Milan, the Italian capital of fashion, the city that never stops-a sort of New York of the Belpaese-and whose icon is the majestic Duomo, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture in Italy: a city that certainly needs no introduction, it is true, but perhaps not all of its faces are known. Indeed, in an undiscovered Milan, many places are inaccessible and hidden from the public
The team of Neiade Tour & Events is always there when it comes to promoting the beauty and historical, artistic and cultural heritage of the Ambrosian capital with guided tours to the most iconic places, but not only.
Today, in fact, we want to tell you about 4 places in Milan “hidden” from the public but that you can visit thanks to our exclusive virtual tours.
From Ludovico Il Moro’s mysterious Ponticella at the Castello Sforzesco to Leonardo’s Sala delle Asse , from the Vergine del Borghetto to the World War II Air Raid Shelters: stay with us, because you are about to discover how much more Milan has yet to reveal to you… And you will do so while sitting in your armchair, from home, with an Internet-connected device and ready to enjoy a series of interesting virtual encounters!
Virtual Encounter: the Ponticella of the Castello Sforzesco
It has been years since this oh-so-mysterious place in the imposing Castello Sforzesco, in the heart of Milan’s historic center, has been completely inaccessible, at least to the public and visitors. The reason is due, in part, to restoration work that has long involved the Sala delle Asse, not far from the Ponticella.
But what is it all about? In this virtual encounter, an expert guide will tell you the story-and the legend-that lies behind the Ponticella, this loggia along which the great Ludovico Il Moro strolled-nostalgically. When his wife Beatrice d’Este died at a young age, in fact, her husband could not give himself peace and chose as his place of refuge to vent his sadness and release his tears precisely the Ponticella of the castle.
It seems that it originally served as a bridge of passage, “service,” in the direction of the great ducal park: it was later at the behest of Duke Ludovico that it was transformed into a living, intimate and somewhat “secret” appendage of the Milanese fortress.
Virtual Encounter: Leonardo’s nature in the Hall of Axes
Surely you have already heard about Leonardo da Vinci ‘s connection with the city of Milan and, in particular, with the Sforza court: inside the Castello Sforzesco, in fact, the Hall of the Axes is one of the most outstanding testimonies to his role as court artist in the service of the Sforza family.
The magnificent hall was closed for several years due to restoration, but during the 2015 Expo it was exceptionally reopened, as well as for the 500th anniversary of Leonardo’s death between 2019 and 2020. Today it is again undergoing restoration and it will be necessary to wait some more time before it can be visited in presence, admiring its renewed splendor.
In this virtual meeting, however, we will show you all the details of this Leonardesque masterpiece, inspired by the beauty of Nature: a pictorial project that depicts an arbor made of golden ropes and intertwined mulberry branches, whose roots sink into an undergrowth full of leaves, flowers, rocks and shrubs.
Virtual Encounter: the Virgin of the Rocks of Via Lanzone
Not far from Piazza Sant’Ambrogio is a little treasure: we are talking about the church of San Michele sul Dosso, located on Via Lanzone, which houses a Leonardo-inspired painting–a super faithful copy of the great master’s Virgin of the Rocks! Also called del Borghetto, this work has been attributed to one of Leonardo’s pupils, Francesco Melzi.
In 2019, on the occasion of the five-hundredth anniversary of the Tuscan artist’s death, the painting was admired by the public, but today the Virgin of the Rocks is once again hidden from tourists-you can admire it and discover the history of this beautiful work in our virtual meeting!
Virtual Encounter: the historic bomb shelters
From the shelter in Piazza Grandi to the one in Viale Bodio-the so-called Antiaircraft Shelter No. 87-this virtual encounter will show you one of the hidden places, even now for the public, where, during World War II, civilians in the city of Milan hid and sought refuge from bombing.
In the past, the underground bomb shelters have often been accessible to the public, while today you can learn more about them thanks to a virtual encounter that – using multimedia material – will help you immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the time, taking you back to one of the most dramatic pages of contemporary history.
It doesn’t matter whether you are sitting comfortably on the couch at home: art, history and culture know no boundaries , and the world of the web has now broken down (almost) all of them, making it possible to meet the most beautiful and “hidden” realities of Milan!
Are you ready to discover these 4 secret places in Milan? We are waiting for you online!
