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 Where the imperial games took place |
5 Via Vigna Milan, Milan 20123 Italy |
The Circus was the major building In Roman cities and invested with military importance. In northern Italy, only Aquileia and Milan - both imperial cities - had one. The Circus was the only opportunity the emperor had of showing himself to the people and of receiving honours and homage. Milan's Roman circus occupied a vast area between what are now Via del Torchio, Via Cappuccio, Corso Magenta, Via Brisa and Via Morigi. It was 450 metres long by 80 metres wide and probably built by Emperor Maximian in the 4th c. AD in the wide bed of the river Nirone next to the imperial district. Today, only a few blocks of the foundations of the stands remain (found in the cellars of some houses in Via Cappuccio and Via Morigi) and some parts of the hollow brick and pebble conglomerate elevations in Via Vigna. The nucleus of the square tower used as a bell-tower in the Monastero Maggiore has been recognised as Roman. This was one of the two towers that closed the body at the head of the Circus from which the 2 wheeled chariots taking part in races exited. The bracket with acanthus leaf decorations seen on one side of the tower is all that remains of the decorations of the Roman building. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: wcities |
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Underneath the arches! |
Piazza Cavour Milan, Milan 20121 Italy +39 2 7252 4301 (L'ufficio Turistico) |
This gate, part of the 12th-century walls of the city, were reinforced and embellished by Azzone Visconti (1330-39), and consists of two arches flanked by towers. In the 15th century it was partially demolished and incorporated into other buildings, and then restored in 1861. It was further restored in 1931 with architectural changes. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Paul Sperneac |
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Archbishop's house |
2 Piazza Fontana Milan, Milan 20122 Italy |
The Archbishop's palace was designed, in its present forms, by Pellegrini, from 1565 on, commissioned by Carlo Borromeo. The central nucleus of the building is the inner courtyard, onto which opened the homes of the cathedral's clerics. Characterized by the disciplined style of 16th century Lombard architecture, it represents one of the examples that was most often imitated in the 17th century as a model of monumental courtyards. Pellegrini also designed the two portals opening onto Via Arcivescovado and Via delle Ore, while the monumental façade facing Piazza Fontana was built by Piermarini in the last decades of the 18th century. The complex also includes the decagonal stable building, one of the most sophisticated and complex 16th century buildings. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Jesuit college |
11 Corso Venezia Milan, Milan 20121 Italy +39 2 78 3941 http://www.seminario.milano.it |
Commissioned by Carlo Borromeo in 1564, construction of the Seminary was begun by Seregni and Pellegrini in the 16th century, and was finished by Aurelio Trezzi and Fabio Mangone, under the direction of Cardinal Federico Borromeo in the early years of the 17th century. The austere, disciplined style, based on rigorously classical canons, represents the architectural expression of the rulings of the Council of Trent. The façade, of which just the highly theatrical portal remains, was built to a design by Francesco Maria Richini in 1635. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Triumphal gate |
Piazza Sempione Milan, Milan 20121 Italy |
With the fortifications for Castello Sforzesco destroyed in 1801 under Napoleon's instructions, a large space was created for the Piazza Sempione but a monumental construction was also required to mark the entrance to the city. The arch was begun in 1807 in honour of Napoleon and only finished in 1838 (for the occasion of the coronation of Ferdinando I as King of Lombardy-Venetia.) by the neoclassical architect Luigi Cagnola, inspired by Settimo Severo's arch in Rome. The result was a structure involving three colossal Corinthian columns with isolated customs boxes either side. The arch is made of granite from Baveno and adorned with marble from Crevola di Ossola, surmounted by the famous 'sestiga della pace' (the work of Abbondio Sangiorio) and by four statues of victorious men on horseback. On the trabeation the four rivers of Lombardy-Venetia are featured: the Po, the Ticino, the Adige and the Tagliamento) surrounded by bas-reliefs that feature episodes from the Restoration. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Paul New |
 Photo: Pauline Randall  |
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 Photo: Valentina Ferraris |
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The walls of Roman Milan |
15 Corso Magenta Cortile del Civico Museo Archeologico Milan, Milan 20123 Italy +39 2 8645 0011 |
In the 4th c. AD, Emperor Maximian made two expansions to the 1st c. BC Roman walls to encircle two new areas of the city. The most complete section of the addition to the walls on the west side can be seen in the garden of the Archaeological Museum (the ex-Monastero Maggiore). Here you can see the Asperto tower (named after the 9th c.Bishop Ansperto who was considered for centuries to have had it built) made from a pebble based cement and brick lining. It has 24 sides and is probably still as high as it was originally (17 metres). It is one of the few visible Roman monuments that has remained whole to the present day. A second, square tower stands in the museum's courtyard that was renovated in the Middle Ages. It was turned into the bell-tower for the monastery. It was also one of the two towers in the body of the construction at one end of the Roman circus from where the 2-wheeled chariots exited in races during the Imperial era. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: wcities |
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Splendid Romanic church |
15 Piazza Sant'Ambrogio Milan, Milan 20123 Italy +39 2 8645 0895 http://santambrogio-basilica.it/ |
The basilica of St. Ambrogio is the 'symbolic' church of the city which was originally built in 379 on the tombs of St. Gervasio and St. Protasio. A presbytery and a monastery have also been built on this site in the course of centuries, which have seen different constructions up to the end of the twelth century, including the construction of the Canonici bell tower (on the right) and the older one of the Monaci (on the left of the facade). The Romanesque facade is one of the greatest examples of Lombard period architecture. The interior is made up of a long body with three aisles which open on to secondary spaces and extremely interesting chapels. The chapels date back to the later time of the Sforzo dynasty (end of the 15th century and early 16th century). The presbytery and cloisters of the convent are built according to a design by Bramante. Also to be noted are the ciborium, the gold altar and paleochristian mosaics. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: dinimueter |
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Early Christian church founded by Ambrogio |
Piazza San Nazaro in Brolo Milan, Milan 20122 Italy +39 2 7252 4301 (L'ufficio Turisfico) |
This monument of notable importance can be found on one of the radial roads which leads from the city centre towards the outskirts of the city. St. Nazaro church, the old Basilica Apostolorum which dates from the year 382, is one of the oldest in Milan and has preserved some relics from the apostles. The church was rebuilt after the fire in 1075 using the old structure, and was transformed according to the wishes of Carlo Borromeo in 1571. The next few centuries saw a few structutal changes and it was then restored to how it is today by Enrico Villa from 1946 to 1963. The Greek cross design is typical of a Christian martyrium with Eastern influences. There are many archeological remains and artistic works in the church from epigraphs from the fifth century to Renaissance works and neoclassical arrangements. The Trivulzio chapel was added on the facade of the old church in 1512, forming a sort of vestibule directly leading to the nave. It has an octagonal interior and a square exterior, intended by Gian Giacomo Trivulzio to be a family mausoleum, it was started by Bramantino and completed by Cristoforo Lombardo in 1550. According to recent studies, the extreme simplicity of the interior is due to the wishes of the designers and owners and not to the churches poor fortunes, as was once thought. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Elena Tedros |
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Ancient early Christian church |
40 Corso di Porta Ticinese Milan, Milan 20123 Italy +39 2 8940 4129 |
Built outside the Roman city walls, near the ampitheatre from which it has taken most of its salvage materials, this extremely old religious building is of great importance not only for art history but also for all sacred Western Christian architecture. It can be compared to San Vitale of Ravenna and the Aquisgrana cathedral. It went through numerous renovations through the end of the fourth century and the beginning of the fifth century, and today has a sixteenth century style in features such as the dome. There are also features left over from the early Christian era such as the main building, the four towers, some lateral chapels and the foundations formed of enormous blocks taken from other Roman sites. The interior walls were probably covered by marble lower down and by mosaics higher up depicting sacred scenes and saints. On the right there is a stupendous rectangular portal from the Roman era which leads to the chapel of Sant'Aquilino, which is octagonal and holds a tomb with the remains of St. Lorenzo and St. Ippolito. Some say this is an imperial mausoleum. After many interventions in the nineteenth century the church was restored to it's current state between 1937 and 1938. There is a legend that the chapel was built by Galla Placidia, and it is thought that she is buried in the tomb on the right of the entrance. Outside there is a statue which is a copy of the statue of Constantine, who was made Emperor in 313, and gave freedom to the cult of Christianity. Also to be noted is the umbrella shaped dome and fragments of early Christian mosaics. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Aurora Ghini |
