# Parco Sempione, Milan > Parco Sempione is the largest and best-loved park in central Milan, opening right behind Sforza Castle. It has lawns, a pond and shady avenues, with the triumphal Arch of Peace at the end of its main axis, plus the Torre Branca viewing tower, the Triennale design museum and an aquarium. Entry is free; allow about an hour. Web page: https://yesgo.io/italy/milan/parco-sempione - City: [Milan](https://yesgo.io/italy/milan), Italy - YesGo score: 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free - Opening hours: Morning to late evening, closed at night - Highlights: Arch of Peace, the pond, Torre Branca, Triennale - Torre Branca: Viewing deck by lift, paid - Time needed: About an hour; half a day with tower and museum - Metro: Cadorna (M1, M2), Lanza (M2), Cairoli (M1) - Coordinates: 45.47333, 9.17528 - Facts checked: 11.11.2026 ## Key facts - **1888–1893** — laid out by architect Emilio Alemagna (source: English Wikipedia) - **≈ 38 ha** — area of the park (source: English Wikipedia) - **1807–1838** — the Arch of Peace was built to Luigi Cagnola's design (source: English Wikipedia) - **≈ 108 m** — height of Torre Branca (Gio Ponti, 1933) (source: English Wikipedia) - **1906** — the Art Nouveau Civic Aquarium opened (source: English Wikipedia) ## A short history The park occupies the former **hunting grounds** of the Visconti and Sforza dukes, later a huge parade ground beside the castle. In **1888–1893** architect **Emilio Alemagna** turned it into an **English-style landscape park** of winding paths, mounds, a pond and clumps of trees. It's named after the road to the **Simplon Pass** (Sempione in Italian) across the Alps, whose start is marked by the **Arch of Peace** at the far end. The main axis runs straight from the gate of Sforza Castle to the arch, so you can see both from anywhere along it. ## The Arch of Peace The **Arco della Pace** was begun in **1807** by architect **Luigi Cagnola** in Napoleon's honour and finished in **1838** under Austrian rule, rededicated to peace in Europe. On top rides a bronze **six-horse chariot** with the goddess of Peace, with mounted Victories at the corners and marble reliefs below. Piazza Sempione around it is lined with cafés and bars, liveliest in the evening. From mid-avenue you can see the arch and the castle's Filarete Tower aligned on one axis. ## What else is in the park **Torre Branca**, a steel viewing tower about **108 m** tall designed by **Gio Ponti** in **1933**, lifts you to a deck overlooking the park, the castle, the Duomo and, on clear days, the Alps. Next door, the **Triennale** in the Palazzo dell'Arte is Italy's design museum, with shows on furniture, architecture and fashion. There's also the 1906 **Civic Aquarium** in an Art Nouveau building tiled with sea creatures, the early-19th-century **Arena**, and the little iron **Ponte delle Sirenette** with its mermaid statues over the pond. In summer people sunbathe and picnic on the lawns and feed the ducks. ## What to see - **Arch of Peace** — the triumphal arch with its chariot. - **The pond and Ponte delle Sirenette** — mermaid bridge. - **Torre Branca** — a viewing deck around 100 m up. - **Triennale** — the design museum. - **Civic Aquarium** — an Art Nouveau gem. - **View of Sforza Castle** — from the main avenue. > **Walk straight through** The best route: walk from the Duomo along Via Dante to Sforza Castle, through its courtyards into the park, and down the main avenue to the Arch of Peace. Loop back past Torre Branca and the Triennale. The park closes at night, and its inner paths are best avoided alone after dark. ## How to get there 1. Metro M1 or M2 to **Cadorna**, 5 minutes to Torre Branca. 2. Metro M2 to **Lanza** or M1 to **Cairoli**, entrance by the castle. 3. Through the gates of [Sforza Castle](https://yesgo.io/italy/milan/sforza-castle) straight into the park. 4. Trams 1, 10 and 19 stop at the Arch of Peace. ## Is Parco Sempione worth it? Yes — it's the best place in central Milan to rest from stone and museums, and it joins seamlessly onto Sforza Castle. It's great with children, with playgrounds, ducks and the aquarium. Go up Torre Branca for the view, especially at sunset. ## Before you go Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Enter through Sforza Castle - [ ] Walk the main avenue to the Arch of Peace - [ ] Go up Torre Branca - [ ] Find the mermaid bridge - [ ] Leave before dark ## Parks in Milan: compare and choose Parks and gardens in Milan rated by YesGo. - [Bosco Verticale](https://yesgo.io/italy/milan/bosco-verticale) — YesGo score 51/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · Free - [Parco Sempione](https://yesgo.io/italy/milan/parco-sempione) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free ## Castle, park and Leonardo Sforza Castle, a stroll in Parco Sempione, the Last Supper and the Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio. 1. [Sforza Castle](https://yesgo.io/italy/milan/sforza-castle) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Courtyards free, museums paid 2. [Parco Sempione](https://yesgo.io/italy/milan/parco-sempione) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free 3. [The Last Supper](https://yesgo.io/italy/milan/last-supper) — YesGo score 72/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · Paid, booking only 4. [Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio](https://yesgo.io/italy/milan/sant-ambrogio) — YesGo score 47/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Free ## Don't mix it up Parco Sempione isn't the Indro Montanelli Gardens by Porta Venezia, the centre's other big park with the Natural History Museum. The Arch of Peace isn't Porta Garibaldi or any other city gate. ## Tips - Enter via Sforza Castle. - Torre Branca for the view. - Kids love the pond and aquarium. - Closed at night. ## Questions ### Where is Parco Sempione? Right behind Sforza Castle, 15 minutes' walk from the Duomo. ### Is Parco Sempione free? Yes; only Torre Branca and Triennale exhibitions are paid. ### What is there to see in Parco Sempione? The Arch of Peace, the pond and mermaid bridge, Torre Branca, the Triennale and the Civic Aquarium. ### When was the Arch of Peace built? From 1807 to 1838, designed by Luigi Cagnola. ### How do I get to Parco Sempione? Metro to Cadorna, Lanza or Cairoli, or walk through Sforza Castle. ## How we checked History and description from English Wikipedia. Park hours and tower prices weren't confirmed — hence the 'checking' badge. ## Sources - English Wikipedia, Sempione Park; Arch of Peace (Milan); Torre Branca --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.