• Leonardo
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Leonardo's Vineyard and Atellani House

A forgotten history links Leonardo da Vinci to the city of Milan: the story of a vineyard. This is the vineyard that Ludovico il Moro, Duke of Milan, gave to Leonardo in 1498, who defended and maintained it at all costs in the following years.

 

This is a vineyard which inspired legends involving Leonardo, his works, and his followers.

The vineyard which has now finally been brought to life again, its rows and original vines having been recreated.Leonardo da Vinci's vineyard was in the middle of the fields at the base of the garden currently belonging to the House of Atellani - a family of courtesans of the Sforza family to whom the Moor donated two buildings in an area that at the time belonged to the great vineyard of San Vittore. Ludovico the Moor had two visions for this area of the city: making the Santa Maria delle Grazie Basilica a mausoleum for his family and building a residential neighborhood in which his most faithful men - such as the Atellani and Leonardo - could settle.

The Atellani House is one of the rare and precious remnants of that Renaissance dream passed on to us. Without losing any of its magic, the house was later transformed by the architect Piero Portaluppi, who was a central figure of twentieth-century Milanese architecture.Thanks to the Expo 2015, the Portaluppi Foundation and the owners have decided to replant the historic vineyard and open the Atellani House and gardens to the public.

The visit includes a 7-stop tour assisted by audio-guides in 10 languages (Italian, English, German, French, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Chinese, Russian) and explanatory panels.

To celebrate the city of Milan, a version in Milanese dialect is also available.

Take me here: Leonardo's Vineyard and Atellani House