The Torre Branca is a construction of steel tubes in the Parco Sempione in Milan. The tower stands near the Palazzo dell’Arte, where the Triennale is held. It was erected in 1933, slightly higher than intended, on the occasion of this Triennale.
Torre Branca Milan
Address, opening times and admission
The address of the Torre Branca is Viale Alemagna, 20121 Milano (tel. +39 02.3314120 ). Metro: Cadorna (line 1, 2). Opening hours mid-September to mid-May: Wednesday from 10.30 to 12.30 and from 16.00 to 18.30; Saturday from 10.30 to 13.00 from 15.00 to 18.30 and from 20.30 to 00.00; Sunday from 10.30 to 14.00 and from 14.30 to 19.00. Opening hours from mid-May to mid-September: Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 15.00 to 19.00 and from 20.30 to 00.00; Wednesday from 10.30 to 12.30, from 15.00 to 19.00 and from 20.30 to 00.00; Saturday and Sunday from 10.30 to 14.00, from 14.30 to 19.30 and from 20.30 to 00.00. Entrance fee: 5 Euro.
Special events
Wednesday free of charge for schoolchildren and people over 65.
History and description
The Torre Branca is a pyramid-shaped structure made of steel tubes. It was built in 1933 on the occasion of the 5th edition of the Triennale by Gio Ponti. At the time, the tower was still known as the Torre Littoria or the Torre del Parco.
The then dictator Benito Mussolini had decreed that the tower should not exceed the 108.5 meters that measured the spire with the Madonnina since “the human should not rise above the divine.” Eventually, the Torre Branca would rise to a height of 108.6 meters.
There is an elevator inside the tower that allows one to get to the construction’s vantage point in less than a minute. From here, on fine days, one can enjoy a magnificent panorama of not only Milan, but also the Alps and the Apennines.
Between 1972 and 1997, the tower was closed due to the risk of collapse caused by the elevator. The Distilleria Fratelli Branca financed the necessary adaptations. When the tower was allowed to be visited again it received its current name.