Milan – Places to visit and see – facts and figures
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History and culture
The origins of the town dates to 400 BC when the Gauls settled in this region of the Po plain, having defeated the Etruscans, who were now in decline.
When the city was conquered by the Romans in 222 BC and annexed to the Empire, he was given the name of Mediolanum. After several attempts at rebellion, he became a permanent settlement Latin (89 BC), then regional capital (15 BC). Over the years, acquired the name of Mediolanum "Roma Secunda" because of its strategic position. After 313 AD, the year when the Emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Tolerance towards Christianity, many churches were built and the first bishop was appointed: Ambrogio was such an influential person that the Church became the Ambrosian Church.
After the fall of the Roman Empire, Milan was left to thank you from the barbarians, until it was conquered by the Lombard (also known as Lombards) in 569 AD By the end of the eighth century the bishops managed to use the influence of scale, which requires an alliance with the emperors: Ottone of Saxony, who was crowned King of Italy in the Church of Sant'Ambrogio, made this power all legitimate.
In the first half of the year 1000, the Archbishop of Milan became the political figure most powerful in all of northern Italy. After a series of political problems, Milan became a municipality (1117), and gradually released from the archbishop. He also began to develop in declaring war on other municipalities in the area. Later, the attempt to Frederick from Swabia to take over the city led to the birth of the Lombard League, which fought for the independence of the city, which ended in 1176 after the defeat of Barbarossa.
Starting from 1200, Milan became a city of more and more important, and finally changed to be a municipality a "Lordship". The city walls were expanded, new buildings were built and roads were paved. The Visconti family, Lords of Bergamo, Cremona, Plaisance, Brescia and Parma came to power in 1300 and led to a long period of splendor and wealth for the city. Monuments have been built, including the famous Duomo in 1386, which quickly became the symbol of the city. The Sforza family took over the Visconti, and with them they brought peace after years of war against Venice and Florence. Milan developed science, art and literature as part of the Duchy Sforza Leonardo da Vinci and "It Bramante" have been called to the Court of Ludovico il Moro. When Charles V ascended the throne in 1535, the city began a period of nearly two centuries of Spanish rule, which is reported by Alessandro Manzoni in his classic "I Betrothed" (The Betrothed). In the early eighteenth century, the Austrians came to Milan: Milan has suffered a profound cultural change under the Austrian domination. The Theater Scala – where Giuseppe Verdi made his debut – was built, with many neoclassical buildings and the Arco della Pace. In 1859, the Austrians were driven out of Milan and the town was annexed to the kingdom of Piedmont, which became the Kingdom of Italy in 1861. Milan was immediately chosen as the cultural and economic capital of Italy, and maintained that title until the modern era.
Churches and Museums
From the ancient Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio at the immense, majestic Duomo: the greatest symbols of religion in Milan:
The Duomo
The most outstanding example of Gothic-Lombard, The Duomo dates back to 1300. It was built on the will of Gian Galeazzo Visconti. This imposing religious building, second only to the Cathedral of St. Peter's in Rome, houses almost 3500 statues that are spread over an area of nearly 12,000 square meters. The tallest tower, which has the famous "Madonnina" to top it all, is 108 meters high. The statue of the Virgin Mary, the "Madonnina" 3900 is covered in pieces of gold leaf.
Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio
It is the symbol of Milan's religiousness. It was built in 379 AD in the Lombard Romanesque style, and was consecrated by the famous Bishop Ambrose, who has lent his name to the Church Ambrosian. Inside there are precious objects and works of art that tell the history of some 1600 years of history of Milan.
Basilica of Sant 'Eustorgio
A wonderful medieval religious building that was built in the early fourth century, on the will of the bishop who Eustorgio the remains of sage kings here from Constantinople, which can still be seen in the chapel that bears his name today.
