June 12, 2025 • 26 mins
We explore the hidden tunnels beneath Milan's Sforza Castle, designed by Leonardo da Vinci and only recently discovered in 2025 using ground-penetrating radar technology. While working as a military engineer for Ludovico Sforza, da Vinci created secret passageways connecting important Renaissance landmarks that remained hidden for over 500 years.
• Leonardo applied to work for Ludovico Sforza primarily as a military engineer, listing artistic abilities as almost an afterthought
• The Sforza Castle evolved from military fortress to palace to museum, housing many Renaissance treasures
• Da Vinci designed the Sala della Asse with an elaborate ceiling of intertwined mulberry trees symbolizing prudence and productivity
• Researchers discovered actual tunnels that match Leonardo's sketches, including one connecting the castle to Santa Maria delle Grazie where The Last Supper was painted
• A mysterious sealed chamber was detected beneath the castle that has not been accessed since the 1490s
• Renaissance Milan was filled with political intrigue, spies, and dangerous power struggles alongside artistic innovation
• The castle has accumulated numerous ghost stories and legends of hidden treasure over its 500+ year history
Follow this podcast for more explorations of fascinating historical discoveries and overlooked stories from the past.
And a shark drops in on a disc golf game
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Hey folks, welcome back to Grandpa's Hymn, the
podcast, where we wander throughthe dusty attic of history,
shine a flashlight in thecorners and say, huh, would you
look at that?
But first I want to begin witha quick shout out to some young
friends of mine who I had thepleasure of recording the other
day the Stacy Middle SchoolChoir.
(00:29):
Hey guys, you sound great.
Today we're going underground,literally.
I'm talking hidden tunnels,renaissance secrets, military
scheming and one suspiciouslysmart guy with a beard.
And no, it's not me, it's not aDungeons and Dragons campaign,
it's Leonardo da Vinci.
(00:49):
We're headed to Milan, italy,and more specifically to a
castle that's been hiding someof the most fascinating secrets
right under people's feet thelegendary Sforza Castle.
And, folks, when I say thisplace is stuffed with stories, I
mean it's like my grandkidsafter Halloween, absolutely
(01:09):
crammed.
We're going to pull some ofthose stories out, dust them off
and see what happens when amilitary fortress, a renaissance
genius and five centuries ofsecrets all meet up under one
roof, or under one floor, as itturns out.
Under one roof or under onefloor, as it turns out.
(01:29):
Let's set the stage.
The year is 1450.
Milan is doing its renaissancething inventing, painting,
warring and a big shot mercenarynamed Francisco Sforza decides
to build a little something forhimself, and by little I mean a
sprawling brick fortress thatlooks like it was designed by
someone who said make it bigenough to survive any angry army
and also store enough cheesefor the winter, because what's
(01:52):
the point of surviving a siegeif you're out of Parmesan Sforza
Castle or Castello Sforzesco ifyou're trying to impress
somebody over espresso?
Was originally a militaryfortress.
It later became a palace, abarracks, a museum and
apparently a really fancy hidingspot for secret tunnels.
(02:13):
This place has seen more dramathan a telenovela on Fast
Forward the Black Plague, plague, napoleon, spanish Habsburgs,
austrian Habsburg.
Basically, if you wore a sashand started a war, you probably
had a key to the place.
It's been rebuilt, remodeled,repurposed.
(02:36):
It's basically the Madonna ofcastles Always reinventing,
occasionally controversial andsomehow still standing.
But despite all the changes, itstill got the bones of the
original Sforza's visionStrength, prestige and enough
brick to rebuild Rome twice.
That brick may look basic, butit was bougie back in the day by
(03:01):
the time Ludovico Sforza, akaLudovico Il Moro, came around.
The castle was also a symbol ofwealth, power and don't mess
with Milan.
Now I know what you're thinking, lynn?
How many stories can one castlepossibly have?
Buddy, this place had a moat, adrawbridge, a tower built so
(03:23):
high, the pigeons filed a noisecomplaint.
Sounds pretty cool, and getthis.
There was an entire wing justfor tournaments and parties.
Basically, renaissance Topgolf.
Except instead of driving rangeballs you're jousting and
instead of nachos it's boar stew.
You ever hear the one about theSuertzes family pet lion?
(03:45):
Yeah, apparently, ludovico hada soft spot for big cats.
Kept one roaming around thecourtyard to intimidate guests.
Forget guard dogs.
This guy had a little powermove on four legs.
So when we say the castle woremany hats, we mean crowns,
helmets, berets and maybe onepointy jester cap on Tuesdays.
(04:07):
Trust me, you could drop aparty of level 1 adventurers in
here and half would straight upfail their perception checks
before they ever hit thedrawbridge.
One minute you're storming thecourtyard, the next you're
bumping elbows with aneight-foot statue that spoiler
alert might have been guarding aplus-two sword all along.
(04:29):
Let's talk about the hire thatchanged everything.
Leonardo da Vinci, in his early30s, shows up in Milan like the
world's most overqualifiedintern.
The man hadn't even painted theLast Supper yet.
He was not world famous, notyet, but he had ideas.
Oh boy, did he have ideas.
Now, ludovico Sforza wasn'texactly looking to redecorate it
(04:52):
.
He wanted military muscle.
Milan was sandwiched betweenrival city-states with armies
and appetites.
So Leonardo did what everysmart job applicant does he
tailored his resume.
He wrote a 10-point letter toLudovico, and here's the kicker
Nine of the 10 points hadnothing to do with art.
(05:13):
For example, I can buildindestructible bridges.
I can design catapults that'llknock your enemy's socks off.
I've got ideas for armoredtanks pulled by oxen and at the
bottom, oh, and if you need amural or a statue, I guess I
could do that too.
So Leonardo shows up with aresume that would make any
(05:33):
dungeon master go hold up.
