Which were the defence systems of Castello Sforzesco?
The Porta del Soccorso, as its name suggests, was a gate designed and dedicated to the evacuation of the castle’s residents in case of emergency.
Its origins are unknown, but it was probably built between the 13th and early 14th centuries during the Visconti dynasty, when the castle was known as Rocca Giovia.
The second wall of the castle, the Ghirlanda, was also built during the same period.
The Ghirlanda was in turn protected by three defensive towers: Torre della Vittoria, Torre della Posta and Torre Colubrina, between the latter two was the Porta del Soccorso.
During the same period, another gate was opened, larger than the Porta del Soccorso, which led to the private garden of the Lords of Milan, used either for hunting or for holding parties and tournaments. The gate was known as Porta del Barcho (Park).
To allow soldiers to move around easily and safely, the Galleria della Ghirlanda was built, which was accessible from the Torre della Vittoria and Torre Colubrina towers and from the Rivellini del Carmine and Rivellini di Santo Spirito.
The gallery was built with a maximum height of 280 cm so that soldiers did not have to lower their heads to pass through.
Eight other tunnels branched off from this main tunnel, leading to exits through secret hidden doors, probably concealed by the vegetation of the large ducal park.
With the arrival of foreign rule, the function of the castle changed, becoming a barracks and prison rather than the residence of the Signoria.
Around 1550, the Spanish began construction of a third line of star-shaped defensive walls and, once completed, a second defensive moat was dug in the early 1600s.
The Porta del Barcho was walled up, while the Porta del Soccorso remained open, retaining its functionality.
The Torre della Colubrina changed its name and became the Torre del Soccorso, like the gate next to it .
In 1881, Napoleon had the third star-shaped wall destroyed and reopened the Porta del Barcho, which was rebuilt in marble to become the monumental entrance gate to Milan.
The Porta del Soccorso was walled up.
It was Beltrami who reopened it during the demolition of the Ghirlanda.
In 1909, it was restored.
Source: milano_scomparsa_o_quasi