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Rationalist building |
25 Via Roberto Sarfatti Milan, Milan 20136 Italy +39 2 5 8361 http://www.uni-bocconi.it/ |
The building of the private Luigi Bocconi university was designed between 1937-41 by architect Giuseppe Pagano with Gian Giacomo Predeval. Inspired by the plan for the Bauhaus school by Walter Gropius, it is one of the buildings in Milan most influenced by European rationalism. The complex, to which many additions were made after WW2, occupies the entire block between Via Sarfatti and Via Toniolo. It is in the shape of a cross: the arms are used for services and connections, while the ends provide office space and classrooms. The open arrangement of the various sections, the connections between the volumes and the white surfaces marked at regular intervals by square windows lined with lythoceramic tiles divide up the rooms of the university through rational architecture conceived by Pagano as 'service' and as an answer to concrete needs. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Edoardo Giovanni Raimondi |
 Photo: Stefano Paganini |
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Jesuit College |
28 Via Brera Milan, Milan 20121 Italy +39 2 7252 4301 (L'ufficioturisfico) |
Originally the seat of the Jesuit College, its construction was initiated in 1571 by Martino Bassi and continued by Francesco Maria Richini in 1615. Successive extensions of the building maintained the style of Richini's design. The building is centered on a monumental courtyard consisting of a double order, with a double staircase opposite the entrance. The façade, in pure Lombard Baroque style, has a portal which was designed by Piermarini in the 18th century. Today it houses the Brera art gallery, the Braidense national library, the Fine Arts Academy and the astronomical observatory. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: wcities |
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Rock Hard |
7 Via Davide Campari Sesto San Giovanni, Suburbs Milan, Milan 20099 Italy +39 (0)2 7740 4343 (Tourist information) |
Designed and built between 1902 and 1904 by Luigi Perrone, this was one of the first buildings to utilize reinforced concrete. It consists of a compact volume with a central hall surrounded by a series of secondary rooms. The distinguished, elegant façade expresses the importance of the company and the quality of the product. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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19th Century house |
3 Via Degli Omenoni Milan, Milan 20121 Italy +39 2 7252 4301 (L'ufficio Turisfico) |
Built by the sculptor, Leone Leoni between 1562 and 1566 as his Milan residence, this building is famous above all for it's façade, which has eight telamons sculpted in solid stone. The rest of the decoration is highly ornamental and reflects the cultured style of its architect. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Luca Montemurri |
 Photo: txkun |
 Photo: Fabio_C.73 |
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Remains of a renaissance building |
Viale Andrea Doria Milan, Milan 20124 Italy |
To the right of the Central Station, at the beginning of Viale Andrea Doria, this is the place to see the remains of the Cascina Pozzonbelli. The complex was built in 1498 in a Lombard, Renaissance style, probably on an ancient monastic building from the Congregazione degli Umiliati, which was bought and transformed into a home for the Milanese noble family, the Pozzonbelli. The small oratory is preceded by an elegant portico with rounded arches on columns and the remains of a complex which was once much larger. Destroyed in 1907, in the chapel are remains of a fresco and the elegant, portico vaults. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Bramante and Muzio |
1 Largo Fra Agostino Gemelli Milan, Milan 20123 Italy +39 2 7 2341 http://www.unicatt.it/ |
In Largo Agostino Gemelli next to the Piazza Sant'Ambrogio and the Tempio della Vittoria the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore is housed. The building which emerged from the remains of the former Sant'Ambrogio monastery, was designed by Bramato in 1497. The two splendid cloisters of the four required by renaissance architecture were built under the direction of I due splendidi Cristoforo Solari, whilst the majestic refectory, today the main school room, dates back to the 16th century which holds the vast fresco by Callisto Piazza of the 'Weddings of Cana'. With the suppression of the monastery in 1797, this large building became a army barracks and military hospital until 1921 when the Catholic University was founded. Its current aspect is the work of Giovanni Muzio who worked on this large site between 1929 and 1949: as well as restoring the cloisters and building the entrance to the building with brick paraments, he designed the two boys' colleges on Via Necchi, with class rooms overlooking Via Lanzone, the Psychology institue and the refectory. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: wcities |
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Church of St. Babila |
1 Corso Monforte Milan, Milan 20122 Italy +39 2 7600 2877 |
This was a pagan temple in the 2nd century which was transformed into a church by the holy bishop of Antioch, St. Babila. The church was rebuilt between 1096 and 1097. There are three naves inside, with a covered central nave and four spans. The nave finishes with three semicircular apses, the middle of which ressembles the one in the Sant'Ambrogio church. It was built in the Visconti era and in the Baroque period with the addition of a frontal span which changed the outward appearance. The restoration of the facade and the rebuilding of the belltower in a New-Romantic style was planned by the architect Bianchi who renovated the church in 1906. Alessandro Manzoni was baptised in this church on the 8th March 1785. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Gabriele |
 Photo: Luca |
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Renaissance church |
15 Corso Magenta Milan, Milan 20123 Italy |
This church was built in 1503 by Gian Giacomo Dolcebuono. The facade, erected between 1574 and 1581, was completed in 1872 by Angelo Colla. There are three floors inside with nineteeth century frescoes on the sides of the loggias and the naves. The internal facade also includes frescoes by Simone Peterzano. In the third chapel on the left, there is a nun's choirbox made in wood by Gian Giacomo Dolcebuono in 1500 with an extremely fine organ in the centre made in 1554 by Gian Giacomo Antegnani and painted in tempera by Francesco Medici. There are also frescoes on the walls by Bernardino, Aurelio and Giovan Pietro Luini. Do not miss the frescoes by Bernardino Luini painted from 1522 to 1529. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Mauro Pipponzi |
 Photo: Delphine Ménard |
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Neoclassical sports grounds |
2 Viale Giorgio Byron Milan, Milan 20154 Italy +39 2 34 1924 |
Deliberately located in the restructured Castello Sforzesco area in order to provide a stable home for festivities and celebratory events for the Repubblica Cisalpina and the new Regno d'Italia, the Arena Civica was designed by The neoclassical architect Luigi Canonica in 1805 at the north eastern end of the Parco Sempione. Built with materials taken from the castle ruins and modelled on Roman amphitheatres, the Arena has an elliptic floor with four main entrances: to the south-east stands the Triumphal Arch in granite framed with two pairs of golden columns; opposite this is the Porta delle Carceri flanked by two towers, as found in roman models. On the north eastern side is the Porta Libitinaria and on the south west the Loggia Reale which has a monlithic Corinthian column in granite. Now used as a sports ground, the elegant construction has seen some changes this century to increase spectator capacity, transforming the terraces. The characteristic curtain of trees that ran alongside the terraces was also removed and the channel that wound along the stalls and brought canal water in also allowed the passage of famous 'naumachie'. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: wcities |
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Archaelogical Remnants |
39 Corso di Porta Ticinese Milan, Milan 20123 Italy |
In front of the Basilica of San Lorenzo, there is a square with a row of columns on either side which were taken from a monumental building dating from the 2nd century B.C. and repositioned. Up until 1935, the space between the church and columns was entirely occupied by old houses abutting onto the façade of the church itself. Despite the plans to conserve this ancient urban fabric, the renovations led to the demolition of the old houses and the isolation of the monument. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Claudio Carrano, ilClaudione |
 Photo: Luca Binaghi |
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A conventional convent? |
