Sforzesco Castle
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The Castello Sforzesco (Italian for "Sforza's Castle") is a medieval fortification located in
Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
, northern
Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
. It was built in the 15th century by Francesco Sforza,
Duke of Milan The following is a list of rulers of Milan from the 13th century to 1814, after which it was incorporated into the Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia by the Congress of Vienna. Before elevation to duchy Until 1259, Milan was a free commune that elect ...
, on the remnants of a 14th-century fortification. Later renovated and enlarged, in the 16th and 17th centuries it was one of the largest citadels in Europe. Extensively rebuilt by
Luca Beltrami Luca Beltrami (November 13, 1854 – August 8, 1933) was an Italian architect and architectural historian, known particularly for restoration projects. Biography Beltrami was born in Milan. He was initially a student at the Politecnico in Mila ...
in 1891–1905, it now houses several of the city's museums and art collections.


History

The original construction was ordered by
Galeazzo II Visconti Galeazzo II Visconti ( – 4 August 1378) was a member of the Visconti dynasty and a ruler of Milan, Italy. His most notable military campaigns were against Pope Gregory XI, around 1367. These battles fought between the papacy and the Viscon ...
, a local nobleman, in 1358 – c. 1370; this castle was known as the ''Castello di Porta Giova'' (or ''Porta Zubia''), from the name of a gate in walls located nearby. It was built in the same area of the ancient Roman fortification of ''Castrum Portae Jovis'', which served as '' castra pretoria'' when the city was the capital of the Roman Empire. It was enlarged by Galeazzo's successors,
Gian Galeazzo Gian Galeazzo Sforza (20 June 1469 – 21 October 1494), also known as Giovan Galeazzo Sforza, was the sixth Duke of Milan. Early life Born in Abbiategrasso, he was only seven years old when in 1476 his father, Galeazzo Maria Sforza, was assa ...
, Giovanni Maria and
Filippo Maria Visconti Filippo Maria Visconti (3 September 1392 – 13 August 1447)
, until it became a square-plan castle with 200 m-long sides, four towers at the corners and up to walls. The castle was the main residence in the city of its
Visconti Visconti is a surname which may refer to: Italian noble families * Visconti of Milan, ruled Milan from 1277 to 1447 ** Visconti di Modrone, collateral branch of the Visconti of Milan * Visconti of Pisa and Sardinia, ruled Gallura in Sardinia from ...
lords, and was destroyed by the short-lived
Golden Ambrosian Republic , it, Aurea Repubblica Ambrosiana , era = Late Middle Ages , government_type = Directorial republic , p1 = Duchy of Milan , flag_p1 = Flag of the Duchy of Milan (1450).svg , s1 ...
which ousted them in 1447. In 1450, Francesco Sforza, once he had shattered the republicans, began reconstruction of the castle to turn it into his princely residence. In 1452 he hired the sculptor and architect Filarete to design and decorate the central tower, which is still known as the ''Torre del Filarete''. After Francesco's death, the construction was continued by his son Galeazzo Maria, under the architect Benedetto Ferrini. The decoration was executed by local painters. In 1476, during the regency of
Bona of Savoy Bona of Savoy, Duchess of Milan (10 August 1449 – 23 November 1503) was Duchess of Milan as the second spouse of Galeazzo Maria Sforza, Duke of Milan. She served as regent of Milan during the minority of her son 1476–1481. Life Born in Avig ...
, the tower bearing her name was built. In 1494
Ludovico Sforza Ludovico Maria Sforza (; 27 July 1452 – 27 May 1508), also known as Ludovico il Moro (; "the Moor"). "Arbiter of Italy", according to the expression used by Guicciardini,
became lord of Milan, and called on numerous artists to decorate the castle. These include Leonardo da Vinci (who frescoed several rooms, in collaboration with
Bernardino Zenale Bernardo (or Bernardino) Zenale (c. 1460 – 1526) was an Italian painter and architect. Biography Zenale was born in Treviglio, Lombardy, where in 1485 he finished the great polyptych for the church of St. Martin, together with his fellow Ber ...
and Bernardino Butinone) and Bramante, who painted frescoes in the ''Sala del Tesoro''; the ''Sala della Balla'' was decorated with Francesco Sforza's deeds. Around 1498, Leonardo worked on the ceiling of the '' Sala delle Asse'', painting decorations of vegetable motifs. In the following years, however, the castle was damaged by assaults from Italian, French and German troops; a bastion, known as '' tenaglia'', was added, perhaps designed by Cesare Cesariano. After the French victory in the Battle of Marignano in 1515, the defeated Maximilian Sforza, his Swiss mercenaries, and the
cardinal Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to: Animals * Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **''Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae **''Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, the ...
- bishop of Sion retreated into the castle. However, King Francis I of France followed them into Milan, and his sappers placed mines under the castle's foundations, whereupon the defenders capitulated. In 1521, in a period in which it was used as a weapons depot, the Torre del Filarete exploded. When
Francesco II Sforza Francesco II Sforza (February 4, 1495 – November 2, 1535) was Duke of Milan from 1521 until his death. He was the last member of the Sforza family to rule Milan. He was the second son of Ludovico Sforza and Beatrice d'Este. When Ludovico ...
returned briefly to power in Milan, he had the fortress restored and enlarged, and a part of it adapted as a residence for his wife,
Christina of Denmark Christina of Denmark ( da, Christine af Danmark; November 1521 – 10 December 1590) was a Danish princess, the younger surviving daughter of King Christian II of Denmark and Norway and Isabella of Austria. By her two marriages, she became Du ...
. Under the Spanish domination which followed, the castle became a citadel, as the governor's seat was moved to the
Ducal Palace Several palaces are named Ducal Palace (Italian: ''Palazzo Ducale'' ) because it was the seat or residence of a duke. Notable palaces with the name include: France *Palace of the Dukes of Burgundy, Dijon *Palace of the Dukes of Lorraine, Nancy *Pa ...
(1535). Its garrison varied from 1,000 to 3,000 men, led by a Spanish
castellan A castellan is the title used in Medieval Europe for an appointed official, a governor of a castle and its surrounding territory referred to as the castellany. The title of ''governor'' is retained in the English prison system, as a remnant o ...
. In 1550 works began to adapt the castle to modern fortification style, as a hexagonal (originally pentagonal)
star fort A bastion fort or ''trace italienne'' (a phrase derived from non-standard French, literally meaning ''Italian outline'') is a fortification in a style that evolved during the early modern period of gunpowder when the cannon came to domin ...
, following the addition of 12 bastions. The external fortifications reached 3 km in length and covered an area of 25.9 hectares. The castle also remained in use as a fort after the Spaniards were replaced by the Austrians in Lombardy. Most of the outer fortifications were demolished during the period of Napoleonic rule in Milan under the Cisalpine Republic. The semi-circular Piazza Castello was constructed around the city side of the castle, surrounded by a radial street layout of new urban blocks bounded by the Foro Buonaparte. The area on the "country" side of the castle was laid out as a square parade ground known as Piazza d'Armi. After the unification of Italy in the 19th century, the castle was transferred from military use to the city of Milan. Parco Sempione, one of the largest parks in the city, was created on the former parade grounds. The government of Milan undertook restoration works, directed by
Luca Beltrami Luca Beltrami (November 13, 1854 – August 8, 1933) was an Italian architect and architectural historian, known particularly for restoration projects. Biography Beltrami was born in Milan. He was initially a student at the Politecnico in Mila ...
. The
Via Dante Via Dante today is a pedestrian street in central Milan, Italy, connecting Piazzale Cordusio (near the town center and the Cordusio (Milan Metro), Cordusio metro station) with Largo Cairoli (to the northwest and housing the Cairoli (Milan Metro), C ...
was cut through the medieval street layout in the 1880s to provide a direct promenade between the castle and the Duomo on an axis with the main gate. Between 1900 and 1905 the Torre del Filarete was rebuilt, on the basis of 16th-century drawings, as a monument to King Umberto I. Allied bombardment of Milan in 1943 during World War II severely damaged the castle. The post-war reconstruction of the building for museum purposes was undertaken by the BBPR architectural partnership.


