Attractions

The Fashion's Capital
The Duomo
Galleria Vitorrio Emanuele II
Castello Sforzesco
Basilica di S. Ambrogio
The Waterways (Navigli)
Piazza Cordusio


The Fashion's Capital

For a break from sightseeing and a glimpse of an important and more contemporary aspect of Milanese life, stroll down the via Montenapoleone, this is the most elegant shopping street in Milan. All the star names of Italian fashion are here: Armani, Moschino, Valentino, Krizia, Versace to name a few, as well as the latest in household design and contemporary art.

Head for Versace at Via Alessandro Manzoni 38 or pop around to Via San Andrea where you'll find Prada, Fendi and Kenzo. The Via Montenapoleone is home to Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Cartier and Ungaro. For less exclusive shops, head for the Via Torino or the Corso Buenos Aires.


The Duomo

One of the largest Gothic cathedrals in the world - the Duomo - dominates Milan's central square, the Piazza del Duomo. More than 500 years in the making (work began in 1386 under the watchful eye of Gian Galeazzo Visconti), it is an intricate and awe-inspiring building and a tribute to the five centuries of artists, artisans, architects, builders and engineers who created it. Climb up to the roof for a stunning view over Milan.

The Cathedral stands 108 meters high (from the point of the highest spire) and is 158 meters wide. It is the third most magnificent church in Christendom.
The cathedral has five naves and a spacious polygonal apse. The plans for the cathedral are from the latter half of the 14th century when the plan included vaults, which progressively decrease in size.
The high rose marble spires on which stands the Madonnina (the symbol of the city, placed there in 1774) represent the most famous and most celebrated religious Monument in the city.


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Galleria Vitorrio Emanuele II

Located to the north of the lively Piazza del Duomo, is one of the world's most elegant shopping malls. Designed by Giuseppe Mengoni in 1878, it is a vast, glass-roofed arcade and was one of the first buildings in Europe to use iron and glass as structural elements.


It houses stylish cafes, restaurants and shops.








Castello Sforzesco

Continuing along Via Dante, now a pedestrian precinct, we reach the spectacular Piazza Cairoli, with the impressive pile of the Castello Sforzesco opposite.
Renaissance Milan in all its glory, this castle was constructed by Francesco Sforza as his residence and fortress in 1450. Much loved by the Sforza family, especially Galeazzo Maria Sforza and Ludovico il Moro who added many decorative features to the castle. After its abandon, the castle nearly became victim to an urbanization scheme calling for its demolition - luckily the plan was defeated and the castle restored by Luigi Beltrami, at the turn of this century. The castle houses many museums and collections.


Basilica di S. Ambrogio

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 twelfth 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 that 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). Bramante builds the presbytery and cloisters of the convent according to a design. Also to be noted are the ciborium, the gold altar and paleochristian mosaics.


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The Waterways (Navigli)

Legitimate pride of Lombards, the Navigli (waterways) is the result of widespread reclamation works with canalization, irrigation and exploitation of the waters of the territory around Milan. Started by the monks of the larger medieval orders (Benedectines, Cistercians, Umiliati), this operation was intensified under the Visconti' and the Sforza's, and subsequently perfected at the time of the Spanish and Austrian dominion. They were important for supplying water for defending Milan, and for transferring to her docks all the merchandise arriving from far off lands. In fact, it was via these waterways that marble arrived in Milano for building the Duomo. They also represented the only safe thoroughfares at this time, and wayfarers, diplomats, master craftsmen and even the brides of the dukes used them for leaving the city.


Piazza Cordusio

From Piazza Cordusio there is a magnificent view of the Duomo cathedral at one end and the Castello Sforzesco at the other. A favorite shopping area, the nearby Piazza degli Affari, home of the Italian Stock Exchange, Chamber of Commerce and main branches of many major banks, make Piazza Cordusio one of the busiest places in the city. People, trams, buses, taxis and automobiles converge on the square during the peak hours, while only the tourists take time to enjoy the view.