Via Cappuccio Milan, Milan 20123 Italy |
This ancient convent for nuns in the Umiliate order was founded in the second half of the 12th century on the site of the Roman arena. Of the original building, all that remains is the 15th century courtyard (restored in 1920), a typical example of claustral architecture of that period. The Umiliati order was suppressed by Carlo Borromeo in 1571 because it did not adhere entirely to the indications decreed by the Council of Trent. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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The building of Milan's famous newspaper |
28 Via Solferino Milan, Milan 20121 Italy +39 2 7252 4301 (L'ufficio Turisfico) |
The building that now houses the newspaper 'Corriere della Sera' founded in 1876, was designed in 1903-04 by Luca Beltrami, an art historian, architect and one of the founders of the newspaper which he edited for a while. Subsequently heightened by Luigi Repossi and expanded in 1960-65 by Alberto Rosselli with the rotary press building in the direction of San Marco, the building replaced its original Eclectic style with a more sober and essential look. Characterised by the use of innovative construction techniques such as reinforced concrete, it is a simple rectangle in shape with a plastered brick front, and wide low arches surrounded by classical decorations. The elegant motifs with pilasters, volutes, branches and wreaths of laurel leaves with the newspaper's monogram in the centre are all elements one of the first and most successful pieces of architecture for the services' sector in Milan. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Neo-Romanesque 19th c. building |
8 Viale Monte Grappa Milan, Milan 20124 Italy +39 2 7252 4301 (L'ufficio Turisfico) |
After three temporary sites were set up offering meals at a low price, the Cucine Economiche (Cheap Meals) building was constructed in 1886 near the old Gabelle bridge over the Naviglio della Martesana. The building was designed by Luigi Broggi and is an example of Milanese Neo-Romanesque. The purpose of the building was reflected in its strict rationality and pure volumetry. Split on two floors (the kitchens and dining room on the ground floor and the offices upstairs), it is characterized by elegant decorative elements: the low arched doorways and windows, the alternating bands of ceramic and plaster, the simple motifs in staggered brick are an effective and remarkable example of architecture in a charitable building. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Sports and concerts |
Forum di Assago Milan, Milano 20090 Italy +39 (0)2 1 9912 8800 http://www.forumnet.it/ |
This sports stadium was built in 1990 and has become the premier centre in Milan for major sporting and show events. During the year, the ATP tennis championship, the Sei Giorni di ciclismo (Six Days of Cycling), and basketball games. The stadium has 12,000 spectator capacity. The sports stadium allows the development of various sports at another level: skating, swimming, basketball, volleyball, bowling and squash. Two multipurpose courts. There's also a ministadium with 200 places available to hire; use of ball is included in price. There is also a sports equipment shop, a restaurant, self-service restaurant and bar. Whilst the stadium is always open the hours vary according to the sports activity. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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City's most famous landmark |
Piazza del Duomo Milan, Milan 20123 Italy +39 2 8646 3456 |
Watched over by the Madonnina, the cathedral's high rose marble spires represent the city's most famous artistic and religious monument. The dimensions of Christendom's third biggest church are still awe-inspiring at 108m high (to the tip of the tallest spire) and 158m long. A range of architectural styles feature: doorways are 17th century, the central balcony from the late 18th Century and the three main upper windows early 19th-century pieces by Carlo Amati. The cathedral's vast interior overwhelms: its impressive pillars, vaults and streamlined arches enhanced by light that floods through the splendid stained-glass windows and the wonderful statuary surrounding the naves. Admission to Roof: EUR 6 (in elevator), EUR 4 (on foot), EUR 8 (family = two adults and two children up to 14 years) Admission to Baptistery: EUR 1.50 Admission to Treasure: EUR 1. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Dan Kamminga |
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The Napoleonic barracks |
19 Corso Buones Aires Milan, Milan 20129 Italy |
Along Corso Buones Aires, a crowded, commercial, Milanese street of ancient origin is this long, old Austrian barracks. Called the 'Caserma Napoleonica', it was originally built for the Austrian army on the north east side of the Lazzaretto. After the Unification of Italy, the military were dismissed from here and it became a home and the location of craftsmen's workshops. The simple, eighteenth century facade has survived, although some of it has been ruined by the windows and signs of the shops. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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New district vacated by Pirelli |
Viale Sarca, Via Valbrona, Via Cozzi, Via Chiese Milan, Milan 20126 Italy |
The purpose of the large Bicocca project was the reuse of the enormous area previously occupied by the Pirelli and Ansaldo factories into a site based on industry, university buildings, research laboratories, shopping centres and services. The project has attracted the largest contribution from Europe in Milan. It is under the direction of Vittorio Gregotti who has attempted to create a "historical centre in the suburbs" around the grid of roads, open spaces and factory buildings. Some of the buildings are restructured versions of the original industrial sites, others are new creations. They are aligned in blocks connected by five large pedestrian squares that provide a human centre and aid in the urban image of the area. "The creation of simple, civil architecture without showing off" is what Gregotti has attempted to achieve. The Siemens research building, the residential buildings along Viale Sarca, the seat of the second University of Studies in Milan, and the layout of the open spaces are the elegant results. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Internationally renowned opera house |
Piazza della Scala Milan 20121 Italy +39 0288791 http://www.teatroallascala.org/ |
Conceived in 1776 as a fitting replacement for the Teatro Ducale (sadly destroyed by fire), the famous La Scala theatre has since become one of opera's legendary venues. Home to the prestigious La Scala di Milano opera company, it remains one of the city's liveliest cultural venues. Check the web site for maps and directions. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Andrew Stillman |
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You can't lodge at the Loggia |
9 Piazza Dei Mercanti Milan, Milan 20121 Italy +39 2 7252 4301 (L'ufficio Turisfico) http://www.turismo.comune.mila... |
On the southern side of Piazza dei Mercanti, there is the 'Loggia degli Osii', where, from the balcony or 'parlera', the edicts and sentences issued by the municipal government were read. Dating to the early 14th century, commissioned by Matteo Visconti, it underwent refurbishing operations in the early 20th century. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: wcities |
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The main railway station |
Piazza Duca d' 'Aosta Milan, Milan 20124 Italy +39 2 6371 2016 http://www.grandistazioni.it/m... |
The wide avenue Viale Vittor Pisani, from Piazza della Repubblica, brings you to the monumental Central Station of Milan, built between 1912, the date of the tender competition, and 1931, when it was opened. The façade of the station, in Aurisina stone, has a Pharaonic scale that is inevitably compared to Germanic culture. In the gallery at the entrance, medallions by Giannino Castiglioni depict Work, Commerce, Science and Agriculture, while the first-floor gallery is embellished by panels in ceramic with views of Milan, Turin, Florence and Rome by Basilio and Cascella. Inside the station there is the waxworks museum. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Chic shopping district |
Via Montenapoleone Milan, Milan Italy +39 2 7252 4301 (L'ufficio Turistico) http://www.viamontenapoleone.org/ |
Frequented by the world's jet set and well-to-do Milanese, Milan's fashionable shopping district is famed for its wealth of luxury boutiques. Top names in haute couture and ready-to-wear, from Versace and Dolce & Gabbana to Louis Vuitton and Valentino, they all have shops here. Some of the world's finest jewelers, including Cartier, Bulgari, Pomellato and Tiffany's have stores here too; even if you're not buying, the stunning window displays are always worth a look. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Saad AlMunifi |
 Photo: Peter Horstmann |
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 Photo: Marc Chang Sing Pang |
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University HQ |
3 Via Festa del Perdono Università Statale Milan, Milan 20122 Italy |
Commissioned by Francesco Sforza in 1456 as a hospital institution for the people of the city, the building has been attributed to the Florentine architect Antonio Averlino Filarete. The central nucleus and part of the central courtyard dates to the 15th century, while the rest of the building was completed successively, in the 17th and 18th centuries. It is an extraordinarily early example of the application of functional principles in hospital architecture, while also representing one of the most significant episodes in the art and culture of 15th century Lombardy. Today it is the seat of the Università degli Studi. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: wcities |
