Grazzano Visconti Castle was built in 1395 on concession of the Lord of Milan, Gian Galeazzo Visconti, as a gift for his sister Beatrice who had married a nobleman from Piacenza, Giovanni Anguissola. The fortress will return into the Visconti family only in 1870, linking itself definitely to their lives, and in particular to the life of Duke Giuseppe.

Giuseppe Visconti di Modrone (1879 – 1941) was a special man. Today we would define him a visionary. Full of interests, very cultured, he loved music, great supporter of the Teatro alla Scala, talented painter. He also became President of Inter football club from 1914 to 1919; he was head of Carlo Erba pharmaceutical company; creator of perfumes and of many successful brands and an active entrepreneur in the textile industry. He was also a very generous philanthrope, personally committed in the fight against malaria, a disease that at the beginning of the 1900 was still very common in Italy.

However, Grazzano Visconti turned out to be his greatest achievement. When Giuseppe inherited the castle, many parts of its were abandoned and run down. Despite the state, he was fascinated by the place and decided that it would become the heart of a project that he already had in mind. Create a place where he could live the life of a Medieval town, far away from the city and the factories, farming and dedicating himself to the noble art of craftsmanship.

He teamed with Architect Campanini, renovating and transforming the Castle. He reinforced and raised the Castle; he designed the crenellations and changed the North-East tower from a cylinder into a quadrangular shape. He designed the rooms, selected the furniture, that perfectly resembled the Duke’s taste.

Since then, the life of the Visconti family has been closely connected to Grazzano Visconti, which will influence the story of all the following generations, starting from the Duke’s children Anna, Guido and Luchino; the great neorealistic movie director, who directed masterpieces like “Rocco e i suoi Fratelli”, “Bellissima”, “Senso” and “Il Gattopardo”.

The Castle has also another inhabitant, a ghost named Aloisa, wife of the mercenary captain, who died of heartbreak after her husband had left her. She herself, tells her story to Duke Giuseppe – who among other things was also a medium – guiding his hand making him draw her portrait that will be the reference for the statues that still today can be seen in the castle. After such an unlucky love story in life, today Aloisa’s spirit protects all lovers whose feelings are not reciprocated.