Did this wizard just declareproficiency in siegecraft and
painting?
Nine out of ten bullet pointsare basically I can build a tank
.
Then there's one lonely line oh, and, by the way, I guess I can
do art.
It's like a rogue handing you aletter that says I have
expertise in lockpicking,stealth and probably painting
(05:56):
your dungeon murals too.
Leonardo undersold the Mona Lisalike it was a side hustle.
Elisa like it was a side hustle.
Ludovico, who clearly liked abit of flair with his firepower,
said sure, let's give this guya shot.
And boom, leonardo was hired,not as a painter, not as a
(06:20):
philosopher, but as a militaryengineer.
Imagine if Einstein had gottenfamous because he built a really
good fence.
Now, what did da Vinci do withthis opportunity?
Well, in true Leonardo fashion,he dabbled.
He sketched blueprints, hedesigned hydraulic systems, he
invented a type of revolvingbridge, and somewhere in between
all that, he started dreamingup tunnels beneath the very
walls he worked to protect.
(06:41):
Was he paranoid?
Maybe, but in Renaissance Italy, paranoia was just common sense
with better shoes.
So what do you do with a geniuslike Leonardo, who can't sit
still and treats blueprints likesketchbook doodles?
You give him a room, a reallybig one, and that room is called
(07:04):
Sala della Asse or Room of theBoards, but it's always way more
interesting than it sounds.
It's tucked inside one of thetowers of the castle, and
Leonardo was asked to decorateit not with saints, not with
battles, but with trees.
Yes, the whole ceiling andparts of the walls are covered
(07:26):
with intertwining mulberry trees, twisting branches, golden
cords and a trunk design thatclimbs like ivy on royal
steroids.
Why mulberries?
Well, they were a symbol ofprudence and productivity, a
favorite of Ludovico who wastrying to look both wise and
economically clever.
The mulberry was like theRenaissance version of saying
(07:48):
we're good with our taxes and wehave strong roots.
But it wasn't just a prettymural.
This room may have been part ofLeonardo's broader
architectural vision Hiddenairflow vents, geometric floor
plans and possibly access pointsto other parts of the castle In
true da Vinci fashion.
Every leaf probably had asecond purpose.
(08:11):
Leonardo's Sala della Asse isn'tjust a mural of twisting
mulberry trees.
It's basically a built-in traproom waiting for your D&D party.
Picture it you think you'reentering a comfy chamber, but
hidden vents hiss like agelatinous cube, stirring in the
dark.
You need to roll a DC-15investigation check to make it
(08:33):
through without triggering someridiculous Renaissance era arrow
trap.
The room was rediscoveredcenturies later under layers of
plaster, because apparently some18th century decorator looked
at it and said nah, needs morebeige.
Thankfully, restore's broughtit back to life.
Today, the Soledela Ase standsas one of the most complete
(08:57):
surviving da Vinci environments.
Not just a painting, but anexperience.
And hey, what better symbol forLeonardo's brain than a room
full of roots, knots andtwisting connections?
So now we jump ahead, way ahead, the year 2025.
The heroes A team of researchersfrom the Polytechnic University
(09:19):
of Milan.
These folks were not wearingarmor or carrying swords, nope,
they showed up withground-penetrating radar and
laptops that looked like theycould launch a satellite or
order a cappuccino maybe both.
Their mission To see if DaVinci's tunnel sketches were the
real deal, or just therenaissance version of doodling
(09:40):
in a meeting.
And wouldn't you know it, thosescribbles Not just fantasy.
When that radar went beep, beep, beeping, it was like the
archaeologist just rolled a nat20 on investigation.
Suddenly, they revealed ahidden corridor.
Think of it as an uncoveredsecret door in a D&D dungeon.
Only here, instead of goblins,is five centuries of Italian
(10:04):
intrigue waiting to ambush youwith history lessons.
They found them Real stonetunnels hidden beneath the
castle, some broad, some narrow,some nearly caved in, but all
very, very real.
It was the kind of discoverythat sends historians into a
frenzy.
I'm talking squealing in thearchives.
(10:25):
Knock over a coffee cup ofexcitement, and here's where it
gets wild.
One of those tunnels appears toconnect Sforza Castle with the
Basilica of Santa Maria delleGrazie Yep, the same place where
da Vinci painted the LastSupper.
So theoretically, the Dukecould have snuck out of the
(10:46):
castle, taken a midnight strollunderground, popped out near the
chapel, paid his respects andbeen home before curfew,
assuming he didn't mind tightspaces or the occasional rat
holding a candle.
Well, what were these tunnelsactually for?
Were they secret escape routesfor covert military movement, or
(11:07):
midnight wine deliveries withno tipping required?
Honestly, your guess is as goodas mine.
But the design?
Pure da Vinci Carved hallways,sloped floors and sneaky little
air vents.
Like Home Alone, but with morelimestone and fewer paint cans.
Now here's the kicker.
The research team didn't juststop at cool.
(11:31):
We found a tunnel.
No, they started building adigital twin, a full 3D model of
the castle and its undergroundmaze.
So one day you'll be able totour Da Vinci's tunnel system
using just your phone, in yourpajamas, with a sandwich in one
hand.
Leonardo would have been amazedor terrified, possibly both,
(11:53):
especially if you showed himyour TikTok afterwards.
All right, we've been diggingin the dirt.
Now let's come up for air.
Let's talk about what life wasreally like up top in
Renaissance Milan and, spoileralert, it wasn't all art and
architecture.
Life in the city was abeautiful mess.
If you were rich, you had silkpalaces and dinner parties where
(12:17):
someone might have a trainedparrot that quoted Cicero.
If you were poor, you had mud,market fish and a high chance of
getting your teeth stolen.
That's not a metaphor.
