Castello Sforzesco

This is Milan Castel! Who lived there? The king? No, Milan has never had a king, however, more than 600 years ago, the duke Galeazzo Visconti wanted a castle to live in… And that’s the way it was!
 
Its history is very complex and we don’t want to bore you. The only thing you need to know is that although the Visconti family decided to build it, then passed to the Sforza family that was more popular among Milanese people and that’s the reason why it is now called Sforza and not Visconti Castle!
 
Furthermore, it is important to know that it has been destroyed and rebuilt, changed and modified many times: from a luxurious castle – used as the Duke house – into barracks or horse shelter… It now holds the history of the city and while walking through the courtyards you can imagine whatever you prefer, because a castle is and will always remain a castle! Get in through the main entrance beyond the fountain and start dreaming…
 
At the Sforza court, you could see well-dressed lords on horseback, Duchesses riding their horses saddled with clothes embellished with golden and silver embroideries, using silk hunting crops… On the occasion of big parties the castle walls were decorated with rich fabrics with hand-embroidered coat of arms! How lovely!
 
However, the castle has not always been so sumptuous and beauty… Conquered by various dominators, French, Spanish and Austrian, it was considered just like a fortress, a bulwark rather than a princely house! Anyway, maybe you are still dreaming and wondering about the past times, after walking throughout the first courtyard, go and have a look at the another two: Rocchetta and Corte Ducale. Beyond them there is a magnificent park – Parco Sempione – that once was the parade ground where troops on horseback prepared before leaving for war.
 
If you want to have a quick snack without losing too much time, right outside the station stop at Pattini&Marinoni, a busy bakery’s with a vast range of products, offering a speciality difficult to find: pan do queijo, i.e. some delicious little bread puffs filled with cheese you can eat straight from the bag… What a delight!