Castello Sforzesco, Milan

Well-preserved and packed with history and art, Castello Sforzesco was built in the 15th century on the remains of an ancient fortification. Later renovated and enlarged, the castle became one of the largest fortresses in Europe. Once the private home of the Sforza-Visconti ruling family of Milan, this became the Austrian governor's official residence when Lombardy was taken into the powerful Habsburg empire. Largely reconstructed in the late 19th century by architect Luca Beltrami, it now houses museums of applied arts, antique furniture and wooden sculpture, musical instruments, and Egyptian art. The castle also includes hundreds of works of Italian art, including masterpieces by Canaletto, Tiepolo, Titian, Correggio, and Tintoretto, among others. Admission to the castle is free; you can book tickets for the castle museums by phone or buy them on site. PutCastello Sforzesco into our Milan travel route site and find out what's close by, where to stay, and where to head next.