Palazzo Arese Borromeo, 17th-century noble palace in Cesano Maderno, Italy.
Palazzo Arese Borromeo is a 17th-century baroque palace in Cesano Maderno, north of Milan, organized around a large inner courtyard. A covered arcade in the Genoese style runs along the inner sides, while the gardens behind the building contain paths, fountains, and old outbuildings.
Bartolomeo Arese, a powerful Milanese nobleman, had the palace built between 1654 and 1670 as a country residence for his family. In the 18th century, the estate passed to the Borromeo family through marriage, which is why both names appear together today.
The painted ceilings and wall frescoes inside were made by Milanese artists of the 17th century and show mythological scenes alongside everyday figures. Walking through the rooms, visitors can follow the stories painted directly above them, which makes the decoration easy to read and enjoy.
The palace is open to visitors on weekends, when both guided tours and free exploration of the grounds are usually available. The garden paths are long and mostly unpaved, so comfortable shoes are a good idea.
Tucked into a corner of the garden stands an old icehouse, a vaulted structure used to store ice collected from nearby lakes to keep food and drinks cool through the warmer months. Buildings like this have largely disappeared elsewhere, which makes this one a rare find.
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