One-day sightseeing in Milan: Best places to visit in European capital of fashion

Contents

• Milan Cathedral
• Sforzesco Castle
• Vittorio Emmanuele II Gallery
• Teatro alla Scala
• Royal Palace
• Arch of Peace
• Leonardo da Vinci Museum of Science and Technology
• Sempione Park

Milan Cathedral

Milan Cathedral is a majestic Gothic building that is rightfully a symbol of Milan and one of its main decorations. Its construction lasted 600 years.

The cathedral was built of white marble. Its pearly white facade, adorned with 135 spires and 3400 sculptures, impresses tourists with its beauty.

It is one of the largest cathedrals in the world. The total length of the temple is 158 meters, the width of the transverse nave is 92 m, and the height from the base to the highest spire is 106.5 m.

No less impressive is the interior decoration of the cathedral: here you can see the world's largest stained-glass windows with biblical scenes. The oldest stained-glass window is about 500 years old.

Photo: Milan Cathedral (wikipedia.org)

Sforzesco Castle

The Sforzesco Castle (Castello Sforzesco) was erected in the 15th century, and its decoration was carried out by Leonardo da Vinci himself, to whom a separate hall inside is dedicated.

The exposition of the castle includes rare objects of art, everyday items of Italian nobles of the Middle Ages, Renaissance, and Baroque, as well as elegant antique furniture.

The museum houses:

• Michelangelo's last work “Rondanini Pietà”;
• paintings by Andrea Mantegna, Bellini, Filippino Lippi, Correggio and Pontormo;
• a unique exhibition of musical instruments.

Photo: Sforzesco Castle (wikipedia.org)

Vittorio Emmanuele II Gallery

Milan is a real paradise for shopping. One of the most visited places, perhaps, can be called the European shopping gallery named after Vittorio Emmanuele II.

It combines two historic squares of the Cathedral: the Duomo and the legendary La Scala Opera House. The place is known not only for branded boutiques but also can be interesting for connoisseurs of architecture, thanks to its thoughtful and sophisticated architectural ensemble.

The passage is made in the shape of a Latin cross with glass roofs and a huge dome in the central part. Inside you can see paintings made of smalt, frescoes, sculptures, stucco, and floors with mosaic coats of arms. It seems as if you are inside a huge kaleidoscope.

Photo: Victor Emmanuel II Gallery (wikipedia.org)

Teatro alla Scala

The Teatro alla Scala is rightfully considered the best opera stage in the world. Behind the austere and modest facade of the neoclassical building hides a luxurious auditorium.

The building itself is outwardly very modest, built according to the project of Giuseppe Piermarini. The acoustics of the hall is an amazing feature. Considering that only world-class stars perform on stage, each show is a kind of masterpiece.

Photo: Teatro alla Scala (wikipedia.org)

The interior of the opera house fully meets both the level of art and the requirements of the mandatory dress code: everything is permeated with luxury. Gold, velvet, high-society surroundings highlight the level of the grandeur of the place itself and what is happening on the stage.

Teatro alla Scala (photo from the web)

Royal Palace

Royal Palace (Palazzo Reale di Milano) is located in the historic center of Milan, Piazza del Duomo.

The building was built in the 12th century as a town hall. In the 15th century, Francesco Sforza came to power and the building was rebuilt - it housed the ducal residence.

The palace acquired its final modern appearance during the reign of the Habsburgs. In the 17th century, one of the halls on the first floor housed the first permanent theater in Milan.

During the Second World War, the building was damaged by bombing. The roof was destroyed, and a strong fire broke out. The famous Hall of the Caryatids, which hosted grandiose royal receptions, lost its famous stucco, luxurious ceiling paintings and Appiani paintings in the fire.

The restoration took place in several stages: the first was in the 1960s, and the second in the 2000s.

The Royal Palace has now become the center of Milan's social and cultural life.

Royal Palace in Milan (photo from the web)

Arch of Peace

The Arch of Peace (Arco della Pace) is an architectural monument in the neoclassical style.

The paradox is that the project was originally conceived as a tribute to Napoleon's victory, but the long construction radically changed the original plan by the time its construction was completed in 1838. As a result, the meaning of this historical building in the center became the opposite meaning: the Arch of Peace became a symbol of the end of the Napoleonic Wars.

The building in the form of an arch with columns is given special splendor by the equestrian statues of the goddess of victory, located on top of the monument. On the pediment there are allegorical images of river gods denoting the main rivers of Lombardy, in the middle of the structure there are panels dedicated to significant events in the history of the country: the fall of Napoleon and the plots of Austrian rule.

Photo: Arch of Peace (wikipedia.org)

Leonardo da Vinci Museum of Science and Technology

Opened in the building of an ancient monastery of the late Middle Ages, the Leonardo da Vinci National Museum today has become the repository of the largest collection of technical inventions of the brilliant Italian creator.

Probably, this is one of the most informative museums in Milan. As many as three floors are dedicated to all kinds of technical human inventions. Here you will find everything from a steam engine to a submarine. Radio waves and electricity, television and telegraph, clocks and astronomical instruments will be interesting for both adults and children.

Leonardo da Vinci Museum of Science and Technology (photo from the network)

Sempione Park

Parco Sempione is the largest green area in Milan, located opposite the Sforza Palace. The area is decorated with fountains and sculptures. It is the perfect place to relax, have a picnic or go hiking.

The park has many attractions, thanks to which you can get acquainted with the Italian architecture of the 19th century. Each path of the park is named, dedicated to the memory of creative personalities such as Shakespeare, Ibsen, Schiller, Gautier.

Sempione Park (photo from the web)

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