Marliani-Cicogna Palace, Palace housing a library and art collections in Busto Arsizio, Italy

Palazzo Marliani-Cicogna in Busto Arsizio began as a rural dwelling bought by Count Luigi Marliani in 1624 and was turned into a palace by 1653. In the 1730s and 1740s the two wings were joined by a curved wall facing the square, with an 18th-century portal, and two inner courtyards were formed. It now houses the municipal library and the civic art collections.

Construction took place between 1624 and 1653, transforming a rural property into a noble residence under Count Luigi Marliani's direction. The Cicogna family later inherited the building and maintained it through subsequent generations.

Since 1990 the palace has combined the municipal library with the Civiche Raccolte d'Arte, the city's civic art collections. The building's name recalls the Marliani counts, lords of the Busto Arsizio fief from the 16th to the 18th century, and the Cicogna family who succeeded them. The stone lion of the Marliani above the gate on the square was pulled down in 1910 during popular unrest.

The building is easily accessible with parking nearby and provides accessible entrances for most visitors. The layout with stairs and hallways allows for comfortable exploration, though you may want to allow extra time if navigating between floors.

The wine cellars under the palace, reached by an internal staircase, predate the 16th century. Rediscovered during the 2002 restoration, they were recovered in 2018 with funding from the Lombardy Region. The former prisons, closed since 1984, were converted into a cultural centre and completed in 2026.