A journey through the history and art of Milan, a place that offers emotions for all tastes, from the military might of its walls to the delicacy of a Leonardo fresco, to the introspection of Michelangelo’s Pietà
The Sforza Castle, an imposing Renaissance complex located in the heart of the city. Built in 1450 by Francesco Sforza as a military fortress, it was transformed into a ducal residence and then into a civic museum.
Today it is a symbol of Milanese history, with majestic courtyards, imposing towers, and a rich art collection that includes masterpieces by Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo.
The Filarete Tower (main entrance) and the Rocchetta (fortified part) are among the most impressive structures.
The Castle is an “Open-air Museum” in its courtyards, but the real treasures are in the museums inside.
The Castle Museums
A unique opportunity to explore centuries of history, art, and culture. The modest admission Ticket is a single ticket that includes entry to the Castle and all the museums within.
– Michelangelo Pietà Rondanini Museum
is located inside the former Spanish Hospital, in the Cortile delle Armi of the Sforza Castle.
Michelangelo Buonarroti’s last unfinished masterpiece (1475-1564), the Rondanini Pietà is the artist’s testament and meditation on death and the salvation of the soul.
Alongside the Pietà, a coin by Leone Leoni featuring a bust of Michelangelo, cast in the late 16th century, and a bronze portrait of the sculptor, based on his wax death mask, created by his pupil Daniele da Volterra, are on display.
– Museum of Ancient Art and Armory
One of the largest existing sculpture collections in Italy. With works from monasteries, city gates, and noble residences of medieval Milan.
Among the preserved masterpieces are historic tombstones, such as the Consoli’s Tombstone (1178) and the Ausonius Tombstone (16th century), 19th-century casts, and terracotta decorations, such as the Busts of Emperors of the Medici Portal.
The tour leads through fascinating spaces, including Leonardo da Vinci’s famous Sala delle Asse (Room VII) and the evocative Armeria (Room XIV), which displays European bladed weapons and firearms from the late 14th to the 19th century.
– Museum of Furniture and Wooden Sculptures
The history of furniture, from the 15th to the 20th century, through wooden furnishings and sculptures placed in environments that recreate the historical and artistic contexts from which they originate.
Section dedicated to Contemporary Design, with works by great masters such as Gio Ponti and Ettore Sottsass.
Curiosity: The Devil of the Castle
Settala Automaton, the Humanized Machine. In Room XVIII of the Castle Museums, set up like a Wunderkammer (the fantastic 18th-century cabinet of curiosities), the famous Automaton with a devil’s head is on display.
Designed by Canon Manfredo Settala, a collector of ethnographic and naturalistic works, the automaton is a terrifying “robotic” being ante litteram, which, thanks to a simple yet surprising crank mechanism, can roll its eyes, turn its head, grimace, and stick out its tongue, emitting a terrifying sound. “a perfect ancestor of Spider-Man’s Green Goblin”
Masterpieces of Milanese and Lombard painting from the 15th to the 18th century, enriched by Venetian and Flemish works. Among the masters represented are Foppa, Bramantino, Luini, alongside Mantegna, Bellini, Correggio, and Canaletto.
– Museum of Decorative Arts
A collection of great artistic and historical value, with Italian ceramics from the Renaissance to the 20th century, medieval ivories and goldsmiths, Renaissance bronzes, and Murano and Bohemian glass (15th-18th centuries).
Standout highlights include the complete cycle of the twelve Trivulzi Tapestries (in the Sala della Balla), created based on Bramantino’s designs in the early 16th century, and works by Gio Ponti, Arturo Martini, and Pietro Melandri.
– Museum of Musical Instruments
About 900 instruments from various traditions, both European and non-European.
Among wind, plucked, and keyboard instruments, true masterpieces such as the Double Virginal by Ioannes Ruckers, the Viola by Giovanni Granzino, and the Oboe by Giovanni Maria Anciuti
A special focus is on the equipment of the RAI Musical Phonology Studio in Milan, which produced experimental electronic music and soundtracks of the time.
– Archaeological Museum. Prehistory and Protohistory Section
Finds mostly from Lombardy, the key stages of cultural and technological evolution from the Neolithic (6th-4th millennium BC) to Romanization (late 3rd-1st century BC).
Chipped and polished stone tools, ceramics, and weaving implements. The Bronze Age comes to life with axes, spearheads, and funerary objects, while the Iron Age is represented by precious finds from the Golasecca culture, such as the extraordinary First Tomb of the Warrior of Sesto Calende (late 7th century BC).
The exhibition concludes with artifacts from the Celtic culture (4th-1st century BC), offering a fascinating glimpse into the roots of ancient history.
– Archaeological Museum. Egyptian Section
An extraordinary journey into the fascinating society of ancient Egypt through iconic figures such as the pharaoh, scribes, and artisans.
Castello Square
Milan
Lombardy – Italy
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