Milan
Milan is the main city of the Lombardy region. It is Italy’s second largest city after Rome, with one million inhabitants.
Milan is a proven industrial center and with time it has managed to match its skillful craft tradition with the very best technologies. This has led to the development of small and medium sized enterprises in all industries, as well as to the growth of large companies, which are essential for Italy’s economy.
Milan is always a very busy city and that is why it has become one of the world’s fashion, design and taste capitals and excels in the field of culture, the press and education.
A city which attracts tourists from all over the world, it is the ideal place for those who love art and architecture , who will greatly enjoy the beauty of such unique masterpieces by simply strolling around.
Milan is a city which offers a full immersion experience in music, art, architecture and history.
Many famous people in all fields were either born or lived in Milan in the course of history.
The city is rich in museums: ranging from the museum of costume to the archeological or the contemporary art museums.
There are also some gorgeous “house museums” like the Boschi di Stefano Museum and the Poldi Pozzoli Museum.
In this extraordinary choice of art and culture venues, some are a real must.
The Duomo of Milan is the emblem of this marvellous city. Started in 1386, works are still not concluded today, because there is always something to be renovated. It is built with the special white marble from the Candoglia quarries, which was transported on barges along the Naviglio river. Of extraordinary dimension and complexity, the cathedral is decorated with numerous stained glass windows and very high spires. On the highest spire there is a golden statue of the Virgin Mary, very dear to the hearts of the Milanese. During the second World War the statue was covered with rags so as not to attract bombs, and today it glows brightly above Milan’s skyline.
The Sforzesco Castle has always been, and still is, a very important crossroad. Its history goes back to 1358 when Galeazzo II Visconti used it as his military barracks and residence. The famous Filarete Clock Tower dominates the façade. Today the Castle has been turned into a museum and hosts art collections of different kinds, but above all it boasts Michelangelo’s “Pietà Rondanini” sculpture and the “Sala dell’Asse” hall painted by Leonardo da Vinci.
The spiritual heart of Milan cannot be missed! The basilica of Saint Ambrose, with its entrance portico and two bell towers is the most important example of Lombard Romanesque architecture. Built between 379 and 386 under Saint Ambrose’s own directions, it was initially called the Martyrs’ Basilica. Below the ciborium you can admire the Golden Altar, a real jewel of Carolingian times, manufactured in 865 D.C in gold, gold plated silver, enamel and precious stones.
A real masterpiece is what Ludovico il Moro commissioned Leonardo da Vinci to paint: “The Last Supper”, a fresco on the wall of the refectory of the Dominican convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie.
The La Scala opera house is a must, to be included in your visit of the city of Milan. Of unparalleled charm, it is one of the most famous theatres in the world , built in 1778 by Piermarini, and commissioned by Empress Marie Thérèse of Austria. It has welcomed the most illustrious names of the history of music and still today you can experience its magical atmosphere.
It is difficult to list all the most beautiful places to visit in Milan, but here are some just not to be missed: The Museo del Novecento (Museum of 20th century art), Palazzo Reale (the Royal Palace), the Ambrosiana Library, the Ambrosiana Art gallery, the Brera Art Gallery, the Musicians’Old People’s Home Fondazione Giuseppe Verdi, the Popoli and Culture Museum, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II,the Civic Archeological Museum, the Museo Diocesano, the Museum of Natural Sciences, the PAC and the Triennale Art Museum.
Milan is a city with a rich historical heritage. Tito Livio states it was founded in 600 BC by the celtic Insubri people. In 223 BC it was conquered by the Romans which turned it into an important strategic center. Centuries later, Milan became the crux of the wars of succession. After Massimiano, Constatin won control over the city, and in 313 AD he wrote the Edict of Milan, a first attempt at freedom of religion. Ambrose, later proclaimed a saint, became a bishop on December 7th 374 AD. He was a great reformer of Milan’s church and a patron of the arts. Various churches were built under his direction.
From the 10th to the 12th century Milan was the target of Barbarian invasions, from 402 with Alarico’s Visigoths to Charles Magne’s Franchi in 774. The city of Milan was repeatedly destroyed by deliberate fire and put under siege for long periods. It was only when Charles III was deposed in 887 that the Milanese nobility resumed its power and the city flourished through trade.
The war of the Communes and the conquest of Frederick 1 Barbarossa, placed Milan once again under siege in 1160. The citizens rebelled against their chief magistrate , but Milan was totally destroyed by a fire.
In 1278 the period marked by the Communes’ power was concluded with the Visconti’s reign, which turned Milan into an enormous duchy. This family, represented by great men like Gian Galeazzo Visconti, commissioned the building of the Sforzesco castle and of the Duomo.
In 1447, after the Repubblica Ambrosiana period, Francesco Sforza swiftly became Duke of Milan, after having quelled all attempts to re-introduce the Communes. This was a period of great artistic renaissance, with the presence of Leonardo da Vinci.
In 1500, the arrival of the King Louis’s French army , commanded by Gian Giancomo Triulzio put an end to Lodovico Il Moro’s duchy, succeded by the Sforza family. This gave rise to the war between France and Austria, allied with Spain. King Charles I put an end to the war and Milan was then ruled by the Spaniards. In 1630 Milan will suffer from the plague, described in the novel “The Bethroded” by Manzoni, but it will also host great characters like Carlo and Federico Borromeo.
In 1713 Milan became part of the Hapsburg reign and Empress Marie Thérèse of Austria commissioned the building of the La Scala opera house, the Brera building, the Royal Palace and Villa Reale.
In the XIXth century, Napoleon chose the Duomo cathedral for his incoronation, with the famous iron crown, turning Milan into the capital of the Cisalpine Republic. After having been occupied by various armies, uprisings and political unrest, the Kingdom of Italy was at long last declared in 1861.
Since then Milan has always been in the forefront of national events.