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Regime architecture |
4 Via Carlo Freguglia Milan, Milan 20122 Italy |
The Palazzo di Giustizia, designed by Marcello Piacentini, was built between 1932 and 1940 to replace the old palace in Piazza Beccaria and to give Justice a unified and monumental seat. Piacentini responded to the requests of the regime with a building that is isolated from from surrounding urban developments, being both monumental and imposing. 1200 rooms and 65 courtrooms are present on this trapezoid plot, spread over four floors around a courtyard of honour and 12 mini courtyards with axial symmetry. The large windows with bronze fixtures and the walls entirely inn stone from Val Masino, distinguish the external façade. Inside there are the decorations in relief and the frescoes by many different artists among the designer's contemporaries (Sironi, Pini, Severini, Manzù, Carrà, Martini) Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: wcities |
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Magnificent marble portal known as Triennale |
6 Viale Emilio Alemagna Milan, Milan 20121 Italy |
The historic seat of the Triennale institution was designed by Giovanni Muzio in 1932-33. The building consists of a series of halls for temporary exhibitions, laid out in a series of separate volumes that end in a large semi-circular building housing the theatre. The entrance, with its distinctive marble portal, generates an impression of monumentality by means of the proportions and the contrast with the brickwork. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Filippo Aroffo |
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Small music pavilion |
1 Largo Marinai d'Italia Milan, Milan 20135 Italy +39 2 5519 5967 |
When the huge fruit and vegetable market between Via Cadore and Corso XXII Marzo was demolished and turned into a park after WW2, the building known as Palazzina Liberty was left untouched. Designed by Migliorini in 1908 and completed in 1910 as a refreshment area for the market, the slender building now stands in the middle of the park. Its sinuous ceramic decorations and floral reliefs that surround the main frontages and glassed exhedras of the sides are a splendid example of Milanese Art Nouveau. During the 1960's, it was used by Dario Fo and his troupe as a setting for their productions; since the 1980's it has become the home of the Civica Orchestra dei Fiati and a setting for concerts and events. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: wcities |
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Rationalist architecture |
2 Largo Guido Donegani Milan, Milan 20122 Italy +39 2 7252 4301 (L'ufficio Turistico) |
Commissioned to Gio Ponti between 1935 and 1938 the building soon became a symbol of rationalist Milan architecture between the two wars. In the shape of an H with a private opening onto Via Moscova on one floor is ideal for offices with its internal layout, furnishings and external aspect working together in perfect harmony. Externally, the green marble walls and the standardised iron and aluminium locks annonce the exxpressive clarity and attention to detail that can also be seen on the inside. The complex actually offers avant garde, typological solutions (mobile floors with individual work posts) as well as technological ones (controlled heating and inflateable posts) which Ponti took care of paying great attention to detail. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Magistrate's palace |
2 Piazza dei Mercanti Milan 20121 Italy +39 2 7252 4301 (l'ufficio turistico) |
This ancient medieval building, that once housed municipal offices and legal institutions, was rebuilt from 1562 on as 'Palazzo dei Giureconsulti' to a design by Vincenzo Seregni. The building, formed by a loggia and a tower, a 16th-century sheath built around the original 13th-century construction, is based on the architecture of Galeazzo Alessi. The complete design included an overall refurbishment of the ancient Piazza Mercanti to create a new forum, and this was partially executed with the construction, on the south side of the piazza, of the 'Scuole Palatine' building. In the 19th century, the street named Via Mercanti was opened up, totally modifying the original concept and rendering it totally unrecognizable. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Amodiovalerio Verde |
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Police headquarters |
Piazza Cesare Beccaria Milan, Milan 20122 Italy +39 2 7252 4301 (L'ufficio Turistico) |
Also known as the 'Carceri nuovi', new prisons, it started functioning in 1578. With a rectangular plan, it is based on two courtyards with four small towers at the corners. The first courtyard still conserves the Doric columns and a loggia. The severe architecture recalls the function for which the building was designed, and the ashlar work gives the structure a particularly monumental character. It was restored in 1943 and today it houses the headquarters of the Municipal police force. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Alessandro Facchini |
 Photo: Andrea Fini |
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Seat of learning |
Piazza San Sepolcro Milan, Milan 20123 Italy +39 2 7252 4301 (L'ufficio Turistico) |
Houses the Gallery and Library, two very important institutions in the city. Founded by Federico Borromeo as a centre for counter-reform culture, it gradually accumulated numerous collections of art and books. From the first nucleus, facing Piazza S. Sepolcro, the institution expanded to occupy the entire block. Feature of interest: The immense collection of the library includes the Codice Atlantico by Leonardo da Vinci. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Ancient institute |
Piazza dei Mercanti Milan, Milan 20123 Italy +39 2 7252 4301 (L'ufficio Turistico) |
At the centre of Piazza dei Mercanti, once a quadrangle enclosed on all four sides, one finds Palazzo della Ragione, what was known as the 'Broletto', commissioned by the ruler of the city Oldrado da Tresseno (1228-1233) who is depicted in an equestrian monument in a niche on the façade facing the piazza. The rectangular-plan building consists of a loggia on the ground floor, which today is higher than the surroundings due to the successive lowering of the street level. In 1771 another floor was added, the so-called "Teresian extension", for the Notarial Archive: it can be recognized from the large elliptic windows. The monument was restored during the 1970s. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Mattia75 |
 Photo: Chin Moi Ying |
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Nearly Duomo |
Piazza Fontana Milan, Milan 20121 Italy +39 (0)2 7252 4301 (L'ufficio turistico) |
This square is named after the fountain designed by Giuseppe Piermarini and sculpted by Giuseppe Franchi in 1782. It is one of the few historical piazzas of the city, which generally features large building blocks with hidden interior courtyards rather than open communal spaces. The original buildings have been replaced by more recent pieces of architecture. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: aba |
 Photo: Alan Denney |
 Photo: Fabio Meroni |
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Arnaldo Pomodoro's disc |
Piazza Filippo Meda Milan, Milan 20121 Italy |
Separated from Piazza Belgioioso by a large park, Piazza Filippo Meda was opened in 1926 after Corso Matteotti was opened (ex-Corso del Littorio) right the way down to Piazza San Babila. The long space in the square is dominated by the large revolving bronze disc created by sculptor Arnaldo Pomodoro. It is 4.5 metres in diameter and rests on a pivot so that it will turn with the wind or when pushed. Thus the slow movements and reflections of the lacerated disc give it an amazing lightness that suggests a heavenly star randomly come to land in the square. In the background stands the curved form of the Piazza Meda Offices' Building designed by Studio BBPR, the 1928 building by P. Magistretti (no.3), the 1929 HQ of the Banca Popolare by G. Greppi, and the 1928 Palazzo Crespi by P. Portaluppi (between Corso Matteotti and Via Verri). Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: leonardo crippa |
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Site-specific architecture |
Piazza Filipo Meda Milan, Milan 20123 Italy |
In 1958 after the construction of the Torre Velasca the BBPR group (Banfi, Belgojoso, Peressutti and Rogers)planned an office building between Via Hoepli and Via Catena which look over Piazza Meda. Finished in 1968, with the collaboration of Luigi Caccia Dominioni, who planned the structure facing the church of San Fidele, the building continues the high porticos of Via Hoepli and by way of a large circular structure (from which it gets the name 'panettone', a link is formed with the neighbouring renaissance apse. The clear contrast in scale between the portico and the openings above, and the circular structure, which has reinforced concrete on the inside and metal and glass on the outside is in dialogue with the surrounding architecture, giving rise to the term architectural 'contextualism' which has made the Torre Velasca such a famous and controversial work of architecture. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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A garden with water and stones |
Piazza San Babila Milan, Milan 20121 Italy +39 2 7252 4301 (l'ufficio turistico) |
