The Castello Visconteo has a long engaging history behind made up of splendors and power politics, quarrels and rearrangements: a place of parties and diversions, for a long time it was the scene of clashes between Guelphs and Ghibellines and of an endless sequence of wars between enemy families and authorities fighting for dominance on the city of Milan.
Among its sturdy walls it welcomed ladies, well-known artists and celebrities, like Leonardo da Vinci, Ludovico Il Moro and Gian Galeazzo Visconti.
Year 808: The first building of the castle takes place around this year
Year 887: The castle houses the German king Carloman, the first in a long series of guests who would stay in the castle
X-XV century: Throughout the Middle Ages the castle is point of contention between Guelphs and Ghibellines and later between the Torriani and Visconti family
1294: Ottone Visconti, Archbishop of Milan from 1261 to 1295, widens the castle on three sides
1446: The Venetians seize the castle, reinforce it and equip it with ramparts and fortresses 1451 – 1474: The castle undergoes an intense rework and fortification
1490: The castle hosts the wedding of Galeazzo Maria Sforza and Isabella d’Aragona late XV century: Leonardo da Vinci stays in the castle’s tower and here carries out part of his studies on the flight of birds.
1700: The castle is used as district prison (remains a prison until 1959)
1999: The castle undergoes significant refurbishment works that reveal amazing frescoes from the Giotto school.
