The most important cultural sites of Milan
In the attempt to alleviate an extremely serious situation, San Carlo Borromeo, archbishop of Milan, leased the former monastery of the Benedictines of Santa Maria della Stella, founding in January 1578 the Ospedale dei Poveri Mendicanti and Vergognosi della Stella (Hospital for the Poor and Humble Beggars della Stella) .
In the middle of the 1600s, the structure offered its services almost completely to needy children, especially housing young orphans renamed “stelline”, in memory of the ancient monastery. Renovated over the course of centuries, the palazzo has maintained up to today its ancient architectural characteristics that even today show the profile to one of the most important cultural sites of the city of Milan.