Tooth theft was real.
Dentists were not a thing.
Yet If you had good teeth andsomeone needed them, well,
welcome to Renaissancecapitalism.
(12:40):
Now let's talk fashion.
Milan was a trendsetter Hugesleeves, bright colors, hats,
tall enough to get their own taxbracket.
Everyone wanted to look likeroyalty, even the butchers, the
svortzes.
They didn't just lead, theydazzled.
If your outfit didn't sparkle,were you even a duke?
The city was noisy, busy andslightly paranoid, because
(13:05):
behind every courtyard fountainand every frescoed wall was
someone watching.
Spies weren't just for thebattlefield, they were in
taverns, churches, even bakeries.
And let's not forget poison,the official drink of political
drama.
Want to unseat a rival?
Forget duels, just slipsomething spicy into the saffron
risotto.
(13:27):
Power in Milan was like arenaissance soap opera Betrayals
, backroom deals, arrangedmarriages.
Honestly, you could make aseason of Game of Thrones just
out of the Sforza family tree.
Still, despite the chaos,people loved their city.
The Mianese built schools,theaters and even experimented
(13:47):
with public sanitation Not greatsanitation, but hey, it was a
start.
And in the middle of all thislived our buddy Leonardo,
absorbing it all like a sponge,sketching people plants, armor,
birds, crossbows, crankshaftsprobably all in the same
afternoon.
The renaissance was not clean,it wasn't quiet, but it was
(14:10):
alive, and Milan was right atthe center.
All right, folks, time to dimthe lights, cue the thunder and
get a little spooky, because youcan't have a 500-year-old
castle without a few lingeringspirits and whispered legends.
Right, let's start with theghost of Bona of Savoy, ludovico
(14:31):
Sforza's mom.
Now Bona had it rough Politicalplots, court betrayal, exiled
twice and no decent spa daysever.
According to legend, she stillwanders the halls of Svortz's
castle, especially the longcorridors, after dark.
People say they've heard heelsclicking on stone when no one's
there.
Others swear they've seen awoman in velvet robes sighing
(14:54):
dramatically near the NorthTower.
Honestly, it sounds like shejust wants someone to listen to
her side of the story.
I swear any first-level bardstrolling through after dark
would automatically getinspiration just for living to
tell the tale.
And you better believe.
The passive perception on thosewalls is off the charts.
(15:14):
And that's just one.
There's talk of a monk-shapedshadow that appears in the
courtyard during thunderstorms.
No face, no feet, just theoutline of someone watching.
One guard reportedly quit afterseeing it twice in the same
week, which, I gotta say, is apretty good excuse to skip night
shifts.
(15:34):
On to the treasure.
Oh yeah, rumors of hidden goldhave floated through Mianese
coffee shops for centuries.
One story goes that LudovicoSforza, sensing that things were
about to go south politically,hid a massive stash of gold and
valuables beneath the castle.
Some say it was sealed in asecret chamber behind a false
(15:59):
wall.
That's never been found.
Others believe da Vinci himselfhelped design the vault, not
just to store riches butknowledge, like a renaissance
hard drive full of blueprints,journals, maybe even a few
inventions he never shared.
And if you believe the realwild theories, some think one of
(16:24):
the tunnels maybe the one theyjust discovered in 2025, was a
decoy to mislead thieves.
The real chamber, stilluntouched, still waiting.
I don't know about you, but ifI were designing a hiding spot,
I'd definitely include a trickfloor tile, a password in Latin
and probably a really grumpy owl.
Oh, and there are rumors of ahidden library too A collection
of banned books, secretcorrespondence and maybe an
(16:47):
early draft of the Da Vinci Code.
Okay, that last one's a joke,but barely.
Whether you believe in ghosts ornot, the fact remains the
castle's history is full of gaps, empty rooms, sealed passages
and little mysteries justwaiting for someone curious or
foolish enough to investigate.
Just bring a lantern and maybea back-up pair of socks.
(17:10):
All right, my fellow castlecrawlers, time to crawl back to
the surface.
We've uncovered a lot todayHistory, mystery, art,
engineering and a healthy doseof ghostly drama.
So what's the takeaway from thislong dive into the Bowsus
Fort's castle?
First, leonardo da Vinci wasnot just a painter.
(17:32):
He was an architect, aninventor, a city planner and
maybe even a part-time secrettunnel inspector.
The guy saw possibilitieseverywhere in walls, in roots,
in bricks and, yes, even below acastle floor.
Second, Svortza Castle isn'tjust a building.
(17:53):
It's a living, breathingartifact, full of stories still
being told and some that haveyet to be discovered.
I mean, it took 500 years tofind the tunnels.
Who knows what's behind wallnumber two?
Number three the Renaissancewas not some sanitized, classy
version of history.
It was loud, it was risky, itwas full of genius and nonsense,
(18:18):
which frankly makes it prettyrelatable of genius and nonsense
, which frankly makes it prettyrelatable.
Now, before I let you go, Ipromised you one last twist, and
here it is.
One of the most intriguingthings found in the 2025 scans
wasn't a tunnel at all.
It was what the researcherscalled a chamber anomaly, a
perfectly square void, not onany map, map, not mentioned in
(18:42):
any historical document, notaccessible.
Yet.
They think it may be a sealedvault, possibly designed by
Leonardo, possibly untouchedsince the late 1490s.
Imagine the dungeon masterleaning in Alright party.
What do you do when you find ahidden vault beneath an ancient
stone wall Spoiler?
(19:08):
If you're not carrying a magiccrowbar, you're in for a tough
time Now.
Will it be gold secretmanuscripts, a very old wheel of
parmesan?
I don't know, but just knowingit's there, waiting, makes the
castle more than just a museum.
It makes it a puzzle, one we'restill solving.
