Sketch by Leonardo da Vinci Leads to Secret Ancient
Ground-penetrating radar and laser scanning revealed that the historic passages made famous by a Leonardo da Vinci drawing is just one of multiple tunnel sections.
Experts plan to create a digital twin of the castle's underground system for museum visitors.
The artworks of Leonardo da Vinci are vast and storied. 'The Last Supper.' 'The Vitruvian Man.' The 'Mona Lisa' for goodness sake. But even amongst such a storied and well-studied body of work, there can still be a few surprises left to discover. And recently, a team of researchers discovered one of those surprises—one drawing of a castle tunnel from a 1400s-era castle.
See, the drawing was of Sforza Castle, and it included depictions of numerous underground tunnels—tunnels that had never been found.
The team—which included experts from Polytechnic University of Milan, Codevintec, and Sforza Castel—teamed up to employ ground-penetrating radar and laser scanning that mapped multiple feet under the castle. In doing so, they discovered not only that the tunnels da Vinci alluded to in his drawings existed, but that they may only be a small piece of an intricate system weaving throughout the site.
'The ground-penetrating radar enriched the 3D model with data on known, but inaccessible, spaces, bringing to light unknown walkways and ideas for further studies on secret passages,' Francesca Biolo, researcher at Polytechnic University of Milan, said in a statement.
The castle took on new life in the 1400s when the duke of Milan, Francesco Sforza, reconstructed an ancient site. He turned it into the Sforza Castle, complete with towers, courtyards, and frescoed-lined halls. In 1494, Francesco's successor, Ludovico Sforza, built on the castle's tradition and hired Leonardo da Vinci to create art for the castle. According to Art Net, in his effort to complete that project, da Vinci documented the castle's unseen tunnel system, as recorded in Codex Forster I.
Experts believe the tunnels were once likely used for military operations, but other portions of the system could have included personal touches as well. One passageway, for instance, connects the castle to the Basilica of Santa Maria delle Grazie, a church built by Francesco that houses da Vinci's 'The Last Supper.' It is also the site of Sforza family burials, which may have afforded those living in the castle quicker access to the tombs of loved ones, such as Ludovico's wife, Beatrice d'Este.
Nowadays, the castle complex is home to three different museums—Pinacoteca del Castello Sforzesco, the Museum of the Rondanini Pieta, and the Museum of Ancient Art.
While the underground system may not currently be fully accessible, the ground-penetrating radar and laser scanning used to confirm its presence could still unlock a fresh perspective on the Sforza Castel's underground world.
'The goal is to create a digital twin of the Sforza Castle, a digital model that not only represents the current appearances of the castle but also allows you to explore the past, recovering historical elements that are no longer visible,' Franco Guzzetti, professor of geomatics at Polytechnic University of Milan, said in a statement.
Adding augmented reality to the virtual paths could invite visitors to explore the underground environments and inaccessible historical places in a fresh museum experience. The artwork of da Vinci has enabled the delight of modern audiences yet again.
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