Donated to the city by the Ente Autonomo Fiera Milano in 1997, this fountain was designed by Luigi Caccia Dominioni. It is situated in front of the portico of the Toro Assicurazioni building- a garden of water and stones. The water falls from a central pinnacle into a large quadrangular basin which is surrounded by green 'hills'. Using an intelligent combination of stone (it is almost a living museum of Lombardian stone - Serizzo from Val Masino, pink granite from Baveno and red granite from Val Gerola, to Dubino from Valtellina) and forms, the fountain stands as a symbol and an expression of the resources to be found in the region. Thus the water, of which Milan became so proud, and which is today a forgotten part of the city, has rediscovered a role in an urban context and has become a focus for relaxation in the crowded and chaotic city centre. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Andrzej Otrebski |
 Photo: Simone Bruschi |
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The city's impressive central square |
Piazza del Duomo Milan, Milan 20121 Italy +39 2 7252 4301 (L'ufficio Turistico) |
The gigantic central square in front of Milan cathedral has always been a reference point for Milan's town planners. It was a meeting point for important roads before and during the Roman period. In the 4th century, it was a religious centre with the construction of the Basilica of Santa Tecla, and the Baptistry of San Giovanni alle Fonti (both demolished in the mid-14th century and their foundations can be seen below the space in front of the cathedral). Since 1386, the cathedral has been the religious and cultural centre of the city. Symmetrical porticoes line the longer sides (with the Arengario pavilions built in 1939 and the Royal Palace on the south side and Galleria on the north side). In the centre stands the equestrian statue of Vittorio Emanuele II by Ercole Rosa (1878) which was covered until a few years ago by flashing advertising signs. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Meg Powers |
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Gae Aulenti and Claes Oldenburg in Milan |
Piazzale Luigi Cadorna Milan, Milan Italy |
Once an unstructured space between Castello Sforzesco and the Magenta district, Piazzale Cadorna has become a new port of entry to the city. Now it is dominated by the ugly mass of the Cadorna station where thousands of commuters are disgorged into the city each morning. In 1998, the railway company and Milan City Council commissioned Gae Aulenti to reorganise the area. The operation rationalised the road system with traffic dividers created by water tanks, and created a vast pedestrian area for train passengers partly covered by aluminium and glass structures joined to the station facade. The attractive forest of red pillars, the water that flows from the beams of the platform roof, and the transparent covers bring to mind a 19th century covered market. They are part of a courageous an interesting architectural project initiated by the city and crowned by the majestic sculpture of Claes Oldenburg and Coosije van Bruggen. It is an enormous steel needle 18 meters tall wrapped in a highly colored glass resin that gives a new vital identity to the square and around which the life of the square revolves. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Luca Zappa |
 Photo: Max Bianchi |
 Photo: Bianca Ferrari |
 Photo: Federico |
 Photo: Laura Marchitelli |
 Photo: Camila Trentini |
 Photo: Eloy Cortinez ; |
 Photo: Alan Philip Müller |
 Photo: Ana Tudoran |
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Gio Ponti's masterwork |
5 Piazza Duca d'Aosta Milan, Milan 20124 Italy |
This skyscraper has been the home of the Regione Lombardia since 1978. It was built between 1955 and 1960 on the old Pirelli site which was bombed in 1943, in order to house the new headquarters of the Milan based organisation. It was designed by Gio Ponti with the collaboration of Pier Luigi Nervi. It is 127m tall and is still the tallest building in the city and the most prestigious post-war work of architecture. Using a similar scheme to the comtemporary Torre velasca by the BBPR studio, Ponti combines an innovative rectangular design with sides tapering up to the narrower extremities. The building grows around a hidden core covered in reinforced concrete. The tapered style and the pointed elements which are at odds with the finished appearance of the building surface make the skyscraper a unique example of architectural lightness, dynamism and extraordinary resolution of the relationship between structures and technology. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Alessandro Di Gangi |
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Another way into the city |
41 Via Giosuè Carducci Milan, Milan 20123 Italy |
This was built in 1939 by Gino Chierici, in imitation of a defensive gate in the ancient walls dating to 1171. The original materials were re-used in the two towers of different heights. The tabernacle with saints Ambrogio, Gervasio and Protasio were sculpted by craftsmen from Campione, coming from the hospital of Sant'Ambrogio founded by Galeazzo II Visconti, in the mid 15th century. Today the building houses the 'Museo della Pusterla', with a permanent exhibition of criminology and antique weapons. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Tyler Palmer |
 Photo: Marc Lambrechts |
 Photo: Andrzej Otrebski |
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Archeological remains |
Viale Sant' Ignazio da Laconi Milan, Cagliari 09123 Italy +39 70 65 2956 http://www.anfiteatroromano.it/ |
Milan's Roman amphitheatre, built between the first and second centuries B.C., was one of the old town's most imposing buildings; on festive occasions around 35,000 people would congregate to watch the bloody spectacles. Christianity put an end to the pagan festivities and at the end of the 4th century the amphitheatre began to be demolished and the stone was used for other buildings, some of which has been found in the foundations of the nearby Basilica of San Lorenzo. From the immense building of elliptic plans with aces of 155 and 125 metres and with the main body over 30m high only traces of the concrete foundations remain that support the elliptic structure that surrounded the games area. The rest, which will soon form part of an archaeological park that will allow a more closer visit are currently visible from the railings along via De Amicis. A brief pause here will allow you to appreciate the exceptional dimensions of Milan's public roman building now hidden by centuries of construction and demolition that have characterised the city's building works. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: wcities |
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The palace of Emperor Maximian |
Via Brisa Milan, Milan 20123 Italy |
Built by Emperor Maximian in the 4th c. AD when Milan was the capital of the Roman empire in the West, the imperial palace occupied a huge area between what are now Via Meravigli and Via Torino. The only remains of the huge building are to be seen in Via Brisa. It was during demolition work following WW2 that parts of the foundations and of the elevation were found but it was thought originally that they belonged to a baths complex. Now they are considered to have been part of the official section of Maximian's palace. The central plan building is made up of 3 series of small apsed rooms that open onto the sides of a large round hall (once surrounded by columns) which was reached via a rectangular atrium. The remains are worthy of a brief pause, not so much for what they are, but for the fact that are representative of a glorious past. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: wcities |
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Peculiar enclosure and church |
12 Via Besana Milan, Milan 20122 Italy +39 2 545 5047 |
This was founded in the early 19th Century as a cemetery for the hospital named Ospedale Maggiore or Ca' Granda. The unusual building consists of a perimeter wall with, at the center, a church, now no longer used for religious functions, dedicated to Saint Michael, with plan in the form of a Greek cross. In 1725 another wall was built, creating a plan including large lobate structures. In 1870 a smallpox epidemic broke out and 5,000 people with the disease were isolated here. In 1940, it became a wash-house for the hospital. Today it is an open-air garden, a play area for children, while in summer it is used for open-air cinema projections: the ex-church is used for temporary shows and congresses. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Amodiovalerio Verde |
 Photo: LukeFill |
 Photo: Rhys Ernst |
 Photo: Ermanno Novali |
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Old royal residence |
12 Piazza del Duomo Milan, Milan 20123 Italy +39 2 7252 4301 (L'ufficio Turistico) |
The seat of government in the city was originally the Palazzo del Broletto, where the municipal institutions were located. It became a noble residence during the rule of the Torriane and Visconti families, who gave it its shape that can in part still be seen, based on a system of two courtyards. Partially demolished to make way for the Cathedral nave, the building was refurbished after 1452 by Francesco Sforza. Used as the seat of power by the Spanish rulers, it underwent substantial modifications until the late 18th century, in particular the extensive work by Giuseppe Piermarini. Alongside the volumes of the Palazzo there is the Arengario, seat of the Palazzo del Turismo, with its two pavilions designed in 1939 (and completed in 1956) by the architects Enrico Agostino Griffini, Pier Giulio Magistretti, Giovanni Muzio and Piero Portaluppi. Feature of interest - On the first floor of the Palazzo, there is the famous 'Sala delle Cariatidi', in the location of the ancient theatre destroyed by fire in 1776. This hall is now undergoing restoration. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Sergio Bertolini |
