Photoessay. Walking through Milan’s courtyards

Secular palaces of the nobility of the past, hidden gardens, courtyards with columns and baroque statues, lush fountains, wrought-iron balconies from the 1600s, prestigious arches and stairways and much more is hidden in the heart of Milan. Going beyond the old gates, Milan’s palaces hide their true treasures.

I walked around the city, mainly in its historical center, many time uselessly. But here, through the umpteenth door, i discovered wonderful things, absolutely unpublished, symphonies of gray or color, contrasts of shapes, extraordinary curiosities of the past. Inside these secret spaces, I discovered the sober, never ostentatious elegance of the  ne Milanese upper- class houses. A tribute to Milan and its history. Dedicated to people who look up to admire the sky. A sky surrounded by balconies and windows behind which people felt safe, protected by their courtyards and those gates that too often remain closed.

Valerio Zanicotti started his professional activity as a photographer in 2015, collaborating with studios specialized in events and photography for companies. In 2016, he took part in the Advanced Training Course in Photography at the European Institute of Design (IED) in Milan, with a scholarship. Today, he collaborates with different companies, realising architectural and interior photographs. He is the co-founder of the photography studio Full Frame Fotografie. He is a board member of the Circolo Fotografico Cizanum and he collaborates with the cultural association Città Nascosta Milano.