Description

The castle has a quadrangular plan, on a site across the city's walls. The wall which once faced the countryside north of Milan has square towers and an ogival gate. This was once accessed through a
drawbridge A drawbridge or draw-bridge is a type of moveable bridge typically at the entrance to a castle or tower surrounded by a moat. In some forms of English, including American English, the word ''drawbridge'' commonly refers to all types of moveable ...
. The northern tower is known as the ''Torre della Corte'', and its counterpart to the west the ''Torre del Tesoro''; both received wide windows during the Sforza age. The corner defended by the ''Torre Ducale'' is characterized by a loggia bridge, attributed to Bramante, and commissioned by Ludovico Sforza in the late 15th century to connect the ''Corte Ducale'' (the court in the area used as a ducal residence) and the ''Cortile della Ghirlanda''. This ''
ghirlanda Ghirlanda is a village in Tuscany, central Italy, administratively a frazione of the comune of Massa Marittima, province of Grosseto, in the area of the Colline Metallifere. At the time of the 2001 census its population amounted to 173.
'' refers to a wall, protected by a ditch filled with water, built under Francesco Sforza, of which few traces remain today, including the ''Porta del Soccorso''. Remains of two later
ravelin A ravelin is a triangular fortification or detached outwork, located in front of the innerworks of a fortress (the curtain walls and bastions). Originally called a ''demi-lune'', after the ''lunette'', the ravelin is placed outside a castle ...
s can be seen in correspondence of the point in which the castle was joined by the city walls (near the ''Porta Comasina'' gate) and the ''Porta del Carmine''. The ''Porta della Ghirlanda'' gate was entered through a ravelin (now lost) and had two entrances accessed through runways, which lead to an underground passage which continued along the walls. The external side which once faced the walled city has two round towers, commissioned by Francesco Sforza to replace the former square ones, which had become less suitable to defend against fire weapons. The central tower, called the ''Torre del Filarete'', is a modern reconstruction. The round towers lost their upper parts under the Austrians, who needed open space for their artillery; the towers' present-day upper sections are modern reconstructions. The ''Torre del Filarete'' and the ''Porta del Santo Spirito'', located further to the south, are both preceded by a ravelin. The main gate leads to a large court from which several internal features can be seen. These include the Tower of Bona of Savoy (1476) and the ''Rocchetta'', a sort of internal defensive
ridotto Il Ridotto (Italian : "The Private Room") was a wing of Venice's Palazzo Dandolo near the church of San Moisè. In 1638, it was converted at the behest of Venice's city leaders into a government-owned gambling-house. Il Ridotto was the site of ...
with a gate of its own. At the right of the ''Porta del Carmine'' are the remains of two 15th-century courts. The ''Rocchetta'', whose access gate from the main court (a modern addition) features the Sforza coat of arms, has an internal court with, on three sides, a
portico A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in ancient Greece and has influenced many cult ...
with 15th-century arcades. The ''Corte Ducale'' is the wing of the castle originally used as a ducal residence; it features a court with two loggias, a smaller one on the left and a larger one at its end, called ''Loggiato dell'Elefante'' due to the presence of a fresco of an elephant.


