Today we’ll talk about the fabulous capital of Lombardy - Milan. It is the financial, manufacturing, and business center of Italy, as well as the home of the Italian Stock Exchange.
The city is located in the northern part of the country. Halfway between the river Po to the south and the Alps' foothills to the north, as well as the great lakes of Como, Maggiore, and Lugano. To the east, the Lambro River flows through Milan, as does the Seveso River, which runs through the city underground. The two are connected by the Navigli channels that divide shopping and bar areas.
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The Galleria is located in the Piazza del Duomo and is very popular among the tourists. Not only can you see all of the high-end stores, but you can also appreciate the mall's architecture. A glass dome tops the central octagonal hall, and on the ground there are four mosaics depicting the coats of arms of Turin, Florence, Rome, and Milan . Also, there is a tourist tradition to step on bull’s balls and spin around 3 times for good luck.
The Galleria connects two of Milan's most well-known landmarks: the famous opera house Teatro Alla Scala and Milan’s Cathedral Duomo di Milano.
The Duomo is situated next to the royal palace on the main city square. It's a massive temple with five naves, one central and four lateral naves, and at least forty pillars, with a transept in the center, followed by the choir and apse. The central nave stands 45 meters tall.
The cathedral was completed in 1386 after a 600-year construction period. The structure is made of bricks and is fully covered in white marble. The building is adorned with 3400 statues and 135 spires. The meticulous attention to detail will astound you.
Fun fact: one of Duomo's sculptures influenced Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, who designed the Statue of Liberty in the United States.
In the Piazza del Duomo, there is also a museum of Duomo as well as the Royal Palace and Palazzo dell'Arengario which houses the Museo del Novecento, a permanent exhibition of twentieth-century art.
Another must-see attraction in Milan is Castello Sforzesco. It's a castle in the heart of Milan's old town. Built on the ruins of a 14th-century fortification in the 15th century by the Duke of Milan, Francesco Sforza. Fun fact: The castle was most likely used as a model by Lombard architects when they designed the Moscow Kremlin walls at the end of the 15th century.
In Milan, you can see ancient ruins such as amphitheater fragments and great basilicas reconstructed in the Middle Ages, such as Basilica di Sant'Ambrogio, Basilica di San Lorenzo, Basilica de Santa Eufemia, Sant' Alessandro in Zebedia, and Chiesa di Santa Maria presso San Satiro. There are also remains of ancient Milanese walls, columns and gates, such as "Porta Ticinese," "Pusterla di Sant'Ambrogio," 11 Spanish gates, and San Lorenzo's Columnas.
One of Europe's oldest libraries, The Ambrosian Library, is located in Milan. It houses Leonardo da Vinci's drawings and manuscripts, as well as 12 thousand drawings by European artists from the 14th to the 19th centuries, an illuminated edition of the Iliad (Ilia Picta, from the 5th century), and many other cultural treasures.
The famous fresco "The Last Supper" by Leonardo da Vinci is housed in the Monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie. To see the fresco, you must make an appointment. The National Museum of Science and Technology, named after Leonardo da Vinci, is located near the monastery. The museum displays the world's largest collection of machine models based on Leonardo da Vinci drawings and is Italy's largest scientific-technical museum.
Brena and Navigli are two famous nightlife areas in Milan.
Milan is also known for its "Happy Hour," or aperitivo, as it is known in Italy. It is a period of time in most restaurants where you order a drink and then take a plate and serve yourself whatever you want from the buffet. Aperol Spritz is a popular refreshing aperitif there.
If you enjoy fashion, you can pay a visit to the following museums: Armani Silos, Fondazione Prada, Palazzo Morando, Triennale Milano Design museum.
The biggest attraction for football fans is The San Siro stadium. The largest football stadium in Italy. It seats 75,923 people and is home to two opposing teams, Inter and Milan.
In addition, there is a large Ferrari store in Milan for car enthusiasts.
Another fun sight is Bosco Verticale; it is a two-tower residential complex with about 900 trees, 5,000 shrubs and 11 thousand grass paths. It is literally a Vertical forest. The vertical forest helps to create the necessary microclimate and filter the fine dust particles contained in the city air. A variety of plants will help increase moisture levels, absorb carbon dioxide, produce oxygen, and protect people and buildings from solar radiation and noise pollution.
The Italian Google headquarters is located next to it.
Many financial and trading companies, such as Pirelli, Telecom Italia, and Alfa Romeo, as well as industrial firms, are headquartered in the city's suburbs.
The statue LOVE, (Il Dito) is located in front of Palazzo Mezzanotte, the seat of the Milan Stock Exchange. The name is an acronym for "freedom, hatred, revenge, eternity". «libertà , odio, vendetta, eternità » (Big middle finger)
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