"Quadrilatero del silenzio"
Milan's silent district

Behind the palazzo lies the garden, enclosed by walls on three sides and kept private for over a century; today, it is open to the public free of charge. The historic trees are joined by new plantings, featuring over twenty species in total that recall the landscape design of the Piermarini era.

It serves as the first green room along the route and the best way to discover Milan's hidden gardens.

Leaving the Foundation, continue along Corso Venezia to Palazzo Castiglioni, built by Giuseppe Sommaruga between 1901 and 1903 and considered the manifesto of Milanese Art Nouveau (Liberty style).

It features rusticated stonework, wrought-iron details, floral moldings, and a facade that raised eyebrows at the time due to two female statues, later removed, which earned it the local nickname Ca’ di Ciapp ("House of Buttocks").

A few hundred meters further, you enter the Quadrilatero del Silenzio ("District of Silence"), a quiet network of streets gathered around Via Serbelloni, Via Mozart, and Via dei Cappuccini. Here, traffic thins out, wrought-iron gates reveal glimpses of private gardens, and every building showcases a different architectural style: Eclecticism, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, and early Rationalism.

Villa Invernizzi: through the gate, you can admire the garden that has been home to a colony of pink flamingos for decades, one of the city's most delightful surprises.

Almost opposite stands Palazzo Berri-Meregalli by Giulio Ulisse Arata, combining Medieval, Art Nouveau, and Orientalist elements; the foyer features golden mosaics and Adolfo Wildt’s sculpture Victory.

From the district, head down toward Porta Venezia, where Art Nouveau takes center stage once again at Casa Galimberti. Designed by Giovanni Battista Bossi between 1903 and 1905, its facades along Via Malpighi are entirely covered in illustrated ceramic tiles, featuring male and female figures framed by floral motifs, and complemented by exquisite wrought-iron work.

Casa Galimberti is viewed from the street. Just a few house numbers away on Via Malpighi, you will find Casa Guazzoni, another work by Bossi featuring intricate concrete decorations and wrought iron, a five-minute detour for anyone looking to complete their Art Nouveau experience.

The itinerary ends at the Boschi Di Stefano House Museum on Via Giorgio Jan. Located in a building designed by Piero Portaluppi, this apartment was the home of art collectors Antonio Boschi and Marieda Di Stefano.

Today, it displays a selection of the modern art collection donated to the City of Milan, featuring key figures of 20th-century Italian art.

The artworks remain displayed just as they were in a lived-in home, hanging above furniture and beside everyday objects. It is the most intimate way to understand how private passion helped shape Milan's public cultural heritage.