Sforzes Castle (Castello Sforzesco). Russia and Italy: similarities and differences (Kremlin, Sforzesco Castle, ceramics) Castello Sforzesco

About the castle

Castello Sforzesco is located in the village of Vigevano, a suburb of Milan. The castle was built as the residence of the Dukes of the Sforza dynasty in Milan.

This castle is one of the most famous places not only in Italy, but also far beyond its borders. The history of the Sforzesco Castle is full of dramatic events, as is the history of the places where it is located. In essence, Castello Sforzesco is a historical symbol of power in the hands of princes. Only at the beginning of the 20th century the castle began to play a special role in cultural heritage Italy.

The castle received its name in honor of Francesco Sforza. It was thanks to his efforts that in 1450 the Sforza Castle became the residence of the dukes. However, by that time, Castello Sforzesco had already been built. The beginning of its construction dates back to the second half of the 13th century, during the reign of Galeazzo II.

Many visitors note the external similarity of the Sforzesco Castle with the Moscow Kremlin. The point here is that the Milanese architects who carried out design work during the construction of the Kremlin, they took the appearance of Castello Sforzesco as a basis. The similarity can be seen especially clearly in the shape of the towers and the “crown” edging on the walls. The central building of the castle, the Filarete Tower, was designed by the architect Antonio Filarete. In parallel with the construction work, the castle “came to life”, thanks to the filling of decorative and interior elements. Very little time passed, and Castello Sforzesco became the most luxurious castle in Northern Italy. The most striking periods in the design of the castle were noted during the reign of Louis il Moreau, when famous personalities of the era - Leonardo and Bramante - were involved in the work.

Castello Sforzesco, in all its appearance, is full of grandeur and triumph. The main architectural style is Gothic. The central element of the castle façade is the Filarete Tower, on either side of which there are two cylindrical crenellated towers. The walls of the towers are decorated with shields with the family coats of arms of the Visconti and Sforza. The sides and rear façade of the castle are decorated in the same style. Most of the walls, made of baked brick, are occupied by windows with large brick cornices. The two side towers, Falconiera and Castellana (del Tesoro), are made in the form of square pillars. To the right, from the central part, over a wide moat, there is a bridge that connects the castle buildings with the loggias where the rooms of Louis il Moreau were located.

Historical reference

During its existence, the castle underwent restoration several times. This happened after in 1447, tired of the constant repression and tyranny of the Visconti ruler, the people of Milan took up arms against the warlike ruler and created the Protestant Ambrosian Republic. It was decided to overthrow the Visconti and destroy the Sforza Castle. Most of the buildings of Castello Sforzesco were completely destroyed. The stones that the invaders collected from the ruins of the castle were used to rebuild the old city walls of Milan.

When Francesco Sforza came to power, he decided not only to restore the castle, but also to make it the main attraction of the city, as well as a symbol of the defense of Milan from possible external enemies. To implement his plans, Francesco Sforza convened the best architects and engineers: Giovanni da Milano, Jacopo da Cortona and Marcoleone da Nogarolo.

Francesco Sforza ordered that, ultimately, his luxurious residence would have nothing to do with old fortress, built during the reign of Filippo Maria Visconti.

To complete the construction of the castle, Francesco Sforza even asked the Pope for permission to demolish it old church(“Chiesa del Carmine”), which was located in the area where the castle was built. However, when, in 1452, the Sforza residence was ready, the castle never became a permanent residence for crowned persons. In one of the cylindrical towers lived archers who guarded the peace of the castle, and some unfortunates, imprisoned in the dungeons of the tower, continued to remain imprisoned. In those years, it was decided to build a high wall around the castle, which would protect the inhabitants from invasions of wild animals coming from the surroundings of Varese, Seprio and Lake Como. Later, Francesco Sforza and Bianca Maria never moved into the castle. In Milan, they preferred to live in the old Arengo Palace, visiting the Sforza during ceremonial receptions.

