Horrea of Milan, Roman warehouse in Milan, Italy

The Horrea of Milan were Roman warehouses containing numerous storage rooms with raised floors and thick walls to protect goods from moisture and theft. Today, remains and historical records of this facility can be viewed at the Civico Museo Archeologico.

The facility became important when Emperor Diocletian moved the capital of the Western Roman Empire to Mediolanum, spurring expanded trade activities. This shift made the warehouses central points for supplying the city.

The Latin word horreum comes from hordeum, barley, recalling the grain these buildings first held. Inside, goods were kept in cellae, storage rooms managed by slaves, and courtyards with wells gave access and water. At Via dei Piatti 11 a bronze statue of the goddess Virtus or Roma was found, perhaps part of a larger sculptural group with a chariot.

The best way to see these Roman structures is to visit the Civico Museo Archeologico, where finds and information about the warehouses are displayed. It is worth spending time exploring this museum to better understand how this ancient facility operated.

The horreum at via dei Piatti 11, older than the one at via dei Bossi, was identified thanks to a bronze statue of the goddess Virtus or Roma found there, perhaps part of a larger sculptural group depicting a chariot. Its south side reached today's via Olmetto.