Palazzo Borromeo ("Borromeo Palace") is a 13th-century building located at street #12 of Piazza Borromeo 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 ...

, region of Lombardy,

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 stands across a small piazza from the church of Santa Maria Podone and a statue dedicated to the 16th-century archbishop and cardinal, St Charles Borromeo.

History

The palace was built in the 13th century for the

House of Borromeo ), type=Noble family, country=, estates= Rocca d'Angera Palazzo Borromeo, Milan Castel of Peschiera Borromeo Borromean Islands Villa Borromeo, Arcore, titles=* Prince of Angera * Marquess of Romagnano * Count of Arona * Count of Peschiera * Lo ...

. At the time, the Borromeo (originally from

Florence Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico an ...

) were quickly increasing their wealth and power in Milan and Northern Italy, partly through their good relationship with Duke

Francesco Sforza Francesco I Sforza (; 23 July 1401 – 8 March 1466) was an Italian condottiero who founded the Sforza dynasty in the duchy of Milan, ruling as its (fourth) duke from 1450 until his death. In the 1420s, he participated in the War of L'A ...

. The palace eventually became the centre of a sort of "Borromeo citadel" within the city proper. The Borromeo used the area for celebrations and events such as chivalrous tournaments. The palace was also renowned for housing a prestigious art collection.See Lanza, pp. 27-30 The palace has a late Gothic facade, which has nevertheless undergone several major modifications through the centuries (and most notably after being damaged by bombings in

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

). The main feature of the facade is the large doorway, decorated with white and red marble. The inner courtyard is the part of the palace that is best preserved; some of the original frescoes are still visible, some representing the tourneys held by the Borromeo are found in one of the rooms of the palace, known as the "architecture study"; they are credited to painter

Michelino da Besozzo Michelino Molinari da Besozzo (c. 1370 – c. 1455) was a notable fifteenth century Italian painter and illuminator, who was widely praised for his work. He worked mostly in Milan and Lombardy, and was employed by the Visconti family, rule ...

. The palace is still the property of the Borromeo family.

References

Sources

* Attilia Lanza, ''Milano e i suoi palazzi: Porta Vercellina, Comasina e Nuova'', Libreria Meravigli Editrice, Milan 1993 {{Authority control Houses completed in the 13th century

Borromeo Borromeo is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * House of Borromeo, an aristocratic family in Milan Members of the House of Borromeo * Andrea Borromeo (c. 1615 – 1683), Theatine priest * Charles Borromeo (1538 – 1584), cardina ...

Renaissance architecture in Milan Tourist attractions in Milan Gothic architecture in Milan