Chapel
Also, on the territory of the Sforza Castle, in 1473, a chapel was erected - Corte Ducale. The chapel is decorated with frescoes - the work of such famous artists as Bonifacio Bembo, Giacomino Vismara and Stefano Fedeli, whose names are mentioned in some documents that are still kept in the archives. The elegant and luxurious chapel of Corte Ducale hosted the most famous choristers who came to services from different countries.

The restoration of the Castello Sforzesco castle as a historical value began in 1833 under the leadership of the Milanese architect Luca Beltrami. The architect proposed a kind of “philological” restoration based on information from graphic and literary sources stored in archives.

During major historical exhibitions, various collections were organized for the restoration of the castle. As a result, more than 4,000,000 liras were collected. Reconstruction was carried out from 1895 to 1897.

In May 1900, museums of art and archeology were opened on the castle grounds. It was then that visiting the castle became available to everyone. However, during the bombing in August 1943, the castle buildings were seriously damaged. Later, the Sforzesco Castle was again reconstructed and today, when the Castello Sforzesco is completely restored, it is one of the most interesting and entertainment centers art in Milan.

Nowadays

Currently, several museums are based in the castle: museum ancient egypt, prehistoric museum, museum of dishes and musical instruments, as well as museums of other subjects.

The interest of art connoisseurs is attracted by the works of famous artists: Correggio and Pontormo, Mantegna, Giovanni Bellini, Filippino Lippi.

Also presented is the “Pieta Rondanini” - an unfinished sculpture - the last of Michelangelo’s works.

Tourist Information

Lock
Operating mode:
daily from 7.00 to 18.00 (in winter time); from 7.00 to 19.00 (in summer).
Admission is free (except for the castle museums).

Museum
Operating mode:
from Tuesday to Sunday from 9.00 to 17.30 (the ticket office is open until 17.00).
The museum is closed: December 25, January 1, May 1, Easter Day.

Tour cost:
Cost for adults: €3
Price discount ticket(for municipal employees, students, for persons over 65 years old) – €1.5
Free entry for children under 18 years old.

Well, what is it like in Milan without a castle? Of course, there is a castle here, and what a castle at that - Castello Sforzesco, the beauty and pride of Milan, one of its main symbols and attractions, second in popularity, probably, only to the Duomo.

Although, this was not always the case. Construction of Castello Sforzesco began in the 14th century. Initially, the castle was a quadrangular structure with a large courtyard and internal buildings, which was gradually built up and strengthened, turning into a powerful defensive fortress. In 1450, during the unrest and change of power in Milan, the government of the new Ambrosian Republic demanded that the castle be demolished as a symbol of the hated former rule (a familiar situation, isn't it?). But the new Lord and ruler of Milan, Francesco Sforza (the name of the castle comes from his name) behaved very wisely: he not only did not destroy the fortress, but also ordered the restoration of what had already been destroyed. This is where the story of the expansion and decoration of Castello Sforzesco begins, which over time became one of the most luxurious castles in the whole northern Italy. It reached its greatest splendor under Duke Ludovico il Moro, who summoned Leonardo da Vinci himself and Donato Bramante, also a very famous architect and artist, for architectural work.

But the peaceful period did not last long, and in 1499 Castello Sforzesco was occupied by French troops. I will not bore you with long historical details, I will only say that after the French there were the Spaniards, then the Austrians, then Napoleon, invariably turning the castle into a military barracks, which did not at all contribute to its beauty and splendor. By 1880, Castello Sforzesco had reached such a pitiful state that they again seriously wanted to demolish it. But, fortunately, this time the Castle was lucky too - the Milanese administration of that time approved a project for the complete restoration of Castello Sforzesco. And in 1893, restoration work began under the leadership of the architect Luca Beltrami, who did everything possible and impossible: after eight years of work, the result was amazing! Milan finally found its Castle - its symbol and its pride, which Castello Sforzesco is to this day.

