©Stephanie Ong/Lonely Planet

Parco Sempione

Milan

Situated behind Castello Sforzesco, Parco Sempione was once the preserve of hunting Sforza dukes. Then Napoleon came to town and set about landscaping. First the French carved out orchards; next they mooted the idea in 1891 of a vast public park. It was a resounding success, and today Milanese of all ages come to enjoy its winding paths and ornamental ponds. Giò Ponti's 1933 steel tower, built for a Triennale exhibition, provides a fantastic 108m-high viewing platform over the park.

Also in the park is the Arena Civica, Napoleon's mini-colosseum, which he opened in typically flamboyant style in 1807. Built by Luigi Canonica, its ingenious engineering allowed it to be flooded with water from nearby canals to stage mock sea battles. Now it hosts community football and rugby matches, and the last stage of the annual city marathon.

Suggest an edit to this attraction

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

The Last Supper
0.6 MILES
Milan's most famous mural, Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper, is hidden away on a wall of the refectory adjoining the Basilica di Santa Maria delle…
Duomo
0.98 MILES
A vision in pink Candoglia marble, Milan's extravagant Gothic cathedral, 600 years in the making, aptly reflects the city's creativity and ambition. Its…
Cimitero Monumentale
0.82 MILES
Behind striking Renaissance-revival black-and-white walls, Milan’s wealthy have kept their dynastic ambitions alive long after death with grand sculptural…
Pinacoteca di Brera
0.6 MILES
Located upstairs from one of Italy’s most prestigious art schools, this gallery houses Milan’s collection of Old Masters, much of it ‘lifted’ from Venice…
Quadrilatero d'Oro
0.94 MILES
A stroll around the Quadrilatero d'Oro, the world's most famous shopping district, is a must even for those not sartorially inclined. The quaintly cobbled…
Certosa di Pavia
15.12 MILES
One of the Italian Renaissance's most notable buildings is the splendid Certosa di Pavia. Giangaleazzo Visconti of Milan founded the monastery, 10km north…
Castello Sforzesco
0.34 MILES
Originally a Visconti fortress, this iconic red-brick castle was later home to the mighty Sforza dynasty, who ruled Renaissance Milan. The castle's…
Museo del Novecento
1 MILES
Overlooking Piazza del Duomo, with fabulous views of the cathedral, is Mussolini's Arengario, from where he would harangue huge crowds in his heyday. Now…

View more attractions

Nearby Milan attractions

1. Arena Civica

0.15 MILES

The arena was Napoleon’s mini-colosseum, which he opened in flamboyant style with a chariot race in 1807. Built by Luigi Canonica, its design allowed it…

2. Torre Branca

0.17 MILES

Giò Ponti's spindly 1933 steel tower (built in two months flat for a Triennale exhibition) provides a fantastic 108m-high viewing platform over Parco…

3. Triennale di Milano

0.17 MILES

Italy’s first Triennale took place in 1923 in Monza. It aimed to promote Italian design and applied arts, and its success led to the construction of…

4. Arco della Pace

0.22 MILES

Situated at the northwestern edge of Parco Sempione is Napoleon's 25m-high triumphal arch. Designed by Luigi Cagnola in 1807, it echoes Paris' Arc de…

5. Studio Museo Achille Castiglioni

0.31 MILES

Architect, designer and teacher Achille Castiglioni was one of Italy’s most influential 20th-century thinkers. This is the studio where he worked until…

6. Castello Sforzesco

0.34 MILES

Originally a Visconti fortress, this iconic red-brick castle was later home to the mighty Sforza dynasty, who ruled Renaissance Milan. The castle's…

7. Basilica di San Simpliciano

0.39 MILES

San Simpliciano is one St Ambrose's four Milanese churches, built on a paleo-Christian cemetery with a red-brick Romanesque wrapping. Martyrs Sisinio,…

8. Civico Museo Archeologico

0.58 MILES

The 8th-century Monastero Maggiore, once the most important Benedictine convent in the city, is now home to Milan's archaeological museum. Access is via a…

View more attractions