State University
The seat of the State University of Milan is in the ancient historic building that was formerly the "Ospedale dei Poveri" or hospital for the poor and needy built by Francesco Sforza duke of Milan and his wife Bianca Maria Visconti in the fifteenth century called familiarly "la Ca' Granda" the large house. Francesco Sforza entrusted the project to the Tuscan architect Antonio Averlino known as "Il Filarete" (1400-1469).A detailed description of the building project covering more than 43000 square metres, making it one of Milan's most famous landmarks, can be found in the "Trattato di Architecttura": The structure was divided into two main bodies, one for men and one for women. Each area was subdivided into four square internal courtyards linked by two other courtyards of the same size, in one of which a church was built, creating a total layout of ten identical squares. The foundation stone was solemnly laid on the 12th April 1456. The construction was completed in stages over the following centuries up until the nineteenth-century thanks to bequests and donations on the part of Milanese citizens who considered it a duty to contribute to finishing work on the hospital and the functional operation of the hospital. Another source of income was derived from a special jubilee, the so-called "Festa del Perdono", celebrated every two years in olden times on the 25th March commemorating the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary the Protectress of the hospital
The Tuscan architect Filarete followed building work until 1465, in particular the right wing facing the Basilica of San Nazaro Maggiore. Filarete is considered to have been responsible for the ground floor façade (1460-1465) and Guinforte Solari, his successor (1465-1481) for the upper floor. The latter was succeeded by G. B. Pessina who was commissioned to revise the original project together with Francesco Maria Ricchino, Fabio Mangone and Crespi known as "Il Cerano". Ricchino is thought to have planned the great baroque courtyard and the seventeenth-century frontage towards via Festa del Perdono. Further construction work first directed by Pietro Giorgio Rossone and then Attilio Arrigoni came to an end in 1695 with the construction of the "cortile delle Balie" and the right wing of the church towards the Naviglio canal with its characteristic portal and ashlar-work behind a mixtilinear arch. In 1797 the external perimeter was completed by Pietro Castelli.
The architectural complex was considered a model enterprise and represented an advanced hospital structure for many centuries in Italy and Europe. It was used as a hospital up to the second world war. In 1939 the "Ospedale" was transferred to the Niguarda area on the in the outskirts of Milan. The hospital's administrative offices and archives which are an important source for the history of the Milan area are kept at Ca' Grande.
In August 1943 it was almost completely destroyed by bombs. At the end of the war the building was allotted to the "Università degli Studi di Milano". Reconstruction work was begun in 1949 and it became the seat of the university in 1958.
This prestigious monument houses the central headquarters of the university. The Rector's office, some of the administrative offices and two liberal arts faculties (Law and Italian Literature and Philosophy) are on this site. Numerous cultural manifestations as well as national and international congresses are hosted here.
The front of the main building running along Via Festa del Perdono is 282 metres long and side by side are later buildings from various phases of construction.
Starting from the tract of road leading to via Laghetto the neoclassical façade with its dark red finish can be observed (1). Following on is the seventeenth century wing in fired brick with at its centre a great door with dual columns (2) and a timpano above it. In the niches lower down are statues of St. Carlo and St. Ambrogio by G. B. Bianco (1630) while above are "L' Annunziata e l' angelo" di Giovanni Pietro Lasagna (1635). The double lancet windows on the ground floor are under arches joining up with those covering Filarete's loggia attributed to Camillo Procaccini. The 15th century wing (3) facing Largo Richini has a portico with stone columns supporting rounded arches where once there were workshops and warehouses. Above the portico an elaborate band covering small arches and tondi with bordered double lancet recessesand a flat background of natural bricks.
The brick cornice with a series of superimposed decorations were probably designed by Guinforte Solari and the work carried out by his brother Francesco. The latter illustrate the initial phase of decoration later completed in the seventeenth century by tondi encircling marble busts.
The portal leads to a central courtyard planned by Francesco Maria Ricchino. At the end on the left the plaster cast of a colossal statue of St. Ambrogio (5) by Adolfo Wildt (1868 - 1931). On the right running alongside a colonnade giving on to Largo Richini is the access to the "Cortile dei Bagni" (6), probably opened in 1467-73. From the central courtyard a short, covered corridor on the right leads to the "Cortile della Spezieria" (7), perhaps the oldest and least damaged by bombing. Keeping to the right hand side of the central courtyard (going through) a door over which a plaque commemorating the foundation of the Hospital is placed leads to the "Grande Crociera" (9). The historic infirmary shaped like a Greek Cross separates the four courtyards. On the right of the secretarial staff's offices is the access to the "Cortile della Ghiacciaia" (10), next to which is the "Cortile della Legnaia" (11). Leaving the "Cortile della Ghiacciaia" the façade giving on to via Francesco Sforza is visible. At the southern end of the façade the "Portico Meridionale" is still visible in correspondence with the position of the present underground parking area, what can still be seen of the former small harbour "Porticciolo dell'Ospedale" (14) diverted from the Naviglio canal which used to run along the building. The entrance to the seventeenth century Chiesa dell' Annunciata (15) is from the central courtyard. The Church was designed according to a circular plan with a dome, and over the high altar is the "Annunciazione" by Guercino (1639).From via Francesco Sforzo passing a garden with sculptures in bronze and cement by Angelo Biancini and part of the "Archivio dell' Ospedale it is possible to reach the administrative headquarters of the hospital departments or "Amministrazione degli Istituti Ospedalieri" (16).