And that, my friends, is whathistory is really all about Not
just what we know, but what wedon't, what we're still chasing.
(19:31):
And before I close out thisepisode, listen to this story.
This is one that, well, youjust may have a hard time
believing, but there arepictures to show that it really
did happen.
Have I got a doozy of a storyfor you?
Picture this You're out on thedisc golf course aiming for that
(19:56):
sweet birdie on hole 11, andbam, a tiny hammerhead shark
plops down right beside you likeit's trying to play too.
No, I'm not making this up.
A shark fell from the sky ontoa disc golf course.
Stick around, because we'rediving pun absolutely intended
into exactly how an osprey, somefeisty crows and an
(20:18):
unsuspecting disc golfer endedup with a shark on their green.
A couple of weeks ago in MyrtleBeach, south Carolina,
specifically at the aptly namedSplinter City Disc Golf Course,
our main character, jonathanMarlowe, rolls up with his
buddies, discs in hand, readyfor some weekend fun.
If you've never played discgolf, let me assure you it's
(20:41):
like golf, only with frisbeesand slightly fewer polo shirts.
You toss your disc, try to sinkit into one of those hanging
baskets, then trek through brushand be thankful there are no
sand traps to worry about.
All very chill until naturedecides to spice things up.
So Jonathan is on hole 11,decides to spice things up.
(21:02):
So Jonathan is on hole 11,gazing at his target.
You know that lovely chainclinking basket.
When he notices an ospreyoverhead, normally that's
nothing to write home about.
We've all seen birds cruisingabove minding their own business
.
But this particular osprey,it's carrying something in its
talons.
Jonathan thinks it's carryingsomething in its talons.
(21:23):
Jonathan thinks cool, that's anice catch.
He squints up and wait for it.
He sees the osprey being chasedby not one but two very
determined crows.
And crows are not exactly knownfor their chivalry.
They're bossy, mobbing littlefeathered tyrants.
So these crows startdive-bombing the osprey and in
the chaos the osprey drops itslunch.
The thing comes tumbling downthrough the pine needles and
(21:46):
thud right onto the forest floor.
Jonathan's like it's probablyjust a fish or a random possum.
Yeah, maybe a possum, but,friends, no amount of a possum
hunting could prepare him forwhat he actually found.
No amount of opossum huntingcould prepare him for what he
actually found.
Jonathan locks eyes with getthis, a small, dead hammerhead
(22:06):
shark.
A hammerhead shark In the woodsOn a disc golf course In South
Carolina.
If you're doing the middle math, it's basically a Sharknado
cameo that nobody asked for.
Now let's be real.
Ospreys are wicked goodfishermen.
They can dive from 100 feet upat speeds nearly 50 miles per
(22:28):
hour, tailons wide open, readyto snatch whatever slippery sea
creature they spot.
Normally that's a small fishtrout, mackerel, maybe a catfish
if you're lucky, but a babyhammerhead.
That's like winning theweirdest lottery possible.
It's rare enough for an ospreyto catch a shark, let alone
(22:49):
carry one all the way inland toa golf course.
And why were those pesky crowsso invested?
Well, it's mobbing season inthe spring.
Crows, being social littlebeasts, team up to chase away
predators hawks, owls and, yes,even ospreys, especially when
baby birds or eggs might benearby.
So you've got Mr Ospreythinking he's got dinner sorted,
(23:12):
zipping along and then twocrows show up to ruin his
lunchtime.
They dive, bomb him, he dropsthe shark, and now that shark is
doing more skydiving than aNavy SEAL trainee, I imagine the
shark hit the ground thinking Iknew I should have taken that
left at Atlantis.
Jonathan and his friends arestanding there jaws on the
(23:34):
ground.
Holy moly, did that actuallyjust happen?
They walk over expecting maybea bass or a catfish and nope,
hammerhead shark.
One friend says we gotta leaveit here just in case Mr Osprey
comes back to retrieve a snack.
So they gently set the sharkunder a nearby tree, stand back
and hope for nature to reclaimits own.
(23:55):
Set the shark under a nearbytree, stand back and hope for
nature to reclaim its own.
Later Jonathan posted pictureson Facebook because, of course,
if a shark falls from the skyand nobody posts on Facebook,
did it really happen.
Another disc golfer checks thepost, swings by the course and
finds the little hammerheadstill under the tree.
He's probably thinking.
Mom always said don't forgetyour sunscreen, not don't forget
(24:22):
to check for sharks betweenholes.
Aside from being a fantasticcocktail party antidote, hey
y'all.
Once a shark fell on my headwhile I was playing disc golf.
This tale reminds us just howwacky nature can be.
You might stroll out to tee offexpecting a mediocre round and
end up face-to-face with a seacreature that typically hangs
out in ocean waters, far fromany piney trees.
It's a beautiful, bizarrereminder that wildlife doesn't
(24:45):
always play by our rules.
So what's next for LittleHammerhead, hashtag SkyDrop2025?
Johnny Osprey presumably flewoff, likely back to Spring Maid
Pier to find something a bitmore manageable.
The crows probably struttedaround like victorious
superheroes crowing about howthey own the skies.
(25:05):
And Jonathan, he's got a heckof a story to tell, plus some
solid disc golf street cred.
I once saw a shark land withinfive feet of me.
That's a conversation starterif I ever heard one.
Imagine future disc golfers onhole 11 whispering.
Don't mind the tidy crater andthe splatter marks.
Just last year, a shark dropkicked the fairway.
(25:27):
Honestly, I half expect someoneto rig a mini shark statue next
to the basket like a warningsign.
Beware, random sharks mayplummet at any moment.
All right, friends, hope youenjoyed that little slice of
only in the south in naturetheater.
Next time you're out in thewoods, keep an eye on the skies,
who knows?