What to pay attention to: Philaret Tower- was built in the 15th century according to the design of the Florentine architect Filaret (hence the name), but after the completion of construction work, on June 23, 1521, gunpowder stored under the tower exploded and completely destroyed it. During the restoration work of the castle, the tireless architect Luca Beltrami completely restored the tower, and in its original form. This is a quadrangular tower 70 meters high, directly below the first crenellated ornament there is a statue of St. Ambrose, the patron saint of Milan, above is the tower clock.

Doesn't remind you of anything? Well, yes, the towers of the Moscow Kremlin. I won’t say that the Castello Sforzesco is a genuine prototype, but it certainly looks like it!

Fountain "Wedding Cake" or, as the Milanese call it “Torta di Spùs”, located right in front of the Filaret Tower, is another landmark of Milan. For all the romantics looking for a soul mate: throwing a coin or two into the fountain brings good luck in matters of the heart, perhaps without leaving the fountain.

What to do yourself: Visiting Castello Sforzesco is free (great, right?), but I highly recommend visiting the castle museums as well. Price - 5 euros, for children under 18(!) years old free, every Tuesday from 2 pm free. Closed on Monday. The entrance, like the ticket to all museums, is the same, you just move smoothly from one museum to another. In addition to amazing works of art - paintings, tapestries, medieval armor and so on, everything is very interesting and beautiful, here you will find two real Egyptian mummies. Of course, you can’t call them beautiful, but my children were completely delighted, and in Russia, I know, there are not a lot of mummies. So, it will be interesting!

How to get there: Castello Sforzesco is located in the center of Milan, so you can easily walk from the Duomo on foot, along the beautiful pedestrian street Dante, or by metro (red line M1 stop Cairoli), and there are countless trams and buses that stop here.

The inner tower was built under Galeazzo II Visconti in 1358-1368. She defended the entrance gate of Porta Jovia. In the XIV-XV centuries the castle was expanded. It became quadrangular in plan with four corner towers. The construction was supervised by Francesco Sforza (1450-1466). After his death, the fortress became a magnificent residence. The best artists and architects, including Leonardo and Bramante, worked on its main objects - the Armory Square, the Ducal Court and the Portico of the Elephant, the Rochetta Citadel and the Ponticella Bridge.

Castello Sforzesco © pisaphotography / Shutterstock.com

But today the castle is not only a monument of the past, but also an important Cultural Center, home to the Pinacoteca di Milano and the City Museums with art collections.

Filarete Tower

Tower of Filarete in Castello Sforzesco / passipermilano.com

This tower houses the main entrance to the castle. Today it is main symbol Milana. It was rebuilt in 1905 and dedicated to Umberto I of Savoy, who was killed a few years earlier.

The original tower was destroyed in 1521 by a fire at a gunpowder magazine. Engineers and architects from different eras worked on it, including Filarete and, possibly, Bramante.

During the historical reconstruction of the tower, the engineer Beltrami used the preserved perimeter of the walls, archival documents, iconographic evidence, and examples of the castles of Cusago and Vigegnano.

Pinakothek

The City Pinakothek is located on the second floor of the Ducal Court (Corte Ducale) of the Sforzesco Castle. Like the Brera Pinacoteca and the Ambrosian Pinacoteca, it houses the city's great artistic heritage. The 1,500 paintings on display allow you to take an artistic journey through the art of different periods, from Lombard late Gothic to the Renaissance (paintings by Foppa, Bergognone and Bramantino), and admire the famous works of Andrea Mantegna and Antonello da Messina.

Fresh water reservoir

Inside the northern and southern round towers of the castle, fresh water reservoirs have been preserved, which played an important role in the water supply of Milan at the beginning of the 20th century. The installation and adjustment of the tanks was carried out by the architect Luca Beltrami, who was entrusted with restoration work in the castle.

The first tank was designed and placed in the east tower, on the right when looking at the main entrance. It was metal and served as a pressure regulator in the water supply system. A second tank was placed in the south tower ten years later. At the time, its reinforced concrete structure was considered a bold and innovative solution.

