Palazzo Erba Odescalchi

Palazzo Erba Odescalchi stands on Via dell’Unione in central Milan, presenting a Renaissance facade along a narrow street. Its slightly off-centre entrance gains an imposing presence from the confined setting around it. Twelve busts of Roman emperors decorate the window pediments on the noble floor. Their arrangement gives the facade a distinctive sculptural character visible from the street.

The Cusani family acquired the residence in the sixteenth century and began expanding it around 1570. Pellegrino Tibaldi directed the redesign, shaping the architectural character seen today. In the eighteenth century, Bishop Benedetto Erba Odescalchi became its owner and spent his final days here. The palace’s history therefore connects a Milanese family, a leading Renaissance architect and a bishop.

Inside, a courtyard repeats the bust motif with figures representing virtuous Roman matrons. Rounded arches and Tuscan columns form the portico around this open space. A helical staircase at the far end provides the courtyard’s most memorable architectural detail.