Milan, in the northern Italian province of Lombardy, is the country’s financial and fashion hub. It’s a smart metropolis, a forward-thinking metropolis that never forgets its former glories. Milan’s spectacular retail facilities, which house designers such as Prada, Armani, and Versace, attract nearly as many people as the city’s centuries-old cultural institutions. Milan is Italy’s third most visited city, behind Rome and Venice, thanks to attractions such as the Duomo Cathedral, La Scala, and Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper.
Milan Cathedral
The Milan Cathedral, also known as the Duomo di Milano, is one of Europe’s most ornate Gothic churches. This cathedral, dedicated to Saint Mary Nascent, is the largest in Italy and the fifth largest in the world. It is located in the heart of Milan, with streets flowing outwards and encircling it. The cathedral itself is a work of art, and it is surrounded by countless minor works of art. A large number of statues and half-bust sculptures are among them. The cathedral has the most statues of any cathedral in the world, at 3,159. There are 2,245 of them on the outside of the cathedral, plus 96 gargoyles. Many beautiful stained glass windows may be found throughout the church.
Santa Maria delle Grazie
The Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, designed and erected in the late 1400s by famed Renaissance architect Donato Bramate, is best known for its most famous artifact: Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper. Despite a 21-year restoration completed in 1999, the artwork retains only a sliver of its former brilliance, yet its artistry is so impressive that viewing it remains a dramatic and emotive experience for many visitors. Only 25 people are allowed to see the masterpiece at a time, therefore reservations are required for this must-see attraction.
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, which opened in the late 1800s, is one of the world’s oldest enclosed shopping malls. The mall’s design is as magnificent as the high-end couture presented in its shops, which include Louis Vuitton, Borsalino, and Prada, with its blue glass vaulted ceilings, mosaic flooring, and towering central dome. The Galleria has received the nickname “el salotto di Milano,” or Milan’s drawing-room, due to its popularity as a meeting spot. Turning one’s heel over the mosaic bull beneath the central dome is said to bring good luck.
Quadrilatero d’Oro
The Quadrilatero d’Oro, also known as the Quadrilatero della moda, is not only Milan’s most premium shopping district but also one of the world’s most prominent fashion destinations. The “Golden Quadrilateral” is made up of multiple city blocks, most of which are covered in Neoclassical architecture. Hermès, Armani, Chanel, and Michael Kors are among the most well-known fashion names represented on Via Sant’Andrea. The beautiful Grand Hotel et de Milan, where Giuseppe Verdi died in 1901, is one of the architectural gems on the renowned Via Manzoni.
