“A remnant of Milan’s glorious past” someone whispered. That’s how I’d describe Cascina Pozzi Pasquale. Before us stands what’s left of a once grand farmhouse. Cascina Pozzi Pasquale. Built in 1492 by the renowned Donato Bramante. It was commissioned by Gian Giacomo Pozzobonelli a member of a powerful Milanese family. Imagine the Pozzobonelli family enjoying this countryside retreat.
The Cascina Pozzi Pasquale wasn’t just a farmhouse. It served an ecclesiastical purpose. It was a convent. A home for a Christian congregation that rose to prominence in the late 1400s. Look closely. That capital displaying a triangle on the internal staircase points towards the Humiliati order. They were likely the building’s occupants.
The Cascina Pozzi Pasquale’s design is striking. Large terracotta-framed square windows adorn the building. Similar frames are found on the chapel’s portico door and the west door leading to a sgraffito-covered wall. The portico once boasted ten arches. Only four remain today. Two large courtyards once completed this sprawling complex.
Sadly the Cascina Pozzi Pasquale met a tragic fate. It began to fall into disrepair after the death of Archbishop Giuseppe Pozzobonelli in 1783. Demolition followed in 1885. A planned road sliced through its heart. World War II bombings further damaged it. The portico’s first span collapsed. It was restored later. Yet the Cascina Pozzi Pasquale still stands.
The octagonal domed chapel remains. Three exterior apses surround it. Saints adorn its decaying walls. Its door shows severe deterioration. The chapel sits atop two half-buried crypts. Each crypt holds eight vaults. Wooden beams covered most crypts but one featured a lunette. This hints at a grander uncompleted design for Cascina Pozzi Pasquale.
Today Cascina Pozzi Pasquale is a poignant reminder. It showcases the beauty and fragility of Milan’s architectural heritage. Though much is lost the remaining chapel and portico arches stand defiant. They speak volumes of Milan’s rich past. This is Cascina Pozzi Pasquale a true testament to time.