Axial Hall

The Sala delle Asse, or Axial Hall, is notable because Leonardo worked on it during the reign of Sforza. It is part of the castle's Museum of Ancient Art route and is open to the public from Tuesday to Saturday from 9:00 to 19:30 (Thursday until 22:30). Advance booking not required. Price entrance ticket 5 euros, preferential – 3.50.

During EXPO 2015, restoration work will be suspended to allow unimpeded access to the hall. High-resolution images and holograms will be projected onto the walls and ceiling.

Spanish Hospital - New Museum "Pieta Rondanini"

Pieta Rondanini by Michelangelo / tgcom24.mediaset.it

The old hospital had never been open to the public before. It was built in the mid-16th century for the Spanish garrison of the Sforza Castle. And now it displays the last statue of Michelangelo.

The master's last work, Pietà Rondanini, remained unfinished. But the dramatic nature of the composition is striking: the figures of Christ and the Virgin Mary appear from the marble, mourning her dead son. This work is considered the spiritual testament of the great sculptor, who worked on the statue until last days own life. The unfinished statue was found in his Roman apartment, and then its traces were lost until it was found in the house of the Marquis Giuseppe Rondanini, a refined Roman art collector. After a series of resales, she finally found herself in a specially designated room at the Sforza Castle.

Friends, hello everyone!

If there is a castle in the city, then you should definitely visit it. Moreover, as many argue, it has similarities with the Moscow Kremlin. We will figure out whether they are there or not later, but for now let’s squint our eyes in the given direction to plan a visit.

A castle is always interesting, especially when it also houses a dozen museums. But I have to warn you in advance if you, like us, are going to explore Milan in 1 day, then you won’t be able to roam around much on the castle grounds.

So either highlight at least half a day for a visit , or take a couple of photos for Instagram at the entrance.

Well, I’ll give you some facts and photographs so that the Sforza Castle in Milan becomes a little more accessible to you.

First of all, let's figure out what we're dealing with here. Here is a magnificent example of defensive architecture from the 15th century. It cannot be said that what we see today is original. Too many Italian, Spanish, French and again Italian hands managed to rebuild it. But more on that below.

Today, the castle represents a huge territory that is interesting both in terms of immersion in the past and walks in the fresh air. You can come here to visit the local museums, or you can simply walk along its impressive walls and feel the spirit of history.

The concept of “attraction” is somewhat reminiscent of St. Petersburg. Entrance to the castle grounds is free, but visiting the interior costs money.

But, unlike St. Petersburg, here there is a single the ticket costs only 5 euros . After which you will need at least half a day to squeeze all the juice out of the ticket. Get ready to experience art en masse. For now, let's move on to the history of the castle's creation.

History of the Sforza Castle

We will not dwell on the genealogy of the dukes and rulers of the castle from ancient times to the present day, but will simply outline the main milestones of history.

So, the Duke of Milan Galeazzo II Visconti conceived the construction of the castle from ruling dynasty Milan at the end of the 14th century. While construction was reaching its logical conclusion, the Visconti lost their influence and white supporters came to the city Ambrosian Republic.

Francesco Sforza was able to seize the reins of government from the republic and return power to the dukes. It was he who gave the castle a look similar to today. After him, Galeazzo and Ludovico Sforzo furnished the castle properly, and entrusted the interior painting to famous masters. Among them was the famous Leonardo da Vinci .

By the way, pay attention to the bloodthirsty coat of arms of the dukes:

After the fall of Sforza's power, she first settled in the castle French King Louis XII , and behind him the Spanish governors. Attaching defensive significance to the castle, the Spaniards, carried away by the construction of gunpowder storage facilities, contributed to the partial destruction of the fortress by a lightning strike in 1521.

But this did not bother the Spaniards and they continued to use the castle as a military fortress.

During 2nd world war After the bombing, the courtyard and part of the fortress walls were damaged.

Only by 1956 the castle was not only rebuilt, but also given a historical appearance. Today it is one of Milan's main attractions and one of the city's most visited tourist sites.

Now, if, suddenly, you thought that I’m not a great storyteller or that some facts were missing for you, then contact Veronica for clarification. She has the most inexpensive excursion in Milan for the main attractions.

