Hidden 16th-century square opens in Milan's Corso Venezia district

The former Archbishop's Seminary in Milan, a monumental complex founded in 1565 and linked to Carlo Borromeo, has been restored and transformed into the Portrait Milano boutique hotel by Ferragamo's Lungarno Collection. The project, led by architect Michele De Lucchi and his studio AMDL Circle, reopens a 2,800-square-meter courtyard—the Chiostro degli Umiliati—renamed Piazza del Quadrilatero, which had been closed to the public for twenty years. The space now features a pedestrian passage from Corso Venezia to Via Sant'Andrea. Under the double loggia, boutiques, restaurants, and creative spaces have been installed, including Beefbar, Antonia, So-Le Studio by Maria Sole Ferragamo, and The Longevity Suite. The hotel itself occupies the first floor with 73 rooms and suites designed by Michele Bönan, blending classic style with Tuscan craftsmanship and Ferragamo-inspired details. A high-end restaurant by chef Alberto Quadrio is expected to open in February 2023. The project, involving long negotiations with the Diocese of Milan and the Superintendence of Fine Arts, aims to revitalize the urban fabric of the Quadrilatero area and create a new attraction for tourists, potentially collaborating with the nearby Palazzo Morando fashion museum under director Gianfranco Maraniello.