 Photo: milan_parekh |
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Franciscan church |
2 Piazza Sant' Angelo Milan, Milan 20121 Italy +39 2 2900 3401 |
Built in 1552 commissioned by the order of the Minor Franciscans in place of the fifteent-century building, this church has one main hall, flanked by lateral chapels. The old convent complex is huge and is the seat of fundamental importance for the order, built at the time of the abolitions and completely rebuilt betweenn 1940 and 1945 by the architect Giovanni Muzio. The pictorial decoration of the lateral naves is of great importance. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Place of Catholic worship |
1 Largo Frà Paolo Bellintani Milan, Milan 20124 Italy |
On the right of Viale Tunisia on the side of Bellintani is this work by Carlo Borromeo. It was built on the ancient temple of S. Maria della Sanità from 1558-92 and is part of the Lazaretto complex. The design planned a wide courtyard to link the rooms of the ill along the perimeter of the aquare. A sophisticated system of canals guaranteed hygiene and cleanliness for the local places, minimising the risk of contagion. The complex also had an open chapel in the centre of the courtyard visible from all the cells, requested by Ludovico il Moro and designed by Lazzaro Palazzi (1488-1513). The current church is an octagonal shape and is stonebuilt. A small fragment of the cell's portico is still visible along Via S. Gregorio. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Char Aznable |
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Ancient Romanic church |
1 Piazza Sant'Eustorgio Milan, Milan 20122 Italy +39 2 5810 1583 http://www.santeustorgio.it/ |
Outside the medieval city walls, along the road that runs from the Pusteria to Porta Ticinese, there is the church and monastery of S. Eustorgio. Originally the surrounding area was not built up, but was agricultural land, then it was occupied by Dominicans and is now surrounded by a public park area. The building has undergone various modifications from when it was first built (some say in the 4th century, others say the 5th), but still conserves it's Roman form due to it's reconstruction in the late 11th century. The cross vaults of the central nave are notably wide leaning on pillars, while the right nave opens onto a series of chapels which are part of the holy places of the adjoining cemetery. Notice in particular the Brivio chapel, the first from 1484, built in Florentine renaissance style which has been reinterpreted by local artists and the Torelli, the second built in 1424, which is in gothic lombard style. Beyond the pseudocrypt a series of spaces lead to the Portinari chapel. This is a true expression of renaissance lombard style, built from 1422 to 1466 by Pigello Portinari, a Florentine banker, as a chapel for the nobility. The chapel boasts frescoes by Vincenzo Foppa, to whom recent studies also attribute the architectural planning. The chapel is a cube shape with a hemispheric dome with significant detail. The adjoining monastery, much renovated over time, is made up of two 17th century cloisters which are now the property of the Diocesan museum who use them as temporary exhibition spaces. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Sante.boschianpest |
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Jesuit churc in the San Fedele square |
Piazza San Fedele Milan, Milan 20121 Italy +39 2 7252 4301 (L'ufficio Turistico) |
Designed by the architect Pellegrino Tibaldi, this is one of the most interesting and important Lombard monuments of the late sixteenth century. Built by the Jesuit order in 1569, the church has a single nave, divided into two spans with columns in a style reminiscent of the halls of roman baths. Despite the unfinished original plan (the presbytery was built later by Richini), the building has a notably coherent form. The external facade is a masterpiece of different architectural styles which are brought to their maximum expressive capacity here. The altars of the side naves are of particular artistic interest. At the back of the church on the right is a small chapel with a part of a fresco from the thirteenth century showing a Madonna with child called 'Madonna delle Ballerine' to which people used to come to place floral tributes. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Filippo Aroffo |
 Photo: Lucas Moellers |
 Photo: Salvatore Lo Faro |
 Photo: Walter |
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Ruins of the ancient church |
Piazza Giuseppe Missori Milan, Milan 20121 Italy +39 (0)2 7252 4301 (L'ufficio turistico) |
Founded in the early Christian era, this church was renovated in the 11th century and expanded in the 13th century. It has three naves, and became a mausoleum for the Visonti family and Bernabo was buried here in 1385. A monument to him, by the sculptor Bonino da Campione can be found in the Civic Museum in the Castello Sforzesco. Bell towers and naves were demolished to make way for Via Mazzini, and the gothic facade was also demolished and transferred to the new evangelical Waldensian church in Via Francesco Sforza. Only the crypt and the apse remain of the original church in Via Albricci. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Originally designed |
116 Corso Garibaldi Giuseppe Milan, Milan 20121 Italy +39 2 65 4855 |
This interesting double building, is traditionally linked to the love story between Francesco Sforza and Bianca Maria Visconti. Seat of the Augustinian order, the complex was built from a complicated series of events. A first chapel was dedicated to St. Nicholas of Tolentino and modernised in a gothic style according to the will of Francesco Sforza in 1451 (now right nave) and was accompanied by a second building (left nave) similar to the first chapel. The two buildings were linked in 1484 which has led to an original double church shape. The plan, attributed to Guiniforte Solari, is a typical example of late gothic, lombard style. On the right there are polygonal chapels with a clear Solari influence. The interior has been recently restored. The convent is the most important centre of Augustinian culture in Milan. The library building still stands and is undergoing restoration as it is one of the best examples of this kind of 15th century work. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Sixteenth-century church |
2 Via Vincenzo Bellini Milan, Milan 20122 Italy +39 2 7602 1370 |
S. Maria della Passione is one of the most interesting lombard buildings, with the Bramante mark, from the Renaissance era. The original plan was set out in a central design by the architect Giovannin Battagio (from 1486). There is a Greek cross, in the central nucleus, commissioned by Daniele Birago as well as three naves and lateral chapels designed by Martino Bassi in 1573. It is still possible to see the plan by the first architect, in the presbytery, especially of the free columns, which conform to the original design and the angular chapels which were much changed by the choir-stall, on which Cristoforo Lombardo put his mounumental lantern in the 16th century. There is a rich heritage of paintings by major, lombard artists of the 16th century in the church. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: leonardo crippa |
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Bramante and Leonardo in Milan (Last Supper) |
2 Piazza Santa Maria delle Grazie Milan 20123 Italy |
Commissioned by Ludovico di Moro and designed by Guiniforte Solari, this building was intended as a mausoleum for the Sforzesco dynasty, in which the remains of the duke and his wife, Beatrice d'Este, as well as others connected with the family, were to be laid to rest. The adjoining Dominican convent's cloister and sacristy were later renovated by Bramante. The refectory walls are home to Leonardo da Vinci's(1452-1519) Last Supper. Bramante's façade is of particular interest as is the gallery's terracotta ornamentation, which became one of the dominant motifs in northern Italian Renaissance architecture. Guests must book in advance. Admission: EUR 8 (with reservation). Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Tyler Palmer |
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Fifteen-century church |
San Pietro in Gessate Milan, Milan 20122 Italy |
Seat of the Benedictines in 1344, this church was built to how it is today in 1476. Attributed to the architects Guiniforte and Pietro Antonio Solari, the building is a result of a unitary plan. In a Latin cross shape with three naves open out to a chapel for nobility in a polygonal form, a distinctive mark of Solari workmanship. The intervention of private commissions was fundamental for the necessay funds for building. The Grifi chapel is one of the more memorable patronised chapels, on the left of the transept, decorated from 1487 by the painters Bernardino Zenale and Donato Montorfano. The restored facade is by the architect Brioschiin 1912 with a notable baroque presence, the only surviving element of the old decor. There is a special synchronicity of architectural elements and pictorial decoration, one of the few surviving examples of fifteenth century lombard style. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Salvi Lorena |
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Church and peculiar chappel with ossuary |
2 Verziere Milan, Milan 20122 Italy +39 (0)2 7252 4301 (L'ufficio turistico) |