Basilica of San Lorenzo Maggiore
This magnificent basilica, located opposite the Roman column which are the only remains of a temple of the third century, includes many different architectural styles, due to the various renovations that the building has suffered. The main elements are Paleo-Christian (by example the mosaics) but other more recent styles are distinguished, including those of 1600 (the dome) to 1800 (the facade).
Santa Maria delle Grazie
This church was built in the second half of the fifteenth century. It was completed years later by "it Bramante" on the will of Moro. The famous architect designed the wonderful apse, the cloisters and the old sacristy. Leonardo da Vinci painted "The Supper "in the refectory, which is one of the most famous works of art ever painted.
A selection of museums Milan's most interesting to be visited:
Cenacolo Vinciano
Between 1495 and 1498, Leonardo da Vinci painted the entire wall of the refectory the Dominican monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie with a fresco of the Last Supper, one of the most famous works in history. This work of art has undergone a restoration that lasted twenty years and has only recently been completed, reducing it to its glory and put an end to the deterioration which turned it faded, shapeless stain.
La Scala Theater Museum
Founded in 1913, this museum houses exhibits of various interesting costumes and stage sets which are great historic and artistic value. Some rooms are dedicated to the architecture of the Teatro La Scala and the life of the famous composer Giuseppe Verdi, while others house ancient musical instruments, curtains and costumes that belonged to famous artists such Maria Callas and Rudolf Nureyev.
Pinacoteca di Brera
The Pinacoteca di Brera is an art gallery established in 1809 Napoleone Bonaparte. It houses many works of art that have been "confiscated" from churches and convents throughout Europe. Work to see the move the fourteenth to twentieth centuries, and include leaders by artists like Piero della Francesca (Pala d'Urbino), Raffaello (Sposalizio della Vergine), Mantegna (Cristo Morto), it Bramante and Caravaggio. The court holds a wonderful statue of Napoleon that was created by Canova.
Pinacoteca Ambrosiana
It is the oldest museum in Milan, which was opened in 1609, it houses several masterpieces by artists such as Caravaggio, Leonardo da Vinci Raphael and Botticelli. The Ambrosiana also houses an important library which contains ancient codes, illuminated manuscripts and old books.
The Museum of Ancient Art
This interesting museum is housed in the splendid Castello Sforzesco, and houses some of the most important sculptures that contribute to understanding the history and culture Lombard. The works come from a period from the 4th to the 16th century. They include the tomb of Gaston de Foix and the "Pieta Rondinini" by Michelangelo.
Museum of Science and Technology
This interesting museum, which is named after Leonardo da Vinci and has been recently renovated and located in a former monastery, is one of the museums Science the most interesting in the world. 40,000 square meters of exhibition space for subjects ranging from astronomy to computers. The models and machines built to the design by the great Tuscan genius can not miss.
Places and charm
To discover the most romantic the attractive side of this city: picturesque views of the Navigli to the green oasis in the heart of Milan …
Navigli
Origins Navigli date back to about 1100, but this stretch of water has been rendered navigable Ticino to the center of Milan in the late 14th century, to help transport the marble that was needed to build the Duomo. The wharf at Milan, which was an important commercial port for river transport for many centuries, was still working until the end of the Second World War, then finally closed in 1979.
Today the Naviglio Grande and Naviglio Pavese (connecting Milan to Pavia) is one of the most charming places in Milan, with the old, typical "case di ringhiera" houses, antique shops and hundreds of clubs standing on each side, which are invading the shores of rivers from April to September with tables outdoors.
Brera
This is one of the most exclusive and fashionable places in Milan, which has an atmosphere vaguely reminiscent of Paris, with its artists, outdoor cafes and shops sophisticated – full of wares for home and dresses that seem handmade creations of sculptors and not seamstresses. This area, which could be described as "luxury Bohemian" includes Via Brera, Via Solferino, Via Pontaccio, Corso Garibaldi and Corso Como. Next to it there are many palaces of the eighteenth century, including Palazzo Brera at number 28 Corso Como, which houses the famous Pinacoteca.