Castello Sforzesco and Moscow Kremlin

In the tourist community they say that the Sforza Castle was the prototype for the construction of the Moscow Kremlin. Particular similarity was achieved when designing the shapes of the towers and crowns crowning the walls of the battlements.

And although, to me personally, the similarities are not that striking, there are compelling facts for such conversations.

Spouse Ivan III, who is Vasilievich , Sophia Palaeologus, the niece of the Byzantine Emperor, personally begs the Sforza family to release the talented architect Aristotle Fioravanti to Moscow.

Aristotle, together with other Italian masters, is engaged in giving the appearance of the Moscow Kremlin Italian motifs.

By the way, neither he nor his employees were able to return to their homeland. And Aristotle himself died in Moscow.

Castle grounds and courtyards

The castle has 2 poles, relative to which its center line passes. From the east it is fountain in Piazza Castello , and from the west - Peace Arch, created by order of Napoleon and is an analogue Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

Between them is the castle itself and magnificent Sempione park . By the way, tram route number 1, which I mentioned in this article, stops both at the main entrance near the fountain and near the arch. So you can safely pass right through the castle and the park.

The castle itself consists of an internal area Piazza delle Armi, you can get there through the main gate of the fort under the Philaret Tower and two smaller courtyards: Corte Ducale And Rocceta .

The courtyard of Corte Ducale is also called the Hercegian courtyard, since the ducal chambers were located here.

There are a dozen museums scattered throughout the territory, but the most important palace museum, several floors long, is located in the courtyard of Corte Ducale.

By the way, this is what will take you the most time, since there is something to see here: sculptures, paintings, furniture, weapons and much, much more.

Museums in the castle

When you enter one of the museums, you will be given detailed map areas for visiting museums. But I recommend that you think about your visit in advance. So, most likely You won’t be able to do it in less than 3 hours , and if you still catch flies, then good luck.

Let's take a little look at the area. I will use one of the maps that was given to me at the castle itself.

I won’t go into detail. Otherwise, we won’t be able to get by with just one article:

Michelangelo Museum – here you can look at the last work of the genius, which remained unfinished: Madonna holding in her hands the body of her dead son Jesus. It is interesting to read about the ideas of the sculptor himself and the interpretation of the Pieta Rondanini sculpture during his formative years.
Museum of Ancient Art – about 2000 items from an important collection from antiquity and the Middle Ages
Halls with frescoes Leonardo da Vinci himself - these frescoes once decorated many rooms of the castle.
Weapons museum – collection of weapons from the Middle Ages to the 18th century
Furniture Museum and wooden sculptures – 6 centuries of furniture history from the 15th century to the present day
Art Gallery – one of the main collections of the city, numbering about 1,500 paintings
Museum of Decorative Arts – ceramics, sculptures, gold and silver objects.
Museum of Musical Instruments – the second most important collection in Italy
Archaeological Museum
Egyptian Museum – fundamental aspects of Egyptian civilization: art and artifacts.
Temporary exhibitions : Spanish hospital.

Entrance fees to the castle

Initially, I thought that to visit the castle and its museums I would have to constantly take crispy euros out of my pockets. Therefore, we were not going to knock on museum doors. But the situation was simplified by one of the museum employees.

Having reached the entrance doors with the keyword "Michelangelo" , we decided to take a look at his latest masterpiece. But everything turned out to be much simpler.

A polite gentleman suggested that we not hesitate in the souvenir department, but pay some 5 euros and go to the object. Seeing my confusion, he declared that for these same 5 euros There are about 10 more museums waiting for me.

This is where I spread my wings, and also collected a pack of brochures from the educational corner of the exhibition. Apparently, we will have to linger on the castle grounds. Why don't we sell the 5 euros we paid for the tickets?

How much does it cost to visit the castle museums?

So, after my monologue, you already understand that:

An adult ticket to all museums costs 5 euros at once.
A child ticket for children under 18 years old costs 0 euros

If you, as an adult, do not want to pay for a ticket, then come on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month or the 1st Sunday. Then you won't need to carry your wallet with you either.

