Leonardo da Vinci Drew Tunnels 530 Years Ago. Now, Archaeologists May Have Found Them for Real

For decades, the famous Leonardo da Vinci has fascinated the world with his artworks. Known for masterpieces like ‘The Mona Lisa,’ ‘The Vitruvian Man,’ and ‘The Last Supper,’ da Vinci’s notebooks have also teased scholars with tantalizing clues that suggest he knew far more about the hidden workings of the world than previously imagined. And now it has been proved in the city of Milan. In a discovery that has baffled archaeologists, researchers have confirmed the existence of a secret network of underground tunnels beneath Sforza Castle in Milan, as per Popular Mechanics.

These are the tunnels that da Vinci sketched over 500 years ago in his 1495 Codex Forster I. Once these were dismissed as artistic conjecture, however, these passages have now been brought to light using advanced technology. Francesca Biolo, an architect and researcher at the Polytechnic University of Milan, remarked, “The ground-penetrating radar enriched the 3D model with data on known, but inaccessible, spaces, bringing to light unknown walkways and ideas for further studies on secret passages,” as per reports. Her team, working alongside engineers from Codevintec and Sforza Castle authorities,  deployed a battery of advanced methods, including 3D ground-penetrating radar, laser scanning, GPS, and photogrammetry to digitally map what lay beneath the historic fortress.

 What they found was surprising. Not only did the tunnels that da Vinci hinted at truly exist, but the scans revealed a way more complex subterranean system than anyone expected. As per the statement, “This passageway is immortalized in Leonardo’s drawings and has long been the subject of legends and considerable speculation…But now, thanks to technology, it seems that its existence can be confirmed,” as per Smithsonian Magazine. Originally constructed in the 14th century and rebuilt in 1450 by Francesco Sforza, the duke of Milan, Sforza Castle was later expanded by his son, Ludovico Sforza. Intriguingly, da Vinci was commissioned to decorate the castle during Ludovico’s reign and left behind murals like those in the Sala delle Asse.

An important point to note is that, as per the historical records, he also recorded the design of strategic military passages beneath the castle’s outer walls, passages likely used for defense and discreet travel. One such passage is believed to connect the castle to the Basilica of Santa Maria delle Grazie, where da Vinci’s ‘Last Supper’ still resides and where Ludovico’s wife, Beatrice d’Este, is buried. It is believed that Ludovico may have used the passage for secret visits to her tomb after her untimely death in 1497, as per Smithsonian Magazine.

Franco Guzzetti, professor of geomatics at Polytechnic University of Milan, shared, “The goal is to create a digital twin of the Sforza Castle, a digital model that not only represents the current appearances of the castle but also allows you to explore the past, recovering historical elements that are no longer visible,” as per Popular Mechanics. They want to create an immersive 3D model that integrates the past with the present, making these hidden tunnels accessible to the public through virtual and augmented reality experiences.