Milan

-
Day 4  - On this day we will travel to Milan for a guided tour of the city.

MILANO
CC0



https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Milan_skyline_wikivoyage_banner.jpg  by Daniel Case CC BY-SA 3.0

CC BY-SA 

Since being settled in the 4th century B.C. at the gateway to the Italian peninsula, between the River Po and the foothills of the Alps, Milan and the surrounding area of Lombardy have been the subject of constant disputes over the centuries.  Celts, Romans, Goths, Lombards, Spaniards and Austrians have all ruled the city at some stage of its history.  Eventually, Milan capitalized on its position and emerged as the undisputed economic and cultural powerhouse of Italy.

Read Milan history: www.milanexplorer.it

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele ll



Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is Milan's version of a shopping mall.  Formed like a Latin Cross, its dome is 154' high.  Statues below it honor artists and scientists.  Mosaics are of Europe, America, Africa and Asia.  Patriotic symbols represent Italian unity.  Floor tiles depict cities - wolf for Rome, lily for Florence, white flag with red cross for Milan, and bull for Turin.  It is tradition to plant your heel on the bull's testicles and spin around for good luck!

Milan Cathedral


https://flic.kr/p/b4rCaX PROJasonParis CC BY 2.0

https://flic.kr/p/37cHDY magro_kr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Duomo is literally at the center of Milan.  Begun in 1386, it was built of marble donated by Duke Visconti.  It was not completely finished until 1965.  The Gothic apse is the highlight.  Bronze doors show the Virgin Mary, saints and historic scenes.  Of the 3,000 statues, the most famous is Little Madonna atop the highest spire.  Inside are 5 naves divided by 52 pillars - one for each week of the year.  Look for a spot above the apse marked with a red light.  It's supposedly the spot where one of the nails used in Jesus' crucifixion was placed.  For a fee, we can walk on the roof!

Piazza della Scala
https://flic.kr/p/dSHDWt Faustino Garcia CC BY 2.0
Piazza della Scala, located behind the cathedral, is a square that features the Leonardo da Vinci monument.  On the pedestal below are the four disciplines of which he was a master - painting, sculpting, engineering and architecture.  Lining the square are historic buildings - the most notable of which is Teatro al Scala, Milan's famous opera house from 1778.

 Sforzesco Castle
https://flic.kr/p/eGpQYU Mindy McAdams CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Sforzesco Castle began in 1358 when the first duke of Milan ordered the construction of a fortress - a basic layout with four walls and square towers at each end.  His successors expanded it into a palatial residence which was later razed.  When Francesco Sforza declared himself duke of Milan he rebuilt the castle with an impressive 230' tall central round tower, the Torre del Filarete.  Later, Ludovico "Il Moro" Sforza transformed the fortress into a magnificent Renaissance residence decorated by Leonardo da Vinci and Donato Bramante.  In the following centuries when Milan was under foreign rule, the castle was neglected.  It was used as barracks and the Torre del Filarete, used as a munition storage, exploded.  Plans to demolish the castle in 1861 were scrapped and restoration began again.  The Torre del Filatete was rebuilt and the castle opened to the public in 1900.

 The Brera District
https://flic.kr/p/7TeBsr Albert Durishti  CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

The Brera District is located in the historical core of Milan.  The name means "cleared of trees" because in the year 900 this broad area outside the city walls was kept cleared for military defense.  Today it has something for everyone.  There is an old charm and vintage feel with its maze of quiet, cobbled streets for aimless strolling or visiting the Fine Arts Academy, the National Library or the Botanical Gardens. It has become a hub for design and fashion with high-end leather and clothing boutiques. But it also comes alive with its artsy shops, bohemian cafes, street markets, vibrant night life and even fortune tellers.  

The Last Supper
Milan is home to one of Leonardo da Vinci's most famous paintings. 
Enjoy Rick Steves' video of Milan which includes information about the painting.  https://youtu.be/xgFInCmXrPw
Aperitif
Another Milan tradition - start each day with something sweet and strong, and wind down with aperitif - a cocktail, something salty and good friends.











Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Venice -Grand Canal - Bridges & Grand Canal Video

-
Image
Day 9 & 10 - Grand Canal Cruise The Grand Canal "The Most Beautiful Street in the World" The Grand Canal is Venice's pride and joy.  This ancient waterway follows a natural channel that winds its way through the city in a large reverse S shape, traveling from the San Marco Basin on one end to a lagoon near the rail station on the other.  It is roughly 16 feet deep, 2.36 miles long, and ranges from 100-300 feet wide.  At various points, the Grand Canal connects with a maze of much smaller and more narrow water channels that snake through the city, connecting the more than 120 little islands. The blue line traces the Grand Canal.  All of the other dark lines represent the lesser waterways that define the 120 little islands which are connected by all types of bridges. All of these waterways are the lifeline of Venetian life.  Everything that is done by motor vehicles in most cities must be done by watercraft in Venice.  There are specific boa
Read more

Florence - Ponte Vecchio & Fontana del Porcellina

-
Image
Day 11, 12 & 13 - Explore Florence Ponte Vecchio - Old Bridge "Dante was standing near the Ponte Vecchio, a bridge that crosses the Arno River in Florence.  It was just before 1300.  Dante saw Beatrice standing on the bridge. He was a young man, she even younger, and that vision contained the whole of eternity for him.  Dante did not speak to her and saw her very little. And then Beatrice died, carried off by plague.  Dante was stricken with the loss of his vision.  She was the connection between his soul and Heaven itself, and from it the Divine Comedy was born. Six hundred fifty years later, during World War II, the Americans were chasing the German army up the Italian Peninsula.  The Germans were blowing up everything that aided the progression of the American army, including the bridges across the Arno River.  But no one would blow up the Ponte Vecchio because Beatrice had stood on it and Dante had written about her.  So the German commandant made radio contact wi
Read more

The Villas of Lake Como

-
Image
The Villas of Lake Como  Day 3 -  This day our optional excursion is the Lake Como Cruise & Bellagio . As we make our way to Bellagio we will pass by some of Lake Como’s most famous villas, and as we do, inquiring minds will want to know - when was it built, who lived there, what is its history?   Below are some of the villas and a little bit about them. We will be cruising "up the striding man's leg"  from Como to Bellagio.  The most lavish villas  were built on the western shore to get the  most sunshine and to have wonderful  views of the mountains across the lake. Villa Olmo is in the city of Como.  Built in classic Italian style as a summer retreat for a family of nobility, it is considered the most lavish villa.  Napoleon Bonaparte was a guest.  Today it is Como's beautiful event center. Villa d'Este was once the home of a cardinal of Como and the residence of the estranged wife of Ki
Read more