How else can you get to museums? Buy for yourself Tourist Museum Card for 12 euros. It is valid for 3 days and gives the right to free entry to all city museums of Milan. Which ones exactly?

But remember:

Musei del Castello Sforzesco
Museo del Novecento
Galleria d'Arte Moderna
Museo Archeologico
Acquario Civico
Museo di Storia Naturale

Not bad in my opinion. If we had a couple more days left, I would definitely buy such a card.

Official website, opening hours

You can find the necessary and useful information about the museum on the website milanocastello.it/en .

The opening hours of the museum and the castle generally differ.

The castle is open: 07.00 – 19.30
Museums are open: 09.00 – 17.30

Unlike the castle, the museums in the fortress (like most other museums in Milan) have a day off on Monday.

Where is the castle and how to get to it

The castle is located in the city center and it is not difficult to get to it on foot from the same Duomo or La Scala theater. 10 minutes walk along a clear landmark - visible Philaret towers.

Well, if you are on a walk, then the main thing is to arrive in the center, here all the main attractions will be within walking distance.

Here is the castle on the maps Google maps for reference:

Good to know

Already at home I read that, it turns out, in the fortress there is underground tunnel , open to the public. What underground tunnels there is generally there, that’s understandable. Every duke dreams of quickly retiring to freedom through underground passages if something happens.

But the fact that they are open to visitors is cool, especially since this tunnel leads not just anywhere, but to the Church of Maria delle Grazie. The same one where the priceless painting by Leonardo da Vinci “The Last Supper” is kept.

So if you have an adventurous spirit and you would like to wander through the dungeons, or maybe even plan to steal a masterpiece, then you should definitely take a tour of the tunnel. This extreme excursion is held on Saturdays.

Unfortunately, I do not have specific data on this excursion. But I think that Milan guides are here, will be able to answer your questions.