Maybe you'll catch a hawkdiving after a picnic basket or
(25:51):
a tiny shark on a kamikazemission.
Either way, snap a pic and postit online, because if it's not
on social media, did it everhappen?
And there you have it the truestory of how a hammerhead shark
fell out of the sky, dropped ona disc golf course and somebody
managed to see it happen.
Thanks for exploring with metoday.
(26:12):
If you liked this episode, tella friend or a historian or your
local owl.
Don't forget to follow thispodcast.
I'm Lynn Dimmock and yep,grandpa's him.
Until next time, keep wonderingwhat's behind the next wall or
what's going to fall out of thesky next.
Thank you.
Hey folks, welcome back to Grandpa's Hymn, the
podcast, where we wander throughthe dusty attic of history,
shine a flashlight in thecorners and say, huh, would you
look at that?
But first I want to begin witha quick shout out to some young
friends of mine who I had thepleasure of recording the other
day the Stacy Middle SchoolChoir.
(00:29):
Hey guys, you sound great.
Today we're going underground,literally.
I'm talking hidden tunnels,renaissance secrets, military
scheming and one suspiciouslysmart guy with a beard.
And no, it's not me, it's not aDungeons and Dragons campaign,
it's Leonardo da Vinci.
(00:49):
We're headed to Milan, italy,and more specifically to a
castle that's been hiding someof the most fascinating secrets
right under people's feet thelegendary Sforza Castle.
And, folks, when I say thisplace is stuffed with stories, I
mean it's like my grandkidsafter Halloween, absolutely
(01:09):
crammed.
We're going to pull some ofthose stories out, dust them off
and see what happens when amilitary fortress, a renaissance
genius and five centuries ofsecrets all meet up under one
roof, or under one floor, as itturns out.
Under one roof or under onefloor, as it turns out.
(01:29):
Let's set the stage.
The year is 1450.
Milan is doing its renaissancething inventing, painting,
warring and a big shot mercenarynamed Francisco Sforza decides
to build a little something forhimself, and by little I mean a
sprawling brick fortress thatlooks like it was designed by
someone who said make it bigenough to survive any angry army
and also store enough cheesefor the winter, because what's
(01:52):
the point of surviving a siegeif you're out of Parmesan Sforza
Castle or Castello Sforzesco ifyou're trying to impress
somebody over espresso?
Was originally a militaryfortress.
It later became a palace, abarracks, a museum and
apparently a really fancy hidingspot for secret tunnels.
(02:13):
This place has seen more dramathan a telenovela on Fast
Forward the Black Plague, plague, napoleon, spanish Habsburgs,
austrian Habsburg.
Basically, if you wore a sashand started a war, you probably
had a key to the place.
It's been rebuilt, remodeled,repurposed.
(02:36):
It's basically the Madonna ofcastles Always reinventing,
occasionally controversial andsomehow still standing.
But despite all the changes, itstill got the bones of the
original Sforza's visionStrength, prestige and enough
brick to rebuild Rome twice.
That brick may look basic, butit was bougie back in the day by
(03:01):
the time Ludovico Sforza, akaLudovico Il Moro, came around.
The castle was also a symbol ofwealth, power and don't mess
with Milan.
Now I know what you're thinking, lynn?
How many stories can one castlepossibly have?
Buddy, this place had a moat, adrawbridge, a tower built so
(03:23):
high, the pigeons filed a noisecomplaint.
Sounds pretty cool, and getthis.
There was an entire wing justfor tournaments and parties.
Basically, renaissance Topgolf.
Except instead of driving rangeballs you're jousting and
instead of nachos it's boar stew.
You ever hear the one about theSuertzes family pet lion?
(03:45):
Yeah, apparently, ludovico hada soft spot for big cats.
Kept one roaming around thecourtyard to intimidate guests.
Forget guard dogs.
This guy had a little powermove on four legs.
So when we say the castle woremany hats, we mean crowns,
helmets, berets and maybe onepointy jester cap on Tuesdays.
(04:07):
Trust me, you could drop aparty of level 1 adventurers in
here and half would straight upfail their perception checks
before they ever hit thedrawbridge.
One minute you're storming thecourtyard, the next you're
bumping elbows with aneight-foot statue that spoiler
alert might have been guarding aplus-two sword all along.
(04:29):
Let's talk about the hire thatchanged everything.
Leonardo da Vinci, in his early30s, shows up in Milan like the
world's most overqualifiedintern.
The man hadn't even painted theLast Supper yet.
He was not world famous, notyet, but he had ideas.
Oh boy, did he have ideas.
Now, ludovico Sforza wasn'texactly looking to redecorate it
(04:52):
.
He wanted military muscle.
Milan was sandwiched betweenrival city-states with armies
and appetites.
So Leonardo did what everysmart job applicant does he
tailored his resume.
He wrote a 10-point letter toLudovico, and here's the kicker
Nine of the 10 points hadnothing to do with art.
(05:13):
For example, I can buildindestructible bridges.
I can design catapults that'llknock your enemy's socks off.
I've got ideas for armoredtanks pulled by oxen and at the
bottom, oh, and if you need amural or a statue, I guess I
could do that too.
So Leonardo shows up with aresume that would make any
(05:33):
dungeon master go hold up.
Did this wizard just declareproficiency in siegecraft and
painting?
Nine out of ten bullet pointsare basically I can build a tank
.
Then there's one lonely line oh, and, by the way, I guess I can
do art.
It's like a rogue handing you aletter that says I have
expertise in lockpicking,stealth and probably painting
(05:56):
your dungeon murals too.
Leonardo undersold the Mona Lisalike it was a side hustle.
Elisa like it was a side hustle.
Ludovico, who clearly liked abit of flair with his firepower,
said sure, let's give this guya shot.
