Arch of Peace, Triumphal arch in Sempione Park, Milan, Italy
The Arch of Peace is a neoclassical marble monument at the northern edge of Sempione Park, standing about 25 meters tall with Corinthian columns, sculptures, and detailed carved reliefs covering its facade. The structure displays ornate stonework throughout, creating a grand entrance to the park.
Construction began in 1807 under Napoleon's orders but was halted by political shifts and finally completed in 1838 under Austrian rule. The extended building period mirrors Europe's turbulent changes during this era.
The bronze group on top, cast by the Manfredini firm, shows Minerva in a chariot drawn by six horses, with four Victories on horseback at the corners of the attic offering laurel and palm. A local legend holds that the Habsburgs turned the horses 180 degrees so they faced away from France.
The arch stands at the end of Corso Sempione on Piazza Sempione, at the northwest edge of Sempione Park, with the Sforza Castle a walk of roughly a kilometre through the park. It is an open-air monument with no interior to visit; the paved square around its base is where people gather, and tram and bus stops on the surrounding avenues serve it.
The arch aligns precisely with the Simplon Pass, the historic route connecting Paris and Milan through the Swiss Alps. This alignment reveals how the monument was connected to the major trade routes of its time.
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