The Rocca Sforzesca, visited each year by more than 50,000 people, stands at the centre of the small medieval village of Soncino where many traces of the past are still conserved.
The porticoes of the Praetorian palazzo, the house of the printers, Azzanelli house, the church of San Giacomo and the ruins of the walls with Sforzesco towers are the historical remains of the town that was considered of prime strategic importance during the Middle Ages.
Built between 1473-75 by Galeazzo Maria Sforza on a design by military architect, Bartolomeo Gadio, Soncino castle is formed by two quadrilateral enclosures separated by a deep dyke defended by high crenellated fortifications.
Donated to Soncino by the printing heirs, the fort had been reduced to little more than a ruin but it was given an enormous restoration in the 20th c. by Luca Beltrami who attempted to reproduce the design drawn up by the 15th c. architect.
The only inhabited part of the complex was turned over to exhibitions; it had been added to the military structure during the Renaissance. Various bodies collaborated to create a historical museum and objects are now displayed in the rooms of the north-west tower.
Milan