Bolognini Castle and Museum

Visit the Castle of Sant'Angelo Lodigiano and explore the twenty four rooms of the Bolognini Museum and the artistic treasures they contain.

The timeless fascination of the past, with its complex historical and military events, is the main attraction of this fortress and the majestic rooms within. Find out more about the features of the Sant'Angelo Lodigiano Castle and the first of its three museums.

The history of Bolognini Castle 
Sant'Angelo di Lodigiano Castle was built in the 13th century in a particularly strategic position, between two branches of the river Lambro. The fortress was then transformed into a summer residence by Regina della Scala, wife of Bernabò Visconti, who in 1383 had the Mastra tower built and the mullioned windows opened. Other illustrious figures at the castle include the writer and poet Giacomo Casanova (in 1763), but it was Count Gian Giacomo Morando Bolognini who carried out major restoration work in the early 20th century, restoring the castle to its original beauty. His wife, Countess Lydia Caprara Morando Bolognini, created the Morando Bolognini Foundation in 1933 as a way to protect his work.

What is there to see inside Bolognini Castle? 
The Castle has a square layout with three corner towers and an imposing main tower that stands 36 metres high and slightly detached from the main body of the castle. The stronghold houses 3 museums: the Morando Bolognini, the Museum of Agricultural History and the Bread Museum.  

The Morando Bolognini Museum: rooms and interiors 
Built in the early 20th century, the first of the three museums at the Sant'Angelo Lodigiano castle boasts 24 rooms all waiting to be discovered. Breathe in an atmosphere of yesteryear, as you admire antique furniture, paintings and numerous handcrafted wrought iron pieces. Entering the Throne Room, you will immediately notice the walls decorated with portraits of the Bolognini family: a veritable family tree that continues in the next room, the Hall of Ancestors. Step inside the Library and lose yourself among the collection of around 2000 volumes on scientific subjects, while in the Armoury about 500 pieces from various periods and provenances await you. Don't miss the Chapel, which holds a tombstone from the 15th century, the Polyptych Room, in which a painting of the Madonna and Child with Saints is displayed, and lastly the Hall of Mirrors and the Dining Rooms with their exquisite furnishings. To continue your visit, just pop upstairs to tour the Bread Museum, or go down to the basement to look around the Lombardy Museum of Agricultural History.