Greetings all
Back with another picture drop from Milan, this time of the Castello Sforzesco. That’s the Google maps link and here’s the Wikipedia link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sforza_Castle. It’s a pretty neat place, as you’ll see, along with the area around it.
They have moat cats! Lots of them, in fact. Also, note the Sforza heraldry in the middle bottom.
That map in the middle right is the map of old Milan, which is pretty interesting.
If you look carefully, you’ll see lots of heraldic tidbits here and there. And by the way, the courtyard is pretty large and these pics don’t do it justice.
Note the Sforza/Savoy arms up top.
The plaque in the top left is pretty interesting. Take a look at it. You’ll probably be able to read most of it.
In the middle, you look through the gate to see an Arco della Pace, once another Arc de Triomphe erected by Napolean. It’s now the Arch of Peace.
The walkway under the arches on the bottom row had these amazing sun mosaics.
More of the sun mosaics. Then on the bottom, we start to come outside of the fortress.
More amazing heraldry on the front. I took those pictures from the fountain you see, and then from there you walk southeast toward the Duomo in this really cool walking street.
That statue, by the way, is Garibaldi, unlike the time I suggested it might be earlier. Heck, it even says so, and if it’s written in stone, it must be true!
The fortress is actually one of the sources of disappointment to me about Milan. It’s my fault, too, though to be fair, I didn’t realize what the tour guide had planned. She took us around the fashion district because it’s a quilt/fabric-themed group, but both the wife and I found that boring.
We decided in retrospect we should’ve stayed here at the fortress and visited the nine museums here. What a missed opportunity.
Anyway, that’s all from Milan. Tomorrow, we move on to Como, my favorite city on the trip. You guys are gonna love Larrie!