And boom, leonardo was hired,not as a painter, not as a
(06:20):
philosopher, but as a militaryengineer.
Imagine if Einstein had gottenfamous because he built a really
good fence.
Now, what did da Vinci do withthis opportunity?
Well, in true Leonardo fashion,he dabbled.
He sketched blueprints, hedesigned hydraulic systems, he
invented a type of revolvingbridge, and somewhere in between
all that, he started dreamingup tunnels beneath the very
walls he worked to protect.
(06:41):
Was he paranoid?
Maybe, but in Renaissance Italy, paranoia was just common sense
with better shoes.
So what do you do with a geniuslike Leonardo, who can't sit
still and treats blueprints likesketchbook doodles?
You give him a room, a reallybig one, and that room is called
(07:04):
Sala della Asse or Room of theBoards, but it's always way more
interesting than it sounds.
It's tucked inside one of thetowers of the castle, and
Leonardo was asked to decorateit not with saints, not with
battles, but with trees.
Yes, the whole ceiling andparts of the walls are covered
(07:26):
with intertwining mulberry trees, twisting branches, golden
cords and a trunk design thatclimbs like ivy on royal
steroids.
Why mulberries?
Well, they were a symbol ofprudence and productivity, a
favorite of Ludovico who wastrying to look both wise and
economically clever.
The mulberry was like theRenaissance version of saying
(07:48):
we're good with our taxes and wehave strong roots.
But it wasn't just a prettymural.
This room may have been part ofLeonardo's broader
architectural vision Hiddenairflow vents, geometric floor
plans and possibly access pointsto other parts of the castle In
true da Vinci fashion.
Every leaf probably had asecond purpose.
(08:11):
Leonardo's Sala della Asse isn'tjust a mural of twisting
mulberry trees.
It's basically a built-in traproom waiting for your D&D party.
Picture it you think you'reentering a comfy chamber, but
hidden vents hiss like agelatinous cube, stirring in the
dark.
You need to roll a DC-15investigation check to make it
(08:33):
through without triggering someridiculous Renaissance era arrow
trap.
The room was rediscoveredcenturies later under layers of
plaster, because apparently some18th century decorator looked
at it and said nah, needs morebeige.
Thankfully, restore's broughtit back to life.
Today, the Soledela Ase standsas one of the most complete
(08:57):
surviving da Vinci environments.
Not just a painting, but anexperience.
And hey, what better symbol forLeonardo's brain than a room
full of roots, knots andtwisting connections?
So now we jump ahead, way ahead, the year 2025.
The heroes A team of researchersfrom the Polytechnic University
(09:19):
of Milan.
These folks were not wearingarmor or carrying swords, nope,
they showed up withground-penetrating radar and
laptops that looked like theycould launch a satellite or
order a cappuccino maybe both.
Their mission To see if DaVinci's tunnel sketches were the
real deal, or just therenaissance version of doodling
(09:40):
in a meeting.
And wouldn't you know it, thosescribbles Not just fantasy.
When that radar went beep, beep, beeping, it was like the
archaeologist just rolled a nat20 on investigation.
Suddenly, they revealed ahidden corridor.
Think of it as an uncoveredsecret door in a D&D dungeon.
Only here, instead of goblins,is five centuries of Italian
(10:04):
intrigue waiting to ambush youwith history lessons.
They found them Real stonetunnels hidden beneath the
castle, some broad, some narrow,some nearly caved in, but all
very, very real.
It was the kind of discoverythat sends historians into a
frenzy.
I'm talking squealing in thearchives.
(10:25):
Knock over a coffee cup ofexcitement, and here's where it
gets wild.
One of those tunnels appears toconnect Sforza Castle with the
Basilica of Santa Maria delleGrazie Yep, the same place where
da Vinci painted the LastSupper.
So theoretically, the Dukecould have snuck out of the
(10:46):
castle, taken a midnight strollunderground, popped out near the
chapel, paid his respects andbeen home before curfew,
assuming he didn't mind tightspaces or the occasional rat
holding a candle.
Well, what were these tunnelsactually for?
Were they secret escape routesfor covert military movement, or
(11:07):
midnight wine deliveries withno tipping required?
Honestly, your guess is as goodas mine.
But the design?
Pure da Vinci Carved hallways,sloped floors and sneaky little
air vents.
Like Home Alone, but with morelimestone and fewer paint cans.
Now here's the kicker.
The research team didn't juststop at cool.
(11:31):
We found a tunnel.
No, they started building adigital twin, a full 3D model of
the castle and its undergroundmaze.
So one day you'll be able totour Da Vinci's tunnel system
using just your phone, in yourpajamas, with a sandwich in one
hand.
Leonardo would have been amazedor terrified, possibly both,
(11:53):
especially if you showed himyour TikTok afterwards.
All right, we've been diggingin the dirt.
Now let's come up for air.
Let's talk about what life wasreally like up top in
Renaissance Milan and, spoileralert, it wasn't all art and
architecture.
Life in the city was abeautiful mess.
If you were rich, you had silkpalaces and dinner parties where
(12:17):
someone might have a trainedparrot that quoted Cicero.
If you were poor, you had mud,market fish and a high chance of
getting your teeth stolen.
That's not a metaphor.
Tooth theft was real.
Dentists were not a thing.
Yet If you had good teeth andsomeone needed them, well,
welcome to Renaissancecapitalism.
(12:40):
Now let's talk fashion.
Milan was a trendsetter Hugesleeves, bright colors, hats,
tall enough to get their own taxbracket.
Everyone wanted to look likeroyalty, even the butchers, the
svortzes.
They didn't just lead, theydazzled.
If your outfit didn't sparkle,were you even a duke?
The city was noisy, busy andslightly paranoid, because
(13:05):
behind every courtyard fountainand every frescoed wall was
someone watching.
