Who built the tower of Castello Sforzesco

The Torre del Filarete

Francesco Sforza, rebuilding the Castello Sforzesco from 1450, wanted a monumental gate toward the city. In 1452, he entrusted it to Antonio Averlino, the Filarete, along with Jacopo da Cortona. The tower lasted less than seventy years: in 1521, the gunpowder stored inside exploded and the tower collapsed. For almost four centuries, the castle remained without it.

Beltrami Tower

Luca Beltrami, who led the restoration of the castle between 1893 and 1905, rebuilt it based on period paintings and the castle of Vigevano. It was inaugurated in 1905 and dedicated to King Umberto I, assassinated in 1900. It features the clock with the Visconti sun, bells, an octagonal loggia, a dome, and the statue of Sant’Ambrogio above the arch. You can walk under it without a ticket, every day from 7:00 to 19:30.

The other towers

The two round towers at the city-facing corners, in diamond-pointed rusticated serizzo, were built by Bartolomeo Gadio in 1452; they were prisons and today house cisterns. On the park side, the towers are square: the Falconiera to the north and the Castellana to the west. Between Rocchetta and Piazza d’Armi is the Tower of Bona of Savoy, from 1477. Where to see them, in order.

Frequently asked questions