Gaby
The secret underground passages from Leonardo da Vinci’s notebook have finally been discovered! They were hidden beneath the Sforza Castle in Milan.
A team from the Polytechnic University of Milan, in collaboration with the administration of Sforza Castle and the engineering firm Codevintec Italiana, made this remarkable discovery using cutting-edge research methods and tools, including laser scanning, ground-penetrating radar, GPS, and photogrammetry (to create a virtual 3D model based on photographs).
Sforza Castle
What Did the Researchers Report?
The construction of Sforza Castle, located in the heart of Milan, began in the mid-1300s. Over the centuries, it has been expanded, modified, and partially destroyed. Today, only one-sixth of the original structure remains, according to Live Science.
Around 1495, Duke Ludovico Sforza of Milan hired Leonardo da Vinci and other artists to decorate the walls and ceilings of the castle. It was during this time that Leonardo sketched the underground labyrinths in his notebook, which researchers believe were used for military purposes.
Drawing of the Castle by Leonardo da Vinci
“Leonardo da Vinci was very knowledgeable about military structures and defense systems of his time. His drawing features the main body of the castle, as well as numerous passages,” noted Francesca Biolo, the lead author of the study and an architectural history expert who has been searching for Leonardo’s tunnels as part of her dissertation project.
Biolo and her team specifically examined the underground space of the castle. The researchers aimed to determine whether there were inaccessible and previously unknown passages beneath the ancient structure.
“The results turned out to be more significant and intriguing than we expected. We discovered rooms on the second underground level and an additional passage that runs parallel to the known tunnel,” the researcher said.
She also added that it is likely there are many more passages beneath Sforza Castle, but unfortunately, excavations there are not possible.