Spies weren't just for thebattlefield, they were in
taverns, churches, even bakeries.
And let's not forget poison,the official drink of political
drama.
Want to unseat a rival?
Forget duels, just slipsomething spicy into the saffron
risotto.
(13:27):
Power in Milan was like arenaissance soap opera Betrayals
, backroom deals, arrangedmarriages.
Honestly, you could make aseason of Game of Thrones just
out of the Sforza family tree.
Still, despite the chaos,people loved their city.
The Mianese built schools,theaters and even experimented
(13:47):
with public sanitation Not greatsanitation, but hey, it was a
start.
And in the middle of all thislived our buddy Leonardo,
absorbing it all like a sponge,sketching people plants, armor,
birds, crossbows, crankshaftsprobably all in the same
afternoon.
The renaissance was not clean,it wasn't quiet, but it was
(14:10):
alive, and Milan was right atthe center.
All right, folks, time to dimthe lights, cue the thunder and
get a little spooky, because youcan't have a 500-year-old
castle without a few lingeringspirits and whispered legends.
Right, let's start with theghost of Bona of Savoy, ludovico
(14:31):
Sforza's mom.
Now Bona had it rough Politicalplots, court betrayal, exiled
twice and no decent spa daysever.
According to legend, she stillwanders the halls of Svortz's
castle, especially the longcorridors, after dark.
People say they've heard heelsclicking on stone when no one's
there.
Others swear they've seen awoman in velvet robes sighing
(14:54):
dramatically near the NorthTower.
Honestly, it sounds like shejust wants someone to listen to
her side of the story.
I swear any first-level bardstrolling through after dark
would automatically getinspiration just for living to
tell the tale.
And you better believe.
The passive perception on thosewalls is off the charts.
(15:14):
And that's just one.
There's talk of a monk-shapedshadow that appears in the
courtyard during thunderstorms.
No face, no feet, just theoutline of someone watching.
One guard reportedly quit afterseeing it twice in the same
week, which, I gotta say, is apretty good excuse to skip night
shifts.
(15:34):
On to the treasure.
Oh yeah, rumors of hidden goldhave floated through Mianese
coffee shops for centuries.
One story goes that LudovicoSforza, sensing that things were
about to go south politically,hid a massive stash of gold and
valuables beneath the castle.
Some say it was sealed in asecret chamber behind a false
(15:59):
wall.
That's never been found.
Others believe da Vinci himselfhelped design the vault, not
just to store riches butknowledge, like a renaissance
hard drive full of blueprints,journals, maybe even a few
inventions he never shared.
And if you believe the realwild theories, some think one of
(16:24):
the tunnels maybe the one theyjust discovered in 2025, was a
decoy to mislead thieves.
The real chamber, stilluntouched, still waiting.
I don't know about you, but ifI were designing a hiding spot,
I'd definitely include a trickfloor tile, a password in Latin
and probably a really grumpy owl.
Oh, and there are rumors of ahidden library too A collection
of banned books, secretcorrespondence and maybe an
(16:47):
early draft of the Da Vinci Code.
Okay, that last one's a joke,but barely.
Whether you believe in ghosts ornot, the fact remains the
castle's history is full of gaps, empty rooms, sealed passages
and little mysteries justwaiting for someone curious or
foolish enough to investigate.
Just bring a lantern and maybea back-up pair of socks.
(17:10):
All right, my fellow castlecrawlers, time to crawl back to
the surface.
We've uncovered a lot todayHistory, mystery, art,
engineering and a healthy doseof ghostly drama.
So what's the takeaway from thislong dive into the Bowsus
Fort's castle?
First, leonardo da Vinci wasnot just a painter.
(17:32):
He was an architect, aninventor, a city planner and
maybe even a part-time secrettunnel inspector.
The guy saw possibilitieseverywhere in walls, in roots,
in bricks and, yes, even below acastle floor.
Second, Svortza Castle isn'tjust a building.
(17:53):
It's a living, breathingartifact, full of stories still
being told and some that haveyet to be discovered.
I mean, it took 500 years tofind the tunnels.
Who knows what's behind wallnumber two?
Number three the Renaissancewas not some sanitized, classy
version of history.
It was loud, it was risky, itwas full of genius and nonsense,
(18:18):
which frankly makes it prettyrelatable of genius and nonsense
, which frankly makes it prettyrelatable.
Now, before I let you go, Ipromised you one last twist, and
here it is.
One of the most intriguingthings found in the 2025 scans
wasn't a tunnel at all.
It was what the researcherscalled a chamber anomaly, a
perfectly square void, not onany map, map, not mentioned in
(18:42):
any historical document, notaccessible.
Yet.
They think it may be a sealedvault, possibly designed by
Leonardo, possibly untouchedsince the late 1490s.
Imagine the dungeon masterleaning in Alright party.
What do you do when you find ahidden vault beneath an ancient
stone wall Spoiler?
(19:08):
If you're not carrying a magiccrowbar, you're in for a tough
time Now.
Will it be gold secretmanuscripts, a very old wheel of
parmesan?
I don't know, but just knowingit's there, waiting, makes the
castle more than just a museum.
It makes it a puzzle, one we'restill solving.
And that, my friends, is whathistory is really all about Not
just what we know, but what wedon't, what we're still chasing.
(19:31):
And before I close out thisepisode, listen to this story.
This is one that, well, youjust may have a hard time
believing, but there arepictures to show that it really
did happen.
Have I got a doozy of a storyfor you?
Picture this You're out on thedisc golf course aiming for that
(19:56):
sweet birdie on hole 11, andbam, a tiny hammerhead shark
plops down right beside you likeit's trying to play too.
No, I'm not making this up.
A shark fell from the sky ontoa disc golf course.
