. With the Castle’s civic museums and art collections, the famous Torre del Filarete, the battlements and the underground parts, you will feel as though you have learned the whole history of Milan – or almost! –  in just a few hours! Our Castello Sforzesco is an exceptional heritage which contains centuries of history, but more as well: in the itinerary we offer, you will find towers, rooms frescoed by Leonardo da Vinci, the Pietà Rondanini by Michelangelo and areas for the collection of archaeological finds, secret and underground passages, breathtaking views of the city from the battlements… you will be embarrassed for choice by what our qualified professional guides can offer you in this exceptional Milanese monument. The Castle in Milan is a genuine sanctuary of the civic virtues of the city, a summary in stone of its political, military and artistic history… the guides will take you through centuries of stories, tales and myths, from the Viscontis to the Sforzas, from the Spanish to the Hapsburgs, from Napoleon to the restoration by Luca Beltrami of the Castello Sforzesco: historical events that took place here and figures that lived behind its walls which are steeped in history, anecdotes and legends.

The collections of the Castle and our very own Hyde Park

The guided tour can also include the Civic Museums of the Castle, where you can become lost in the rooms of the Egyptian Museum or of the Museum of Ancient Art, home to the famous Pietà Rondanini. Accompanied by our guides, you can admire the old musical instruments displayed in the museum and the colourful paintings in the Art Gallery. At the end of our cultural itinerary you will be in the open air again, where, hoping that the weather is fine, you can rest in the very green Parco Sempione, behind the Castello and which could be defined Milan’s Hyde Park. One of our themed guided tours is the Parco Sempione itself, rich in history and culture, where the guides usually enjoy themselves making visitors discover De Chirico’s  mermaids and mysterious bathers. It is the whole atmosphere, from the Castello Sforzesco to the Parco Sempione that is filled with legends and mysteries, like the remarkable story of the famous relief illustrating  a “tusa” (young girl),that so shocked  Borromeo. In the park, listening to our guides, you will find yourselves walking alongside the ghosts of noblewomen, knights and veiled ladies who come out to wander at sunset.

Castello Sforzesco, like every self-respecting castle, is a place full of suspense and mystery.