Castello Sforzesco

Medieval castle in Parco Sempione
Noteworthy for: The sublime unfinished sculpture Rondanini Pietà by Michelangelo and the elegant Renaissance beauty of the Corte Ducale.

Medieval Castello Sforzesco began life in 1368 as the fortress of the Visconti dukes of Milan. After their downfall in 1450 the mighty Sforza dynasty extended the castle into its present form; a gracious Renaissance palace built around three elegant courtyards, protected by battlements and towers and surrounded by the hunting grounds of Parco Sempione.
The castle was abandoned and reborn many times down the centuries, with both Leonardo da Vinci and Bramante having a hand in its redesign. It was commandeered by the French, Spanish, Austrians and Napoleon before returning to Italian hands.

Today it is a charming museum for seven diverse archaeological, art, musical and historical collections. Stand-out pieces include Michelangelo’s superb 'Rondanini Pietà' and Leonardo’s flamboyantly frescoed 'Sala delle Asse' on the ground floor, Spanish Mannerists painter Jusepe Ribera’s ghostly 'Holy Hermit' in the Pinoteca and the exquisite Trivulzio Tapestries by Bramantino in the Sala della Bara.