The Arch of Peace, or Arco della Pace, is a grand neoclassical gateway on Piazza Sempione at the northwestern edge of Milan’s Sempione Park. Clad in pale marble and crowned by a bronze figure of Peace in a six-horse chariot, it anchors the long sightline through the park from Sforza Castle.
Designed by Luigi Cagnola, the arch was begun in 1807 under Napoleon as a triumphal monument on the route towards Paris. Work stopped after his fall, and the Austrian Habsburgs later completed it, dedicating it to the peace established after the Napoleonic wars. Inaugurated in 1838, its reliefs and inscriptions offer a glimpse of Milan’s shifting political allegiances.
The approach through Sempione Park is one of the best reasons to visit: the arch gradually fills the view as you walk away from the castle. Up close, look for winged victories, river figures and scenes of historic events. Afterwards, the cafés and aperitivo bars around Corso Sempione make a good place to linger.
Come early for a quieter view or near sunset, when the stone catches the warm light. The monument is viewed from outside and can be reached on foot from Cadorna or Moscova metro stations; trams also stop nearby. Use marked crossings around the busy surrounding roads, and check ahead for possible event or restoration barriers.