In the Italian city of Milan, there is the Sforza castle, whose dramatic centuries-old history is associated with ups and downs, destruction and restoration. Thanks to the efforts of Italian restorers and architects, today anyone can have the opportunity to admire the ancient towers and fortress walls and take a walk around the castle.
How it all began
Like many other architectural monuments, Castello Sforzesco, as the Italians themselves call this castle, stands on the site of rather ancient buildings. The very first defensive structure was erected here in the 14th century by the Visconti family, who managed to take power in Milan for a long time, and subsequently subjugate most of the surrounding cities.
Gian Galeazzo I Visconti managed not only to extend his influence to such cities of central Italy as Siena and Pisa, but also to buy the ducal title for himself and his own heirs. His descendants were unable to annex new lands to the Duchy of Milan. As a result of many military conflicts with Venice at the beginning of the 15th century, Milan, a city-state, lost many of its conquered territories.
After the death in 1447 of the last representative of the Visconti family - Duke Filippo Maria - the rebel inhabitants of the city proclaimed the Ambrosean Republic and dismantled the castle of the hated rulers.
Construction stages
But further affairs in this republic went pretty badly, and as a result of the hostilities of the Venetians, Milan lost a significant part of its territories. Residents of the city began to look for a strong leader and invited a military mercenary Francesco Sforza, who had previously served with Visconti and had a relationship with this family. In 1450, the Senate of Milan presented him with the ducal title. In the same year, Francesco Sforza began to build his Milan castle, conceived as an elegant and luxurious ducal residence, but also as a powerful defensive structure. Architects such as Antonio Filarete, Bartolomeo Gadio, Marcoleone da Nogarolo, Jacopo da Cortona and many others were invited to realize this idea. Under the leadership of the first of them, a central tower was erected, but Bartolomeo Gadio was responsible for the construction of massive defensive walls and four corner defensive towers.
In 1446, Francesco Sforza died, and his eldest son, Galeazzo Maria (Galeazzo Maria Sforza), began to rule Milan. Under him, the Sforza castle continues to develop, and to carry out construction work, the new Duke writes to Milan architects and craftsmen from Florence. After the assassination of Galeazzo in 1467, his wife Bona of Savoy, trying to protect herself, builds the high tower of Bona at that time - Torre di Bona in Rochetta - the most protected part of the castle.
Age of Italian Wars
Lodovico Maria Sforza, who came to power in 1494, continues to rebuild the Sforza castle in Milan and invites the best Italian craftsmen, Bramante, who became the author of many architectural and decorative elements, and Leonardo da Vinci, who worked on the defenses and created a series of frescoes.
In 1500, during one of the Italian wars between the Empire and France, the troops of King Louis XII entered Milan and captured Lodovico Sforza. He was taken to France, where he died.
The Sforza castle was seriously damaged in 1521, when lightning struck the central tower of Filaret, which was used at that time as an ammunition depot.
Spanish time
The Spaniards, who owned Milan in the middle of the 16th century, significantly modernized the castle. They built around the old walls new modern fortifications in the shape of a six-pointed star, whose area was approximately 26 hectares. The city governor moved to the Royal Palace, and a military garrison was located in the castle. After the crushing defeat of the troops of King Francis I at Pavia, thanks to the support of the emperor and the Spanish king Charles V, the Sforza family returned to power. Duke of Milan becomes Francesco II.
Austrian rule
After the death of Francesco II Maria Sforza in 1534, the Austrian Habsburg Empire annexes the Duchy of Milan and appoints a governor to govern it. During the reign of the Austrians, the Sforza castle was used as an armory and a soldier’s barracks. Some of the buildings on its territory were restored or rebuilt. The most notable trace of the Habsburg period is the statue of Jan of Nepomuk, mounted on the bridgehead.
Napoleonic time
After Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Italy in 1796, Austria, which concluded a peace agreement in Campo Formio, had to abandon Lombardy. General Bonaparte chose Milan as the city of his residence for five whole years: from 1796 to 1801. Despite the petitions of the townspeople demanding the castle to be completely demolished, Napoleon orders that restoration work be carried out in it . Until the defeat of the French troops in 1814, Milan will be the capital of various states created in Italy by Napoleon.
According to the results of the pan-European conference in Vienna, the city again fell into Austrian possession and became the center of the new Lombardo-Venetian kingdom. In 1848, during the Five Milan Days, when the rebels fought for independence from the Austrian invaders, the cannons of the Sforza castle hit Milan. The uprising was crushed, and all its participants were arrested and imprisoned in prison cells.
In 1859, the Austrians left Lombardy, and the locals captured and plundered the castle, after which it fell into disrepair.
Modern history
Many residents of Milan at the end of the 19th century demanded to destroy this castle in Italy, wipe it off the face of the earth and erect something more useful in its place, for example, an elite residential quarter. Fortunately, they decided not to demolish the fortress, but, on the contrary, to restore it. The restoration of the castle in 1893 was started by the architect Luca Beltrami, who sought to recreate the historical appearance of the buildings during the reign of Sforza. In 1905, the restored Filarete tower was opened, and on the other side of the castle Sempione Park was founded.
During the bombing of World War II, many architectural monuments were affected, including Castello Sforzesco, especially Rochetta. By the end of the 50s of the last century, the castle was restored and opened to the public.
The last change in the appearance of the fortress was a large fountain in its inner square, nicknamed the “Wedding Cake” by Milanese and built to replace the old one, demolished during the construction of the subway in the 60s of the XX century.
Architecture
The modern Sforza Castle is a square-shaped structure in the center of which is the delle Armi square. It is surrounded by massive walls, and the central gate is built in the form of a square multi-tiered tower - Filaret, which at one time served as the prototype of the Spasskaya Tower in the Moscow Kremlin. To the right and left of it are the angular round towers - di Santo Spirito and dei Carmini.
After passing through the main entrance to the tower of Filarete, we get to Piazza delle Armi and can see the tower located at the gateway of Porta Giovia. To her right are the ducal chambers, and to the left is the most fortified part of the castle - Rochetta. It has its own small courtyard, as well as two rather high towers: Torre Castellana (Castle) and the tower of Bona Savoy. On the ground floor of the Torre Castellana there is a treasury where you can see the surviving frescoes of Bramantino.
Inside the ducal apartments there is a small area surrounded by a portico known today as the “Portico dell'Elefante”, named after the fresco depicting this animal.
Castle Museums
Arriving in ancient Milan, the sights on the map that I would like to visit can be studied endlessly.
But you should opt for the Sforza castle: it is a historical monument, as well as a place where many museums are concentrated. Among them are the art gallery, the Museum of Ancient Art, a collection of musical instruments, a collection of medieval tapestries and many other exhibitions. After going to the castle for free, you can buy a single ticket to visit all museums or separately for each exhibition you are interested in.