Parco Sempione
This park is located behind Castello Sforzesco. It is huge and fascinating with its lakes, meadows and small bridges. It is ideal for spend a Sunday afternoon in the fresh air. The park is home to landmarks such as the Napoleonic Arena, the tower designed by Gio Ponti and the Triennale di Milano.
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele
It was built around 1870 and is called the "Salotto di Milano (Milan Lounge): If you walk along the cross "Arms", topped the structure of glass and iron, you can see old cafes, restaurants, shops and historical libraries.
Porta Gardens Venezia
These beautiful gardens are located between the Via Palestro and Porta Venezia, the preferred place for the Milanese spring afternoon. Gardens who were the first to be opened to the public in Milan back to the late eighteenth century and were renovated in 1880. There are many monuments dedicated to famous figures in Italian history and there are also many botanical species to be admired.
Piazza Profiteer
This place is located near the Duomo is surrounded by historic buildings are very interesting Milanese culture Middle Ages to the seventeenth century. These include the Palazzo della Ragione, dating back to 1200, the Loggia degli OSII, the seventeenth century Palazzo delle Scuole Palatine and the Palazzo dei Giureconsulti which is at the top of Via Mercanti.
Eating and Drinking
Traditional Milanese cooking is made up of simple, flat scarce and perhaps for this reason it was banned in the 1980s ambitious. He has just returned from popularity. Milan is a city that lives and fashion trends: there were Chinese cooking (which was obviously found here before it was adopted in the rest of Italy), then Indian cuisine and African cuisine, followed by Japan and Middle East cooking. The Milanese people have now returned to their origins, enjoying the taste and the pleasure one feels when one returns home after a long journey. Now there trattorias, inns and restaurants (including luxury) everywhere that offer traditional Milanese dishes to eat.
If you plan to visit this town, do not miss the chance to try some dishes that you can be found here in their original version.
We typically offer a menu in our guide to Milan Milan, from antipasto to dessert. In fact, an aperitif, due to a night in Milan can not do without this ritual.
One of the appetizers that you can try during happy hour is the classic Negroni which is somewhat "aggressive" but it is especially loved by the Milanese, made with Bitter Campari, Gin, red Martini and ice, which must be tried with some snacks. After an aperitif, you can choose one of the many restaurants in Milan, which specializes in traditional cooking. We recommend starting with a traditional antipasto, made of Nervetti (baked veal shank and knee cartilage cut into strips) and mixed with chopped onions finely. As a first course can not miss classic Risotto alla Milanese, made with a spicy beef broth (the original recipe includes bone marrow) and flavored with saffron. As a second course, we suggest a classic Milanese dish: "cassouela", a dish very filling based on different regions of poor pork meat (tail, ribs, rind, feet and ears) cooked with green cabbage and other vegetables. If you do not feel brave, go for a more traditional dish, a tasty pork chop Milanese, which is probably nothing like you've never tasted in other places: Milan restaurants that serve a very tasty steak, crispy, made with a veal chop, including the bone. Alternatively is a ton of veal, which is a light, tasty veal slice covered in tuna, mayonnaise, anchovies and capers. We recommend an excellent Barbera Pavese Oltrepò of your wine.
If you decide to spend time in Milan, which coincides with Christmas, you could end your meal with a huge slice of panettone, typical Christmas cake local, which is even tastier if you eat it with traditional Mascarpone cream.
It is typical products of the province of Milan, including Salame di Milano, from pork and minced beef, and many types of cheese. Grana Padano is a famous cheese overseas, which comes from the Po Valley which includes Lombardy, Piedmont, Veneto and Emilia Romagna. Mascarpone is a typical cheese of Milan, which is an essential ingredient for desserts and creams, often mixed with other cheeses, cold meats or fish. However, the most famous cheese of Milan is no doubt that the rich Gorgonzola cheese flavored table that exists in Milan. This creamy cheese, which crosses the blue veins that is used to dress tasty first course (in this case, mixed with mascarpone), and the flavor of polenta or can be consumed alone.
