Sforza Castle houses da Vinci's sketches and 14th-century manuscripts

The Sforza Castle in Milan is a medieval fortification built in the 15th century by Francesco Sforza, Duke of Milan, atop the remains of a 14th-century structure. Originally known as the Castello di Porta Giova, it was built on the site of an ancient Roman fortification. Over the centuries, it was enlarged into a massive square-plan citadel with 200 m-long sides and walls up to 7 metres thick, eventually serving as the main residence for the Visconti lords.

In 1494, Ludovico Sforza became the lord of Milan and commissioned numerous artists to decorate the interior. The castle houses works by Leonardo da Vinci, who frescoed several rooms and worked on the ceiling of the Sala delle Asse. In 2025, new evidence was identified showing that da Vinci had sketched tunnels below the structure. The castle also houses the Biblioteca Trivulziana, which contains a notebook filled with da Vinci's writings, sketches, and studies.

The castle was extensively rebuilt by Luca Beltrami between 1891 and 1905. Today, it houses several of the city's museums and art collections. The site preserves a rich history of Milanese architecture, including the Torre del Filarete, which was rebuilt based on 16th-century drawings as a monument to King Umberto I.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons