The Visconti Family and the Enigma of the Tarot in Milan: The Labyrinths of the Arcana｜Italy

It is to Filippo Maria Visconti, an enigmatic and mysterious figure, that we owe the expansion of the Sforza Castle (known in the 15th century as the Porta Giovia Castle) and the creation of the Tarot cards (initially called Trumps). This itinerary, which starts at Castello Sforzesco and continues along Via Garibaldi to the gate of the same name, will introduce us to these “new cards”: from the artists who painted them to court life, from the rules of the game to the world of divination through occult meanings. During the walk, the sites we will visit will be linked to some of the Major Arcana. Regarding the Castle of Intertwined Fates, Calvino wrote: “The meaning of each individual card depends on its position in the sequence of cards that precede or follow it.” Hence the idea of creating links and various connections between the images and the locations. This itinerary is also intended as a game, but it never strays from historical facts.


Sights visited: Sforza Castle, Piazza del Carmine, Corso Garibaldi, Fossati Theater, Church of San Semplificano, Fossati Theater, Largo La Foppa, Church of Santa Maria Incoronata, Porta Garibaldi.