Stick around, because we'rediving pun absolutely intended
into exactly how an osprey, somefeisty crows and an
(20:18):
unsuspecting disc golfer endedup with a shark on their green.
A couple of weeks ago in MyrtleBeach, south Carolina,
specifically at the aptly namedSplinter City Disc Golf Course,
our main character, jonathanMarlowe, rolls up with his
buddies, discs in hand, readyfor some weekend fun.
If you've never played discgolf, let me assure you it's
(20:41):
like golf, only with frisbeesand slightly fewer polo shirts.
You toss your disc, try to sinkit into one of those hanging
baskets, then trek through brushand be thankful there are no
sand traps to worry about.
All very chill until naturedecides to spice things up.
So Jonathan is on hole 11,decides to spice things up.
(21:02):
So Jonathan is on hole 11,gazing at his target.
You know that lovely chainclinking basket.
When he notices an ospreyoverhead, normally that's
nothing to write home about.
We've all seen birds cruisingabove minding their own business
.
But this particular osprey,it's carrying something in its
talons.
Jonathan thinks it's carryingsomething in its talons.
(21:23):
Jonathan thinks cool, that's anice catch.
He squints up and wait for it.
He sees the osprey being chasedby not one but two very
determined crows.
And crows are not exactly knownfor their chivalry.
They're bossy, mobbing littlefeathered tyrants.
So these crows startdive-bombing the osprey and in
the chaos the osprey drops itslunch.
The thing comes tumbling downthrough the pine needles and
(21:46):
thud right onto the forest floor.
Jonathan's like it's probablyjust a fish or a random possum.
Yeah, maybe a possum, but,friends, no amount of a possum
hunting could prepare him forwhat he actually found.
No amount of opossum huntingcould prepare him for what he
actually found.
Jonathan locks eyes with getthis, a small, dead hammerhead
(22:06):
shark.
A hammerhead shark In the woodsOn a disc golf course In South
Carolina.
If you're doing the middle math, it's basically a Sharknado
cameo that nobody asked for.
Now let's be real.
Ospreys are wicked goodfishermen.
They can dive from 100 feet upat speeds nearly 50 miles per
(22:28):
hour, tailons wide open, readyto snatch whatever slippery sea
creature they spot.
Normally that's a small fishtrout, mackerel, maybe a catfish
if you're lucky, but a babyhammerhead.
That's like winning theweirdest lottery possible.
It's rare enough for an ospreyto catch a shark, let alone
(22:49):
carry one all the way inland toa golf course.
And why were those pesky crowsso invested?
Well, it's mobbing season inthe spring.
Crows, being social littlebeasts, team up to chase away
predators hawks, owls and, yes,even ospreys, especially when
baby birds or eggs might benearby.
So you've got Mr Ospreythinking he's got dinner sorted,
(23:12):
zipping along and then twocrows show up to ruin his
lunchtime.
They dive, bomb him, he dropsthe shark, and now that shark is
doing more skydiving than aNavy SEAL trainee, I imagine the
shark hit the ground thinking Iknew I should have taken that
left at Atlantis.
Jonathan and his friends arestanding there jaws on the
(23:34):
ground.
Holy moly, did that actuallyjust happen?
They walk over expecting maybea bass or a catfish and nope,
hammerhead shark.
One friend says we gotta leaveit here just in case Mr Osprey
comes back to retrieve a snack.
So they gently set the sharkunder a nearby tree, stand back
and hope for nature to reclaimits own.
(23:55):
Set the shark under a nearbytree, stand back and hope for
nature to reclaim its own.
Later Jonathan posted pictureson Facebook because, of course,
if a shark falls from the skyand nobody posts on Facebook,
did it really happen.
Another disc golfer checks thepost, swings by the course and
finds the little hammerheadstill under the tree.
He's probably thinking.
Mom always said don't forgetyour sunscreen, not don't forget
(24:22):
to check for sharks betweenholes.
Aside from being a fantasticcocktail party antidote, hey
y'all.
Once a shark fell on my headwhile I was playing disc golf.
This tale reminds us just howwacky nature can be.
You might stroll out to tee offexpecting a mediocre round and
end up face-to-face with a seacreature that typically hangs
out in ocean waters, far fromany piney trees.
It's a beautiful, bizarrereminder that wildlife doesn't
(24:45):
always play by our rules.
So what's next for LittleHammerhead, hashtag SkyDrop2025?
Johnny Osprey presumably flewoff, likely back to Spring Maid
Pier to find something a bitmore manageable.
The crows probably struttedaround like victorious
superheroes crowing about howthey own the skies.
(25:05):
And Jonathan, he's got a heckof a story to tell, plus some
solid disc golf street cred.
I once saw a shark land withinfive feet of me.
That's a conversation starterif I ever heard one.
Imagine future disc golfers onhole 11 whispering.
Don't mind the tidy crater andthe splatter marks.
Just last year, a shark dropkicked the fairway.
(25:27):
Honestly, I half expect someoneto rig a mini shark statue next
to the basket like a warningsign.
Beware, random sharks mayplummet at any moment.
All right, friends, hope youenjoyed that little slice of
only in the south in naturetheater.
Next time you're out in thewoods, keep an eye on the skies,
who knows?
Maybe you'll catch a hawkdiving after a picnic basket or
(25:51):
a tiny shark on a kamikazemission.
Either way, snap a pic and postit online, because if it's not
on social media, did it everhappen?
And there you have it the truestory of how a hammerhead shark
fell out of the sky, dropped ona disc golf course and somebody
managed to see it happen.
Thanks for exploring with metoday.
(26:12):
If you liked this episode, tella friend or a historian or your
local owl.
Don't forget to follow thispodcast.
I'm Lynn Dimmock and yep,grandpa's him.
Until next time, keep wonderingwhat's behind the next wall or
what's going to fall out of thesky next.
Thank you.
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