Finally, we must remember Crescenza or "Stracchino, sweet, creamy fresh milk cheese
with a slightly sweet taste, which is excellent when spread on a slice of bread or eaten with raw vegetables.
If you are interested in buying food or wine, you must visit Peck, a legendary temple of gastronomy. In Via Spadari, where he is also a famous fish market, you will find all it takes to satisfy your taste buds and your sense of hedonism: DOP (certified origin) cheeses from all over Italy, all kinds of salami, extra virgin olive oils, aged balsamic vinegars, rare tea and spice mixes, jams enough food in the oil and a wine cellar that is filled with the most valuable wines from Italy and abroad.
Shopping
Milan is heaven on earth shoppers. You can find the best of everything in this city, especially everything related to fashion and design.
Milan has a wonderful history as a laboratory of creative ideas: The Polytechnic and Accedemia di Brera have trained fashion designers and other designers which are famous worldwide. They exhibited their creations for the first time in Milan, often creating scandal and revolutionizing fashion with their own style, never goes unnoticed.
In this section, dedicated primarily to fashion, we offer a small selection of designers Born in Milan, or who started their careers here, contributing to the great name of Italian fashion worldwide.
Giorgio Armani: born in Piacenza In 1934, the king of Italian fashion began his career in Milan, working as a buyer for Rinascente. In the early sixties, he left his job devote themselves to creating patterns for top designers, even though he had no specific training. In 1975, he might again start Giorgio Armani label for men and women and he succeeded at once. He built a close relationship with the world of cinema from the beginning, and was devoted by his clothes made for "American Gigolo". A young Richard Gere has been seen in front of a large clothes closet in the scene ceremony chamber, which was arranged in perfect order maniac. First symbol of elegance in the 1980s, Armani is still king the fashion world today.
Miuccia Prada: Miuccia Prada, an anti-conformist who has been politically active in the 1970s, resumed the family business in 1978 which has been specialized in bags and leather accessories, and has revolutionized everything. Her bags became parts Searched and became part of the landscape Milan. Here, the unique style, minimal-chic won over the Milanese gentry in the 1980s and 1990s. Its range of sports, characterized by the famous "red line" is the label better known and has won more than biggest market share. However, Prada do not want to be just a reference point for fashion: In 1995, she founded the Fondazione Prada in Milan, an important laboratory for artists and artistic window contemporary international.
Dolce & Gabbana: Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, born in the province of Palermo and Milan respectively, are the couple most famous in the world of Italian fashion. Their style is constantly evolving, and is very popular with "chameleon" Stars like Madonna. They made their debut in Milan in 1985, in the boom of professional women, ambitious and square, like the shoulder that have been used to inflate their jackets. Dolce & Gabbana goes against the trend, however, and rediscovered femininity full Mediterranean rounded forms, petticoats that showed cleavage of its bulk, wild hairstyles. Sicily will always be a source of inspiration that will win over Milan with his gray too warmth and sensuality.
Gianfranco Ferre was born in the province of Milan in 1944, Gian Ferre Grance graduated in architecture at the Politecnico Milan. After traveling in India, where he took his inspiration, he began working in the fashion world with a rational, structured style gave him the nickname of "architect of fashion". The cut of his clothes tailored lines and forms has conquered the world.
Versace: the name owes his fortune to the creativity of Gianni Versace, born in Reggio Calabria, who moved to Milan in the 1970s to work in the world Fashion, design templates for other designers. Thank you for the managerial skills of his brother, Santo Versace, the label was developed a few years later, a daring, aggressive label that features the pairing of unusual colors and geometric printed on silk. After Gianni's death in 1997, the company was taken over by his brother and his sister, Donatella and Santo.
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