In Castello Sforzesco, named after the once-ruling dynasty of medieval Milan, several museums are now open to visitors at once - no wonder Castello Sforzesco is also called the “castle of culture and art.” The museums of musical instruments, ancient sculpture, decorative arts, prehistoric art, and Egyptian art, as well as the picture gallery, are open to residents and guests of the city.
The origins of the Pinacoteca date back to 1863, when private collectors donated a large collection of works of art to the city, which, in turn, prompted the authorities to create a public museum. It was decided that the best place to bring this noble idea to life would be Sforza Castle, which, after a recent reconstruction, was in perfect condition.
Today, the pinacoteca of Castello Sforzesco holds more than 1500 masterpieces of Italian painting of the 14th-18th centuries; however, only a small part of them is exhibited – 230 works. The most famous among them are Andrea Mantegna’s “Madonna,” Lippi’s “Madonna and Saints,” Veneziano’s “Resurrection,” Bellini’s “Madonna and Child,” as well as works by many other great artists of the Renaissance, including Bramantino, Correggio, Bramante, and Luini.
