The Piazza Castello fountain sits directly before the main entrance to the Sforzesco Castle, serving as a landmark for anyone entering the fortress grounds. It is a circular, tiered structure made of Vicenza stone that locals often call…
Castello Sforzesco Grand Gardens
This walk traces the footprints of the Sforza dukes from their massive brick fortress into the sprawling, peaceful lawns of Parco Sempione. You will experience Milan's powerful Renaissance legacy while wandering through ancient moats, ducal courtyards, and neoclassical monuments.
Listen to this tour in the Mira app →Walk it in street view
1. Piazza Castello Fountain
2. Filarete Tower
The Filarete Tower is the tall, cylindrical gatehouse that anchors the main facade of the Sforza Castle, rising seventy meters above the square. It provides the primary entrance to the fortress and features a large clock on its upper…
3. Ducal Court
The Ducal Court, or Corte Ducale, is the residential wing of the Sforza Castle, distinguishable by its refined Renaissance loggias and a rear wall featuring the faded mural of an elephant. Originally the private living quarters for the…
4. Cortile della Rocchetta
The Cortile della Rocchetta is the innermost, most fortified courtyard of the Sforza Castle, defined by a series of Renaissance-style arcades that line three of its sides. While the vast outer parade grounds were designed for military…
5. Bridge of the Little Mermaids
The Bridge of the Little Mermaids is a small, cast-iron pedestrian bridge defined by the four mermaid statues that stand guard at its corners. Originally inaugurated in eighteen forty-two over the Naviglio canal on Via San Damiano, it…
6. Arena Civica Gianni Brera
The Arena Civica Gianni Brera is a massive, elliptical neoclassical amphitheater identifiable by its monumental gates and the Palazzina Appiani, which features a loggia supported by eight monolithic Corinthian columns of pink granite.…
7. Arco della Pace
The Arco della Pace rises twenty-five meters above the center of Piazza Sempione, distinguished by its three neoclassical arches and eight Corinthian columns carved from marble. This triumphal monument sits at the historic end of the…