Castle of Macconago

castle in Macconago, Milan

Macconago Castle (Italian: Castello di Macconago) is a castle defensive of medieval origin in the ancient village of Macconago, a locality in the municipality of Milan near the Prada Foundation, inside the Mirasole Oasis.

Macconago Castle
Castello di Macconagi
Milano
Coordinates45°24′50″N 9°12′44.15″E / 45.41389°N 9.2122639°E / 45.41389; 9.2122639
Typemedieval castle
Site information
Ownerprivate and public museum
Open to
the public
in part
Conditionrestored
Other site
facilities
residential
Site history
Built10th century CE
Materialsstone and mortar
Fate
  • military use until 16th century CE
  • civilian use since

History

change

The history of the castle of Macconago dates back to 1030 when a square defensive structure was first erected, completed in 1040 with the construction of a series of watchtowers. The structure was entrusted in castellania to the Pusterla family (whose coats of arms can still be admired today at the two main entrances on the front and back), which however fell out of favor with the Visconti, who definitively requisitioned the castle, later entrusted to the Vimercati family, then passing to the Calchi family, the Marliani, the Ferrario, the Tarlaini, the Greppi and the Gavanas, current owners of the structure.

Structure

change

The structure of the castle, with the typical square plan, has watchtowers and embattled walkways that have also undergone various transformations and extensions over the centuries. The castle is organized on three floors, of which the only original from the fourteenth century is in the basement, being the one less altered by subsequent interventions.

Inside, the structure retains traces of Renaissance-era graffiti. On the ground floor there are also some period stables. In front of the castle there is also a church dating back to the 18th century.

change