Tour of Castello Sforzesco and the Rondanini Pietà

Florence is not the only cradle of the Renaissance in Italy. Traces of the period can also be found all over Milan!

Castello Sforzesco is emblematic of this, thanks to Luca Beltrami who began restoration work in 1893 to return this ancient fortress to its 15th-century glory.

Discover Michelangelo’s last work, preserved within Castello Sforzesco in the heart of Milan. What’s more, within walking distance of Milan Cathedral, you can admire the famous Rondanini Pietà. Michelangelo completed this sculpture at the age of 89, just days before his death.

Michelangelo’s is not the only work preserved inside the castle. Many famous names find a home in the fortress, first and foremost Leonardo da Vinci.

During our 90-minute experience, you’ll explore Castello Sforzesco with our tour guide.
Ancient stories and secrets will be revealed as you learn the history that made Castello Sforzesco a place of imprisonment, power and stately residence.

To conclude the tour, you’ll visit the courtyards of the castle and hear anecdotes and minor details, unknown to most, about the powerful families that inhabited this extraordinary place.

What to expect from this experience:

Torre del Filarete

Also known as the Tower of Umberto I, the king of Italy who died in Monza in 1900, this is the first stop on your tour.
The tower as we see it now was designed and rebuilt by Beltrami, as the original tower unfortunately collapsed just a century after its construction.
Today it features some of Milan’s most emblematic decorations, such as the statue of St. Ambrose (the city’s patron) and the clock with its radiant sun. You can also spot the coats of arms of the Sforza dynasty.

The Rondanini Pietà

Michelangelo’s final work is now housed in a museum on the former site of the Spanish Hospital, where plague patients were once accommodated.
It’s an extraordinary work, and destined to be the testament of Michelangelo, who died a few days after completing it, at the age of 89.
You can admire the deposition of Jesus, following his death on the cross. Behind him is his mother, Mary, facing the viewers of this wonderful sculpture.

The Courtyard of Arms

This magnificent courtyard opens out before you as you enter the castle past the Torre del Filarete.
You’ll marvel at its rectangular layout, the left half built during the Spanish rule, the right containing a series of artefacts including stone sarcophagi.

The Museo d’Arte Antica

This museum is home to some 400 sculptures from a variety of sources: monasteries, city walls and noble residences.
Numerous styles and subjects are preserved here, hidden from general view.
As you explore the museum with your guide, you’ll admire rooms richly decorated for the marriage between King Philip II of Spain and Mary Tudor, as well as the Ducal Chapel commissioned by Galeazzo Maria Sforza, the Madonna Lia by Francesco Napoletano, a pupil of Leonardo da Vinci, and finally the Armoury.

Disclaimer: You are advised to be at the meeting point at least 15 minutes before the start time of your tour.