On the scaffolding of the Hall of Axes: Leonardo da Vinci's building site opens to the public

A rare occasion, intended for the few and capable of restoring a view normally reserved for insiders. At Milan’s Castello Sforzesco , to coincide with the period of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games , the Sala delle Asse exceptionally opens its scaffolding to the public, offering the chance to enter the heart of the restoration site and observe one of Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous and complex painting cycles from a close distance. From Feb. 7 to March 14, 2026, Ad Artem, concessionaire of the Castle’s educational services, will accompany visitors to discover the final stages of an intervention that has been the focus of international attention for years.

The Sala delle Asse, painted in the last years of the 15th century by Leonardo and his workshop for Ludovico il Moro, is one of the symbolic rooms of the Castello Sforzesco and one of the places where the relationship between the artist and the Milanese court emerges most clearly. The large plant weave covering the vault, the lunettes and the famous charcoal monochrome attributed to Leonardo’s hand tell of a decorative project of extraordinary ambition, conceived as a celebration of Sforza power and at the same time as an exercise in artistic and symbolic invention.

The extraordinary program of guided tours devised by Ad Artem allows visitors to approach this masterpiece at a crucial stage of its restoration. Participants, accompanied by specialized guides, will be able to climb the scaffolding set up inside the room and observe the painted surfaces from a few inches away, catching details that are invisible from the floor. The opportunity to be at the height of the vault and lunettes offers a direct experience, which transforms the visit into an encounter with the work and the conservation work.

Thanks to the collaboration with the restorers of the company SERES s.r.l., which is responsible for the intervention, the tour allows visitors to explore not only the artistic value of the Sala delle Asse, but also the complex technical and conservation issues that accompanied its restoration. During the visit, the pictorial techniques used by Leonardo, the transformations undergone by the work over the centuries, the problems related to the preservation of materials and the methodological choices adopted on the site are illustrated. The story of the restoration thus becomes an integral part of the experience, to restore to the public the scientific and artisanal dimension behind the protection of a masterpiece.

The experience, lasting a total of ninety minutes, is designed for small groups, with a maximum of eight participants, and is conducted in Italian and English. The tour opens with a brief historical introduction dedicated to Leonardo’s role at the court of the Sforza family and the cultural context of Milan in the late 15th century, and then continues with exclusive access to the construction site. Visitors, equipped with safety helmets, can stand on the scaffolding for about thirty minutes, experiencing a moment of close observation that represents the heart of the initiative.

The extraordinary opening of the Sala delle Asse is part of a larger project promoted by the Castello Sforzesco and the City of Milan on the occasion of the Winter Olympics. An articulated tribute to the figure of Leonardo da Vinci and his connection with the city, which is developed through three complementary initiatives. Alongside visits to the restoration site, there will be a multimedia installation in the Panoramic Rooms of the Castle, designed to offer the public tools for reading and learning more about Leonardo’s work, and the renewed reopening of the Sala dei Leonardeschi in the Pinacoteca, dedicated to the artists who were formed in the wake of his lesson.

The restoration of the Sala delle Asse is promoted by the Culture Directorate of the City of Milan with the support of Fondazione Cariplo and followed by the Technical Directorate - Cultural Building Area of the City. The scientific supervision is entrusted to the Lombardy Regional Museums Directorate of the Ministry of Culture, the Opificio delle Pietre Dure of Florence and the Museums Area of the Castello Sforzesco, Archaeological Museums and Museum of the Risorgimento. A choral work that brings into dialogue different institutions, skills and professionalism, united by the common goal of restoring legibility and stability to a work of capital importance.

The possibility of accessing the construction site at this final stage takes on a special value. The public is not only called to observe a masterpiece, but to understand the process that allows its transmission to the future. Restoration thus becomes an opportunity for knowledge and awareness, a moment in which heritage protection opens up to storytelling and sharing.

Guided tours will take place from February 7 to March 14, 2026, with times differentiated between weekdays and weekends. Participation is limited and reservations are required, confirming the exclusive nature of the experience. The ticket, which has different price ranges, includes guided access and specialized accompaniment.

At a time when Milan is preparing to welcome visitors from all over the world for the Olympic event, the opening of the scaffolding of the Sala delle Asse represents an invitation to rediscover the city’s historical and artistic heritage from a new perspective. An experience that combines popularization, research and wonder, and that restores all the relevance of Leonardo’s legacy in the place that more than any other preserves its memory.

On the scaffolding of the Hall of Axes: Leonardo da Vinci's building site opens to the public

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