Milan history and culture around every corner

Italy's second largest megacity is the ideal destination for those seeking a holiday filled with tradition.
 

The Cathedral

Also known as the Duomo, this tabernacle is a must- see on any visit to the megacity. Its construction began in 1386 and lasted no lower than five centuries. The result of the work of several engineers, sculptors, and artists was a unique armature that blends Gothic and Lombard tradition. Considered one of the largest edifices in the world, the Duomo dazzles with its 157 measures long and 109 measures high. The solemnity is maintained outside, where the stained glass windows stand out. Near the main entrance, it's also possible to visit an underground area that houses vestiges of the ancient churches from Roman times that were the origin of the current edifice, Santa Tecla and Santa Maria Maggiore.
 

Vittorio Emanuele II Gallery

Between the Duomo and La Scala is another of the most representational cards of the megacity. The Galleria is emotional because of the size of the structure, but it's really its armature full of details that captivates those who visit. erected between 1865 and 1877, this shopping center was named after the last king of Italy and is still known as Il Salotto di Milano. In this space created as a point of movement the classic meets the metropolitan in the stores of some of the most notorious luxury brands in the world. This is the case of Prada, whose first store was opened then in 1913. Indeed if your budget does not allow you to spend important time shopping, do not miss the mosaics on the bottom that represent the signs of the wheel. Legend has it that stepping on the Bull's testicles is an auspice of good luck.

Sforzesco Castle

This is one of the monuments that has seen and suffered from the megacity's history over the centuries. erected as a fort in 1368, it was converted into a splendid ducal palace and was ultimately virtually destroyed during the Ambrosian Republic. The Sforza family converted it into one of the most magnific courts in Italy, and also it passed into Spanish and Austrian hands, recovering its military function. Napoleon ordered its obliteration, and in 1801 the side halls and the Spanish fortifications were torn down. formerly in the alternate half of the 19th century, Milan was divided, with one body wanting to destroy the castle to give rise to a luxury domestic quarter. The major culture prevailed, and the mastermind Luca Beltrami carried out a massive restoration, which gave it back the look of the Sforza period.
Moment, the Sforzesco Castle houses a number of galleries, most specially the Ancient Art Museum, which features Sforza oils and puppets from age, the Middle periods and the Renaissance. Among the most important workshop is the" Pietà Rondadnini", Michelangelo's last, untreated work. The Egyptian Museum is also worth a visit, where you'll find among other pieces, statues, coffins, corpses and funerary masks. Inversely precious is the stirring view you'll get as you pass the castle's halls and citadels. A walk around it at night will leave anyone enchanted by the illumination.

A night at the theater

The Alla Scala, one of the most notorious theaters on the earth, can not be left out of your Milan diary. Home to pieces and ballet, it was opened in 1778 in the homonymous forecourt, which was at the time a narrow road. The idea came from the Austrian Empress Maria Theresa, who wanted to replace the former theater destroyed in a fire. The Scala owes its name to the church of Santa Maria alla Scala that used to stand then. The discreet façade, in neoclassical style, can mislead the oblivious sightseer, who'll clearly be surprised by the uproariousness of the interior. The golden boxes, the red velvet cabinetwork, and the enormous chandelier stand out against a background where workshop by Verdi or Puccini and dateless names similar as Maria Callas, Margot Fonteyn, or Rudolf Nureyev have performed.

The Scalla continues to have an ferocious program, with commodity playing virtually every day. And you do not indeed have to worry too important about buying tickets, as they go on trade 140 to the gallery two and a partial hours before each show. piecemeal from the plays, ballet or pieces, this Milan corner also offers a gallery with sets and costumes from once products and objects related to the world of theater that date back to Roman times.