Sforza Castle (Castello Sforzesco or Castello Sforza) is one of the most interesting historical monuments Milan, who left with me indelible impressions. Truly majestic, beautiful and austere, it is located in the historical center of the modern city. But at the time when they began to lay it, the location of the castle was outside the city walls, and it was created as a defensive Milanese fortress. Duomo. But Gian Galeazzo did not have time to realize many of his intentions. While preparing for the campaign against Florence in 1389, he suffered an untimely sudden death. Gian Galeazzo's son, Giovanni Maria Visconti, failed to continue his father's policies during the years of regency and rule. Rival cities were able to join forces and resist Milanese expansion. Moreover, the duchy lost its influence on a number of cities, and the first signs of chaos appeared. The second son of Gian Galeazzo, Duke Filippo Maria Visconti, did not succeed in much in his confrontation with Florence and Venice. Filippo had no male heirs, and his daughter, Bianca, married the prominent Milanese military leader Francesco Sforza. Filippo Visconti died in 1447, and Francesco would soon become Duke of Milan and the founder of the Sforza dynasty. But before that, in the years following the death of Filippo and preceding the Duchy of Sforza, the Milanese, tired of the pro-imperial policies of the Visconti, decided to restore democratic rule and proclaimed the creation of the Ambrosian Republic. The castle-fortress, built by this time, as a reminder of the despotic power, was partially destroyed, and the stone of its walls and structures was used by the Republicans to strengthen the city walls, as a symbol of Milan and its glorious past. However, not much time passed, and the euphoria of the first period of the republic gave way to turmoil, unrest and the decline of the city economy, which forced the townspeople to turn to Francesco Sforza with a request to restore order in the city. And soon, in 1450, Francesco, with the support of his wife, Bianca Visconti, this extraordinary woman who played a significant role in the life of Milan in the 15th century, proclaimed himself the heir to the Visconti dynasty and Duke of Milan. Francesco decided to restore the castle, make it a decoration of the city and, at the same time, a defensive structure against possible external enemies. The high walls surrounding the castle, shaped like a square with a side of about 200 meters, were erected on the foundations of the former fortress. To decorate the wall that opens up a view of the castle from the city (the so-called façade wall), the architect Antonio Averumino, better known as Filaret, was invited from Venice. His creation is the central tower above the entrance gate (1452). It is still called Filaretova. Three years later, the architect Bartolomeo Gadio built two monumental cylindrical towers at the corners of the façade of the palace. This wall with Filaretova and corner towers still offers a magnificent view of the palace from Dante Street. Francesco Sforza died in 1466. His son and successor Galeazzo Maria, developing the idea of restoring and expanding the castle as a ducal residence (Francesco Scorza and Bianca did not live in the castle, their residence remained the palace on Cathedral Square), invited the architect Benedetto Ferrini, who proposed a large, square-shaped wall inside castle, build two courtyards with palace buildings for the Duke's family (Rochetta Courtyard and Ducal Courtyard). At the same time, the luxurious interiors of the castle were created, some of which can still be seen today. The palace becomes the residence of the Dukes of Milan; Galeazzo and his wife Bona of Savoy move here from the city palace. During the reign of Duke Lodovico Moro, brother of Galeazzo (late 70s - 90s of the 15th century), the Sforza Castle was one of the most beautiful and rich ducal courts in Italy. In order for him to become so brilliant, Lodovico invited Leonardo da Vinci and the architect Donato Bramante to Milan. Bramante completed the decoration of the Rochetta courtyard; according to his design and under his leadership, a bridge was built across the deep outer moat to the entrance gate of the palace. Leonardo da Vinci decorated the walls of the hall della Aste with frescoes (some of the frescoes have survived to this day). *** IN The decision to begin construction of the castle-fortress was made in 1368 by the Duke of Milan, Galeazzo II Visconti, from the famous Visconti dynasty, which ruled Milan for about two centuries, from 1277 to 1447. Representatives of this dynasty, the predecessors of Galeazzo II - Matteo, Galeazzo I, Azzone, Lucino and Giovanni Visconti, significantly strengthened the power of Milan and extended its political and trade influence to Piacenza, Bergamo, Cremono, Pavia, and then to Piedmont, Brescia, Genoa and others regions of Italy neighboring Milan. During their reign, the city was surrounded by protective walls and gates, bridges and markets were built, and the city streets were paved and provided with sewerage. The construction of the defensive fortress continued during the years when Milan was ruled by the son of Galeazzo II, Gian Galeazzo Visconti. By the way, Gian Galeazzo decided not only to expand the fortress, but also to turn it into a ducal residence, corresponding to the wealth and power of the Visconti family. The short years of the reign of this talented man (1385-1389) saw the rise of the Milanese state and the spread of its influence throughout the entire territory of Lombardy, down to Venice in the east and the Papal States in the south. Gian Galeazzo centralized the administration of the duchy and created conditions for the development of the arts, industry and trade. It was under him that the famous Milanese building began to be built. Cathedral last years Lombardy, which was the key to the entire peninsula. A year later, Lodovico Moro, with the help of the Swiss, returned briefly to Milan, but soon his troops were defeated by the French, he himself was captured and spent the rest of his life as a prisoner in one of the French castles. From the moment of the seizure of power, Louis