* One hour from Milan and you are in the XV century. The walls of the Soncino fortress will seem very familiar to you – they repeatedly flash in historical films and TV series from the time of Borgia and Medici. The beautifully preserved fortress is inextricably linked with the warlike and ruthless Sforza family. The complex fortification has been protecting the inhabitants since the 10th century. The Rocca Sforzesca Castle, renovated in the 15th century, is distinguished by high teeth in the form of a swallow's tail: you will feel their real size walking along the walls of the fortress. I will tell you how the heart of the fortress was protected, where the water was taken, what is interesting about the Torre del Castellano, what the fortress fireplaces looked like and where the underground passage led. We will have a walk along the bastion moat, memorable columns on the site of the medieval gates destroyed by the Austrians, the heptagonal tower of the church of San Giacomo, the modest charm of the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, acquaintance with the life of medieval knights, the Silk Museum, an ancient water wheel and a narrow house with sunken walls. Ahead is the medieval 3D effect of the firmament, the Byzantine striped masonry arches, the gilded statue of the Virgin Mary on the steeple and many other wonders of the Church of the Assumption of St. Mary. Let's take a look at the Printers' House, the printing house of the Ashkenazi Jews of Soncino, founded in 1483. The Hebrew Bible was printed for the first time in these walls. The city of Soncino is included in the list of "the most beautiful villages in Italy", it is located far from the popular tourist routes, but this is precisely where its unique charm lies, for which it is worth returning here!