Architecture
- Gorgonzola
CàBusca aka Palazzo Serbelloni
Monumental complex built along the Naviglio Martesana as a pleasure villa
In 1802 it became Sola Busca and is located south of the canal; the date 1571 on a portal perhaps refers to the construction date. This villa-palace is connected to a building on the opposite side of the naviglio by a characteristic wooden bridge.
The villa's garden, now a public park, was originally Italian-style and became English-style in the 19th century: the roundabout fed by the Martesana remains from the original garden.
The park's turret has a square structure, articulated over four floors, with small splayed windows between floors that provide minimal light, keeping the tower always in semi-darkness. These windows architecturally recall the old medieval defensive tower. The masonry structure ends with a roof of red tiles, on which, until a few years ago, a weather vane indicating wind direction stood. The internal stairs have stone steps and a wrought-iron railing with rods. Curiosity: there are 125 steps to the top, the last 14 spiral.
The top floor of the tower is a square room with windows on each side; the floor is typical Lombard terracotta. The tower was first incorporated into a medieval castle from the Visconti era; in the 16th century it passed to the noble Spanish Serbelloni family, who acquired it along with the entire town. This dynasty transformed the defensive castle into a gentilitial town palace with attached courtyards and buildings for storing agricultural products and for carriage and saddle horses. The tower then lost its defensive character and became an ornament of the palace, connected to it by doors that are still visible and used.
Gallery
Useful information about the place
Address: Vicolo Corridoni, 20064 Gorgonzola (Milano), Italia
Altitude: 0
Nearby places