Castello Sforzesco in Milan originally was originally the seat and residence of the Duchy of Milan and one of the biggest citadels in Europe. It now houses several of the city’s museums and art collections.

The original construction on the site began in the 14th century. In 1450, Francesco Sforza began reconstruction of the castle, and it was further modified by later generations. The interiors of this castle are known for their intricate designs, particularly the Sala Delle Asse with surviving ceiling paintings by Leonardo da Vinci.

Under the Spanish domination, between 15th and 16th century, a huge star fort was built in the castle with 12 bastions. The external fortifications reached 3 km in length and covered an area of 25.9 hectares.

During the World War II in 1943, the castle was severely damaged as a result of the allied bombardment of Milan. Later the reconstruction of the building for museum purposes was undertaken by the BBPR architectural partnership.

The most famous one is the Pinacoteca del Castello Sforzesco, which houses an art collection including Michelangelo’s last sculpture, the Rondanini Pietà, Andrea Mantegna’s Trivulzio Madonna and Leonardo da Vinci’s Codex Trivulzianus manuscript .

The Castello complex also includes The Museum of Ancient Art, The Furniture Museum, The Museum of Musical Instruments and the Applied Arts Collection, The Egyptian and Prehistoric sections of the Archaeological Museum and the Achille Bertarelli Print Collection.