This church, of medieval origin, has been rebuilt many times. Finished in the 18th century to resemble a civil villa and mounted by an octagonal lantern. There is an annex of a chapel war memorial on a square plan which contains thousands of human remains which are said to have belonged to victims of the plague of 1630, or to Milanese who were massacred by plundering goths. The most likely hypothesis is that these are the bodies of the deceased of the adjoining Hospital. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Conor O Rourke |
 Photo: Stefano Sibilia |
 Photo: Pedro |
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Majestic Neo-Classical church |
1 Piazza San Carlo Milan, Milan 20122 Italy +39 2 7252 4301 (l'ufficio turistico) |
There is an open area towards Piazza San Babila on Corso Vittorio Emanuele, onto which the impressive church of San Carlo al Corso looks. It was designed by the Neo-Classical architect, Carlo Amati, 1839-47. By pulling back the façade from the previous church built on that site (Santa Maria dei Servi), Amati succeeded in creating the open square in front of the church. The high Corinthian portico frames the facade and connects it to the Corso. The round church has a high dome (36.9 meters) and was built during 1843-47 by Felice Pizzagalli. Inside, the large round space with double order of columns is surrounded by a series of niches and chapels in stately Neo-Classical style. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: rviswana1962 |
 Photo: Bruno Gerber |
 Photo: il Presbite |
 Photo: Ron Ordansa |
 Photo: Mirella Marinelli |
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Ancient Romanesque church |
37 Corso Italia Milan, Milan 20122 Italy +39 2 5831 3187 |
The church of San Celso stands at the back of a small garden next to the large church of Santa Maria dei Miracoli on Corso Italia. The story goes that the church stands on the place where Sant'Ambrogio found the bodies of Saints Nazaro and Celso. The small Romanesque church with 3 naves became a Benedictine monastery in 992. Following the addition of a new Baroque facade in 1651, the first two bays of the church were demolished in 1881 following the suppression of the monastery in 1783. The purpose of the demolition was to enlarge the sanctuary of Santa Maria dei Miracoli (16th c.) next door. In 1851, it was decided to build a new facade, designed by Luigi Canonica, on the remaining span. Several ancient elements, including the Romanesque portal, were to be combined with new elements that were in line with the architectural fashions of the day but in Romanesque style. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Church alongside the canal |
Via San Cristoforo sul Naviglio Milan, Milan 20144 Italy |
In a suburban area, along the left bank of the canal, is the church of S. Cristoforo. This building is formed by two adjoining constructions which are still identifiable. The one on the left, dates possibly from the end of the 7th century and the ducal chapel was added to it in 1398 at the request of the duke on the time of a long famine. This is one of the most typical examples of Gothic Lombard style both inside and outside. The paintings from the fifteenth and early sixteenth century are particularly interesting. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Federico Vitulli |
 Photo: Nuccia |
 Photo: eletrix |
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Baroque church |
Via Giuseppe Verdi Milan, Milan 20121 Italy +39 2 7252 4301 (L'ufficio Turistico) |
Built between 1607-30 on the site of the ancient oratory of San Giuseppe, the church is considered the masterpiece of the 18th c. architect, Francesco Maria Ricchino, and the most representative Baroque church in the city. Externally the façade is on two levels marked by pilasters and columns. A large pediment with a balcony window stands on the tall base framing the majestic entrance surrounded by statues (by Giovanni Piazza and Francesco Somaini in 1800). Behind the façade, the octagonal body of the church is flanked by a central, apsed chamber. Within the octagon, reduced to a square with rounded corners, columns and arches support the dome. The square body of the high altar (perhaps added later) stands on the other side of a triumphal arch opposite the entrance. The altar is flanked by chapels and decorated with canvases by Giulio Cesare Procaccini and Melchiorre Gherardini. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Ancient romanic church |
7 Piazza San Simpliciano Milan, Milan 20121 Italy +39 (0)2 869 0683 (per concerti) |
This church features Roman architecture, partly changed by modern interventions. However, San Simpliciano has kept part of the old walls of the Basilica Virginum, which existed in the 4th century. Begun by Bishop Ambrogio and finished by his successor Simplciano as a place to keep the relics of the saints, Martirio, Sisino and Alessandro and Simpliciano himself, the structure is built using the famous latin cross design. The current building has three naves of equal height and a semicircular apse with frescoes of the Coronation of Mary, by Bergognone. This is also a popular concert venue. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: wookieonair |
 Photo: Gianluca Fabrizio |
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World-Class Italian Football |
5 Via Piccolomini Milan 20151 Italy +39 02 404 2432 http://www.stadiosansiro.it |
Inaugurated in 1926, San Siro Stadium is one of the most recognized football stadiums in the world. The world-class stadium hosts two major Italian Football League Teams: A.C. Milan and Internazionale, most commonly known as Inter. It is officially named Giuseppe Meazza in honor of the Milan player of the 1930s and 1940s, but is still commonly known as San Siro. With a capacity of over 85,000, football fans from around the globe make their way to the stadium for intense national and international matches. Stadium tours are available M-Sa from 10a-5p, except during match days. Also be sure to check out the San Siro Museum featuring a large collection of historical objects, original jerseys, trophies and more. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: José Guerrero Roldán |
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Church and monastery |
25 Piazza San Vittore Milan 20123 Italy +39 2 4800 5351 |
This old, early Christian basilica is one of the oldest buildings in the city, built to house the relics of St.Vittore and St. Satiro. There are remains of the Oratorio of St. Martino ad Corpus (destroyed in 700), as well as the octagonal mausoleum of St. Gregorio, even featured in some views from the 16th century, which testifies to it's antiquity. The octagonal martyrium is also a prototype of the flourishing and vast spread of the ambrosian baptistry style. The building of the new olivetano complex began in 1508, while the church began to be rebuilt in 1560. It is difficult to say who designed it, views on this range from Galeazzo Alessi and Vincenzo Seregni. The incomplete facade offers formal solutions of great interest. The ex-monastery of St. Vittore, rebuilt by the Olivetani in th 16th century is of interest, and it now houses the 'Leonardo da Vinci' Museum of Science and Technology in addition to being one of the most interesting monastic structures of the first half of the 16th century. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Ancient church in the historic Brera area |
2 Piazza del Carmine Milan, Milan 20121 Italy +39 2 8646 3365 http://www.chiesadelcarmine.it |
At the entrance to the historic Brera quarter is the church dedicated to S. Maria del Carmine. It was built in 1400 for Gian Galeazzo Visconti on an old Carmelite instituition which was abandoned because of the neighbouring castle in construction. Planned by Bernado da Venezia according to a typical square design, already used by the architect for the church del Carmine di Pavia, the building had many interruptions that lasted until 1456 with the intervention of Pietro Solari. Transformed in the Baroque era, the church was brought back to gothic form by the radical intervention of the architects Giuseppe Pestagalli (1826-39) and Carlo Maciachini (1880) who also planned the facade, and Ambrogio Annoni in 1912. Inside the church, the sculptures, paintings and wooden inlay from the 15th-17th centuries, are all of note and there are two surviving cloisters in which fragments of roman and medieval sculptures can be found as well as parts from the fifteenth century which come from sepulchral monuments which were once in the church. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Eneko Ametzaga |
 Photo: M. Luisa Spagnuolo |
 Photo: principemm |
 Photo: Stefano Fassone |
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Masterpiece by Bramante |
3 Via Speronari Milan, Milan 20123 Italy +39 2 87 4683 |
This extremely famous church is linked to the name of Bramante. In actual fact, nearby S. Satiro has a much older foundation which was influenced by Bishop Ansperto and generally dates from the 9th century. However, the old building is almost unrecognisable following the works of the renaissance period and the nineteenth restorations. The design of the church is attributed to Bramante who presence on the site is documented in 1478. The church occupies a plot of land delineated by what is Via Torino and Via del Falcone today, an old district of the Visconti-Sforzesca era. The choir-stall is particularly original as it is small yet very deep. On the left side of the transept is a chapel 'della Pieta' where there is a Greek cross contained in a cylinder by Bramante which one can admire from Via del Falcone. There is the famous model group in the inside in polychrome terracotta, which is the work of Agostino de Fondulis (1482-83), who also made the terracotta decorations of the sacristy and dome. The sacristy is an octagonal building, by Bramante which is reached by a small hall from the right nave modified in the 19th century. This interesting building was one of the highlights of Bramante's work, evidence of which is all over the Duchy of Sforzesco. The 'caged' church exterior is a result of the later buildings which do not allow a wide view of the church, nonetheless the facade can be seen from Via del Falcone as planned by Bramante. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Eric Wilson |