XII, who proclaimed himself Duke of Milan, began the gradual transformation of the Sforzesco Castle from a luxurious residence into an ordinary military fortress. The interior spaces receive a different practical purpose or are destroyed, and a new system of military fortifications appears around the castle. In 1521, an explosion occurred in the Filaret Tower due to a lightning strike (apparently, gunpowder reserves were also stored here along with ammunition). Not only the tower was destroyed, but also a significant part of the facade wall. During the ongoing Italian Wars, French dominance gave way to Spanish and then Austrian dominance in 1526. During the period of Spanish rule, the Sforza Castle, which continued to play the role of a defensive fortress, was surrounded by additional fortifications and massive ramparts, which took the form of first a 6-pointed and then a 12-pointed star, in accordance with the most popular fortification theories of the time. The castle became a fortified fort with barracks for 2,000 soldiers. Drawings and literary sources of the time indicate that a hospital, a tavern, ice and food storage facilities, and two military churches were also located here. The halls, painted by Leonardo and Bramantino, were converted into utility rooms. Austrian domination, which lasted in Milan for about two centuries until the unification of Italy into a single state in 1861, was interrupted for a relatively short time (from 1796 to 1815) by Napoleon. Taking advantage of the fact that with the arrival of Napoleon's troops the ducal power had fallen again, some Milanese professing extreme views again demanded the destruction of the Sforza Palace, with which the power of the dukes was associated. By this time, many of the walls and towers of the old palace had already been destroyed or were close to destruction. But the danger of destroying the palace had passed - Napoleon, contrary to these demands, decided to restore old part a castle-fortress to house its troops. It was not possible to begin restoration work at this time - in April 1799, troops led by A.V. Suvorov approached Milan (Russia, England and Austria took joint military action against Napoleon's expansion), the city was besieged and taken by Suvorov's army. However, soon Suvorov had to, at the request of the Austrian emperor, leave with the army for Switzerland (this was his famous crossing of the Alps). After Suvorov left Italy, Napoleon defeated the Austrian army near the Italian village of Marengo and formed the Cisalpine Republic in northern and central Italy, the capital of which was Milan. Troops were again stationed in the castle - this time Napoleonic ones. The ducal church was turned into a stable, the ducal apartments into barracks and dormitories, the frescoes were whitewashed with lime, etc. (By the way, in 1812, during Napoleon’s campaign in Russia, part of his troops that captured Moscow was stationed in the Sheremetev estate near Moscow - Kuskovo. And there the same picture of destruction and sometimes direct robbery of historical and cultural values by Napoleon’s soldiers was observed, and The cavalry was placed in the Great Orangery Palace). However, the positive actions of Napoleon in preserving the Sforzesco castle-palace in its previous form include the demolition of numerous ramparts and fortifications built by the Spaniards. To bring the mangled and dug-up land around the castle (and this is a huge territory) into proper shape, the architects Luigi Canonica and Giovanni Antolini were invited, who intended to surround the palace with public gardens, build a pantheon here, National Museum and so on. However, this project was not fully realized. Only part of the territory was developed and turned into a vast public garden. Another famous undertaking of Napoleon was the construction of the Arc de Triomphe near the palace. It was supposed to become another Milanese gate, the opening of which would be on the Paris-Milan axis (now this arch is located in Sempione Park and is called the Arch of Peace, Arca della Pace, but more about it a little later in this article). In 1815, after Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo, the Austrians returned to Milan and it became the main city of Lombardy and Venice. The revolutionary events of 1848, the uprisings of the Milanese against Austrian dominance and the suppression of these uprisings by the Austrian Marshal Radetzky led to further destruction of part of the walls and structures of the castle. *** Restoration of the palace began in the middle of the 19th century. But they really started to work on it only after the creation of a single independent Italian state in 1861. At this time, the castle was not only included in the list of monuments subject to priority reconstruction, but was also recognized as one of the main symbols of the city. The reconstruction was carried out according to a project proposed by the Milanese architect Luca Beltrami and based on a detailed study of all historical documents, literary sources and works visual arts, associated with the creation of the fortress-palace over all six centuries of its existence. Work in the palace began with the restoration of the corner cylindrical towers of the facade of the palace. By the way, these towers were later equipped with drinking water storage facilities - thus, it was possible to combine the problem of restoration of historical values with solving the problems of life support and cultural life of the city. The partially restored palace was opened for the first visits in May 1900, and its complete reconstruction was completed in 1905 - it was then that the restoration of the Filaret Tower was completed. At the same time, the palace was transferred to Milan and the Milanese. Now the Sforza Palace is a complex of museums famous for its collections of antiques, including sculptures, paintings, tapestries, ancient weapons and musical instruments, as well as a museum of archaeological excavations. Particularly noteworthy among the exhibits is “Pieta Rondanini” - the last sculpture of the great Michelangelo, which remained unfinished

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