Milan is a fine city whose name is one that always features in one’s holiday list. Castello Sforzesco was once a fine castle housing the Duchy of Milan. Today it has been converted into a number of museums. This magnificent citadel holds great importance in Europe’s history. It was saved from being demolished in the 20th century. That is the time when it was converted into a number of museums.
The castle itself is a sight to behold. It features three inner courtyards and has a square plan with dominating towers. The main entrance of the castle takes you right to the Piazza d’Armi, an expansive inner courtyard. The other two courtyards are enclosed by the palatial residences. The Cortile della Rocchetta, one of the smaller inner courtyards features a large number of frescoes and three arcades, designed by three different architects.
The Corte Ducale, the inner courtyard which lies to the right of the residences, features a beautiful loggia, the Loggetta di Galeazzo Maria. Its design has renaissance elements in it. It too features several frescoes. It even has one by Leonardo Da Vinci.
Today the castle houses a number of museums and is therefore called the Musei Civici. The Pinacoteca del Castello Sforzesco is the most important out of these museums. It features a marvelous art collection which showcase beauties like Michelangelo’s last sculpture, the Rondanini Pietà, Andrea Mantegna’s Trivulzio Madonna and Leonardo da Vinci’s Codex Trivulzianus manuscript
The Museum of Musical Instruments and the Applied Arts Collection lies on the first and second floor of the Rocchetta house and features historic musical instruments such as a 16th century Venetian harpsichord, a glass harmonica and a Flemish double virginal as well as objects in gold, silver, glass, porcelain, ivory and wrought iron from the Middle Ages up to the 19th century.
The Egyptian and Prehistoric sections of the Archaeological Museum is situated in the basement floors around the Ducal Courtyard. The Museum of Ancient Art occupies the ground floor its exhibits include Italian paintings by painters like Andrea Mantegna’s Trivulzio Madonna, a 4th century sarcophagus and the 14th century Mausoleum of Bernabò Visconti. Besides these the museum also has the Achille Bertarelli Print Collection.