Civic Museums

The Castello Sforzesco complex includes the following museums: * The
Pinacoteca del Castello Sforzesco The Pinacoteca del Castello Sforzesco is an art gallery in the museum complex of the Castello Sforzesco in Milan, northern Italy. History Inaugurated in 1878, the gallery displays over 230 artworks, which include masterpieces by Titian, Andrea Ma ...
, with an art collection which includes Andrea Mantegna's ''
Trivulzio Madonna The ''Trivulzio Madonna'' is a painting by the Italian Renaissance painter Andrea Mantegna, executed in 1497. It is housed in the Sforza Castle Pinacoteca of the Castello Sforzesco, Milan. The work portrays the Madonna enthroned surrounded by seve ...
'' and masterpieces by Canaletto, Tiepolo,
Vincenzo Foppa Vincenzo Foppa ( – ) was an Italian painter from the Renaissance period. While few of his works survive, he was an esteemed and influential painter during his time and is considered the preeminent leader of the Early Lombard School. He spent hi ...
, Titian and Tintoretto. *
The Museum of Ancient Art The Museo d'Arte Antica ('Museum of Ancient Art') is an art museum in the Castello Sforzesco in Milan, in Lombardy in northern Italy. It has a large collection of sculpture from late antiquity and the medieval and Renaissance periods. The vari ...
which includes the armory, the tapestry room and some funerary monuments. * The Museum of Musical Instruments. * The Egyptian Museum. * The Prehistoric collections of the
Archaeological Museum of Milan The Archaeological Museum of Milan (''Civico Museo Archeologico di Milano'' in Italian) is located in the ex-convent of the Monastero Maggiore, alongside the ancient church of San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore, with entrance on Corso Magenta. T ...
. *
Applied Arts Collection The Applied Arts Collection of Milan (''Raccolte d’Arte Applicata di Milano'' in Italian) is located in the Sforza Castle museum complex under the management of the municipality of Milan, Italy. The museum is divided into several sections with p ...
. * The Antique Furniture & Wooden Sculpture Museum. * The Achille Bertarelli Print Collection. * The Museum of the Rondanini Pietà which includes
Michelangelo Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (; 6 March 1475 – 18 February 1564), known as Michelangelo (), was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the High Renaissance. Born in the Republic of Florence, his work was insp ...
's last sculpture (the '' Rondanini Pietà'') The Biblioteca Trivulziana holds a manuscript by Leonardo da Vinci, the Codex Trivulzianus. In 2012, new paintings attributed to
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio Michelangelo Merisi (Michele Angelo Merigi or Amerighi) da Caravaggio, known as simply Caravaggio (, , ; 29 September 1571 – 18 July 1610), was an Italian painter active in Rome for most of his artistic life. During the final four years of hi ...
were discovered at the castle.


Burials

*
Bona of Savoy Bona of Savoy, Duchess of Milan (10 August 1449 – 23 November 1503) was Duchess of Milan as the second spouse of Galeazzo Maria Sforza, Duke of Milan. She served as regent of Milan during the minority of her son 1476–1481. Life Born in Avig ...


See also

*
House of Sforza The House of Sforza () was a ruling family of Renaissance Italy, based in Milan. They acquired the Duchy of Milan following the extinction of the Visconti family in the mid-15th century, Sforza rule ending in Milan with the death of the last me ...
* Sala delle Asse


References


Bibliography

* Michela Palazzo e Francesca Tasso (edited by), "The Sala delle Asse of the Sforza Castle. Leonardo da Vinci. Diagnostic Testing and Restoration of the Monochrome", Cinisello Balsamo 2017.


External links

*
Panoramic virtual tour outside the castle

Official website for the restoration of Sala delle Asse
{{authority control Archaeological museums in Italy Art museums and galleries in Lombardy Buildings and structures in Milan Sforzesco Culture in Milan Decorative arts museums in Italy Egyptological collections in Italy * Museums in Milan Music museums in Italy Tourist attractions in Milan Brick buildings and structures Renaissance architecture in Milan