 Photo: Yu |
 Photo: Aye Cofalka |
 Photo: towne |
 Photo: Michael Delli Carpini |
 Photo: Marg. Voulgaropoulou |
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Built in 1608 |
10 Via Senato Milan, Milan 20121 Italy +39 2 7252 4301 (l'ufficio turistico) |
Designed in 1608 by Fabio Mangone, and commissioned by Federico Borromeo, this college was destined for the training of the Swiss clergy. Its monumental architecture revolves around the two courtyards cadenced by double columns. The façade is superb in a semicircular arrangement, by Franco Maria Richini, providing a link between the street front and the axis of the interior courtyards. Today the building houses Milan's State Archives. Feature of interest: There is a copy of a statue by Picasso on the small piazza in front of the façade. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Next to Sant'Ambrogio |
Piazza Sant'Ambrogio Milan, Milan 20123 Italy |
Opposite the Garibaldi barracks stands the marble monument opened on 4 Nov 1928, the tenth anniversary of Vittorio Veneto, which the Milan people dedicated to those who had lost their lives in the First World War. The monument was built between 1927 and 1930 after a troubled time, according to the plans of Giovanni Muzio in collaborazione di Alberto Alpago Novello, Ottavio Cabiati and Giò Ponti. The building has an octagonal shape, is spread over three floors and a wide range of materials were used in its construction. It boasts various monuments from the 'Mausoleo di Teodorico' to the 'Rosa dei Venti di Atene'. Above the ciborium is the electric beacon which is supposedly visible for 15km. This famous monument, rebuilt after the Second World War, due to consoderable damage, is surrounded by many statues in the niches and ledges. As well as the works of Lombardi, Supino, Maiocchi and Zamboni, the Sant'Ambrogio by Adolfo Wildt stands out. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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A leonine monument |
Piazza San Babila Milan, Milan 20121 Italy +39 2 7252 4301 (L'ufficio Turistico) |
In Piazza San Babila, in front of the church of the same name, there is a tall column in sandstone on the top of which a famous lion was put in 1656, as request by the Duchy of Serbelloni. The Medieval emblem of the Porta Orientale district, this lion is the subject of a popular legend, according to which it was stolen from the Venetians during a siege. Apparently, the Ventian soldiers, after hearing the noise made by a baker of Milan during his nighttime work, thought that they had been discovered by the city's soldiers, and they abandoned their hiding places. In doing so, they revealed themselves to the Milanese, who had time to arm themselves and defend the city. After the victory, the Milanese took their standards and weapons, along with the lion, a copy of the one from St. Mark's, which was the Venetians mascot. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Mixture of Italy and Spain |
Piazza Medaglie d'Oro Milan, Milan 20122 Italy |
Planned by Ferrante Gonzaga on behalf of the Spanish crown, the second circuit of city walls was begun in 1549 and completed in 1560. With respect to the Medieval walls, the new fortifications enclosed the new districts that had grown up around the radial streets. This basically military structure, one of the most powerful in Europe, consisted of massive curtain walls and fortified towers, while little emphasis was placed on ornamentation. One of the finest parts of the walls is the Porta Romana, designed by Aurelio Trezzi, in which the traditional form of the city gate is given a sober decorative treatment. From the 18th century, the walls began to be converted for uses differing to that of defense, and in the 19th century they were finally demolished to make room for new districts of bourgeois residential architecture. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: wcities |
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Triumphal Neo-Classical gateway |
Piazzale 24 Maggio Milan, Milan 20123 Italy |
On the original Roman road that led to Pavia from Milan, what you see of Porta Ticinese today is only a part of the Neo-Classical design that was submitted by Luigi Cagnola. His ideas included bastions - since dismantled - and the square in the direction of the village of San Gottardo between vast buildings that were to house the local market and receiving office. These buildings were to lie on either side of the gateway and symmetrical to the road, thereby redefining the entire area. The project was begun in 1801 to celebrate the victory of Napoleon at the battle of Marengo in 1800 and the arrival of the French troops from that direction, but construction was halted in 1814 after only the gate and the two toll-gates at the sides had been finished. The building is made from pink granite from Baveno (today blackened by smog and grime) in Vitruvian Doric style. The massive pillars and columns crowned by the large tympanum is one of the most representative Milanese works of Neo-Classical architecture. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Dan Hadad |
 Photo: Nerot |
 Photo: Gionata Gesi OZMO |
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Beautiful gateway to the city |
Corso di Porta Ticinese Milan, Milan 20123 Italy |
The ancient Porta Ticinese gate, part of the 12th-century city walls built after the destruction wrought by Frederick Barbarossa, is the only remaining gate along with the arches of Porta Nuova. The present state of the gate reflects the work of Camillo Boito (1861-65) who isolated the surviving structures and completed the missing parts with his own interpretation. Feature of interest: Starting from the ancient gate and moving out of the city, one finds Corso di Porta Ticinese, originally a fortified wall, part of the extension of the city fortifications commissioned by Azzone Visconti in the 14th century. The original character of this district, one destined to craftsmen's workshops, can still be seen in the buildings, featuring a narrow, tall street front and an extensive series of inner courtyards and service buildings further back. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Francesca Fiorini |
 Photo: fabio_cavallotti |
 Photo: Suiane Cardoso |
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The much-debated and famous skyscraper |
5 Piazza Velasca Milan, Milan 20122 Italy +39 2 7252 4301 (L'ufficio Turistico) |
The most famous and discussed skyscraper in the centre of Milan was designed by the BBPR studio (Banfi, Belgiojoso, Peressutti, Rogers): it was begun in 1950 and completed 8 years later. At 106 metres high, it was the symbol of Milanese architecture after WW2. From an initial parallelepiped design, the need to distribute the volumes meant the building was built like a mushroom resting on brackets made from reinforced concrete. The formal allusions to the Castello Sforzesco, structural emphasis on the ribbing and uprights, use and grain of the materials, and the careful design of the details make the building one of the most interesting modern constructions in the city. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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 Photo: Francesco Mosca |
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Oriental gateway |
Piazza Guglielmo Oberdan Milan, Milan 20129 Italy |
Once known as Porta Orientale, the Eastern Gate, in the Spanish city walls, these two buildings were made to a design by Rodolfo Vantini from 1827 to 1828, following a competition launched to replace Piermarini's work that had been left unfinished. The square-plan buildings have loggias on three sides. The design testifies to the transformation, which had already begun with Piermarini's design (1787-1789), of the fortified gates into administrative buildings. Facing the direction of Vienna, the monument would later lose significance when Napoleon took command and built the Arch of Peace. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: wcities |
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Not to be missed! |
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II Milan, Milan 20121 Italy +39 2 7252 4301 (L'ufficio Turisfico) |
Construction of the "Galleria", a typically 19th-century public building now used for events, began in 1864 following a series of competitions for the design won by Giuseppe Mengoni. Large plaster eagles support its dome, 47m high and made of iron and corrugated glass. Note the telamons and caryatids on the interior façades and the Neo-Renaissance-style stucco work and graffiti. The floor of the octagon was completely restored in 1966 in rare marble mosaic showing the emblems of Italian cities. The art nouveau Bar Zucca (once the historic Camparino) facing the Piazza Duomo is the traditional stop for an aperitif and neighbours the elegant restaurant Il Savini. Feature of interest: On the mosaic floor note the symbol of the city of Turin - the black bull with worn genitals. Legend has it that revolving three times on one leg placed exactly in that position brings good luck. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Brechje Marechal / Andy Nelson |
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