Castles in Milan. Comprehensive guide to Milan castles

One of Europe’s most attractive castles can be found in Milan, namely the beautiful Castello Sforzesco. Today the castle is used to house several of the city's museums and art gallery collections including Michelangelo's sculpture, 'Pietá Rondanini' as well as paintings by Bellini, Mantegna, Correggio and Van Dyck. It is set in a picturesque landscape on top of a green hill in the scenic Parco Sempione overlooking the capital while its central tower dominates the Milan skyline. The castle was constructed by Visconti family, but it is thanks to the Sforza family (who gave the castle its name) that it became the grand affair that it is today. The original construction on the site began in the 14th Century, but the castle was severely damaged as a consequence of the Allied bombings in 1943. It was rebuilt close to the original plans in a Renaissance style. In front of the castle there is a magnificent fountain known as the wedding cake.

Castello Sforzesco, by Luca Somazzi

Castello Sforzesco
Address: Piazza Castello 3 Phone: +39 2 8846 3700 e-mail: claudio.salsi@comune.milano.it
Website: http://www.milanocastello.it

The 14th-century Castello Sforzesco houses several of Milan's museums and art collections. In 1450, the castle was reconstructed by Francesco Sforza and transformed into a ducal residence. The castle has changed hands in comparatively rapid succession under French, Spanish, Austrian and Italian lords. Entrance to the castle is free of charge, and the various museums charge between 3.00 and 7.00 EUR.
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Castello di Tolcinasco
Address: Località Tolcinasco Phone: +39 2 9042 8035 e-mail: golf@golftolcinasco.it
Website: http://www.golftolcinasco.it

Castello di Tolcinasco (Castle of Tolcinasco) dates from the 16th Century, when it was in possession of the Adda family and served as a defensive bastion. Today, the restored four-tower castle is known as the Castello di Tolcinasco Golf & Country Club, sporting a 27-hole golf course designed by Arnold Palmer, as well as a nine-hole Executive course.

Palazzo Belgioioso
Address: Piazza Belgioioso 2 Phone: +39 2 7252 4301


Milan's Palace Belgioioso was built in the 18th Century as a new residence for Prince Alberico XII Barbiano di Belgiojoso d’Este. The palace, designed by Giuseppe Piermarini, is one of the best examples of Neo-Classical architecture in Milan, including its interior and furnishings, which are also works of Piermarini. The elegant building boasts a main courtyard and two secondary courtyards. A major attraction of the palace includes its façade, comprising many pilaster strips and half columns above an ashlar ground floor. A chapel with a lobate central plan is also situated on the first floor of the palace.

Palazzo Clerici
Address: Via Clerici 5 Phone: +39 2 7252 4301


Palazzo Clerici is a prime example of Milan's typcial 18th-century architecture. The palace was built for the Clerics family as a symbol of their prestige.
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Palazzo dei Giureconsulti
Address: Piazza dei Mercanti 2 Phone: +39 2 7252 4301


Palazzo dei Giureconsulti, originally formed by a 13th-century loggia and tower to the design of Galeazzo Alessi, was commissioned by Angelo Maria Medici (the future Pope Pio IV) to be rebuilt in 1562 to the design of Vincenzo Seregni. The palace was to become the seat of municipal offices and legal institutions. During the Renaissance, the palace was home to the College of the Noble Doctors. In the 1800s, the building hosted the stock market, the telegraph and a bank. Since 1911, the palace has been under the ownership of the Chamber of Commerce.

Palazzo dell'Arte / The Palace of the Art
Address: Viale Emilio Alemagna 6


The Palazzo dell'Arte, designed by Giovanni Muzio in 1932, is home to the Triennale institution in Milan. The palace hosts temporary exhibitions of Italian design in a series of large halls which continue into a building that houses a theatre. The majestic entrance of the building has a distinctive marble portal which stands in contrast with the palace's brickwork.

Palazzo della Ragione
Address: Piazza dei Mercanti Phone: +39 2 7252 4301


The Palazzo della Ragione, or Broletto Nuovo, is a Renaissance building in Milan erected in the beginning of the 13th Century by orders of the city's fist mayor Oldrado da Tresseno, whose likeness is depicted on the façade of the palace. The rectangular-shaped building, with a loggia on the ground floor, served as a town hall until 1770. The palace's name 'Broletta' (town hall) derives from the word 'Brolo', referring to a meadow in the Middle Ages.

Palazzo Durini
Address: Via Durini 24 Phone: +39 2 7252 4301


The Palazzo Durini stands in the centre of the historic part of Milan. Francesco Maria Richini began construction of the palace in 1644 by request of the Durini family, who were well-known merchants. Construction was completed after only one year, revealing one of the most luxurious buildings in Milan, as well as the power and richness of the noble family. The palace's architecture is typical for the period, situated on two courtyards; the first with columns and round arches and the second used for service quarters. The palace is also adorned with a general portal and three central windows, and a facade which is bordered by ashlar work and a projecting cornice.