- Active & Green
- Parks
Sempione Park
Sempione Park is a romantic, English-style fenced park with a rich habitat of trees and shrubs, numerous recreational facilities and entertainment for children and adults.
Important historical buildings and Milanese institutions lie along its edges, such as the Sforza Castle and its museums, the Gianni Brera Arena, the Arch of Peace, the Triennale di Milano and the Civic Aquarium.
Sempione Park was the second park to be founded in Milan and is named after the fact that it was situated along the route that starts at the cathedral door, goes through the Arch of Peace, and leads to the Passo del Sempione (Simplon Pass). Located on the site of the ancient Piazza d'armi, it was built in the 1890s by the architect Alemagna with an asymmetrical plan to contrast with the regular texture of the urban layout.
Visitors to Sempione Park can admire a vast array of vegetation including: holly, catalpa, Atlantic, Himalayan and Californian cedar, beech, pine , ginkgo, horse chestnut, walnut, poplar, magnolia and beautiful clusters of red oaks . They can also catch a glimpse of collections of hydrangeas, camellias, rhododendrons, azaleas and antique roses along with specimens of orange trifoliate and winter-flowering shrubs. Ducks can be spotted in the fenced pond and the cast iron Mermaid bridge is a unique site that is also a popular romantic spot. Be sure to look out for the fountain of running water, which in the past was considered miraculous due to the properties of its sulphurous waters that appeared to have beneficial effects on health.
Sempione Park has a large play area for children, and offers adults the opportunity to enjoy outdoor activities such as jogging along the dirt paths or cycling, running paths and exercise trails. The park also has four areas dedicated to dogs and kiosks and bars for moments of rest and relaxation. Sempione Park is also a destination for culture and entertainment, with artistic and botanical exhibitions and numerous shows at the Gianni Brera Arena.