by Paola Nori
At first glance, Milan (Milano) can appear like one of the models gracing its catwalks: great bone structure (in the shape of historic and striking new architecture), extravagant taste and no obvious soul. But Milan’s style and, yes, substance, are more than skin deep.
Milan is the engine room of the country’s economy and home of its stock exchange, yet it isn’t driven by tourism. Treasures that survived WWII’s extensive damage include its elaborate cathedral, Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper, La Scala opera house and Castello Sforzesco. What really sets Milan apart, though, is its creative streak.
La Scala Opera House photo by G.dallorto/Wikimedia
Armani, Versace, Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, Pucci, Gucci and many more took off on Milan’s runways. Fashionistas make a pilgrimage here to shop at the designers’ flagship stores in the Quadrilatero d’Oro (Golden Quad). Boutiques stocking emerging labels, and chic concept shops also line the city’s streets, while discount outlets selling samples, seconds and last season’s cast-offs are a bargain-hunter’s Holy Grail. Milan is also the world capital of furniture and homewares (the beanbag is a Milanese brainchild), and a hub for risk-taking contemporary art. By night there’s an avant-garde theatre scene, a fabulous aperitivi scene (extended ‘happy hour’ with platters of bar food laid on) and hip, hot clubs.
Fashion and finance aside, Milan’s other religion is, of course, calcio (football). The city is home to both AC Milan and Inter, two of Italy’s top teams, and passionate crowds pack San Siro stadium on Sunday in season.
Piazza Duomo photo by Paolo da Reggio/Wikimedia
The major landmarks of Milan can be seen on foot, and most are within an easy walk of Piazza Duomo, the heart of the city. Start your exploring with the Duomo itself and its museum, and then plan some short walks from there.
Heading north from Piazza Duomo, through the elegant Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, you'll reach Piazza della Scala, home of the famous La Scala opera house. Turn on Via Manzoni and head for Via Montenapoleone, Milan's premier shopping and design area.
Alternatively, head north into Via Verdi, which leads to Via Brera and the Pinacoteca di Brera, one of the city's—and the world's—most celebrated art galleries. Mantegna, Giovanni Bellini, Raphael, Piero della Francesca and Caravaggio are just some of the artists whose work is in this vast gallery.
Largo Cairoli photo by Marco Bonavoglia/Wikimedia
Another option is to walk northwest from Piazza Duomo on Via Mercanti, which becomes the pedestrian-only street Via Dante. This will take you to Castello Sforzesco, home of the Renaissance rulers of Milan. The castle now contains several museums that are well worth visiting. Even just a stroll around the grounds is a memorable experience.
Following Via Torino from Piazza del Duomo, you will reach the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, a small but important gallery. It houses works by Raphael, Leonardo, Titian and Breughel.
If you really feel like walking, head west to the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. In the refectory is Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece The Last Supper. Make sure you get a reservation to view.
Now a Little History of Milan
Celtic tribes settled along the river Po in the 7th century BC, and the area encompassing modern-day Milan has remained inhabited since.
In 222 BC Roman legions marched into the territory, defeated the Gallic Insubres tribe and occupied the town, which they called Mediolanum (Middle of the Plain). Mediolanum’s key position on the trade routes between Rome and northwestern Europe ensured its continued prosperity and it was here in AD 313 that Emperor Constantine made his momentous edict granting Christians freedom of worship. By the end of the 4th century, Rome had been abandoned by the imperial court in favour of Mediolanum, and it functioned as the capital city of the collapsing Western empire.
A commune (town council) was formed by all social classes in the 11th century, and from the mid-13th century government passed to a succession of dynasties – the Torrianis, the Viscontis and finally the Sforzas. It fell under Spanish rule in 1535 and Austrian in 1713.
Napoleon made Milan the capital of his Cisalpine Republic in 1797 and, five years later, of his Italian Republic, crowning himself king of Italy in 1805. Austria returned in 1814 but troops under Vittorio Emanuele II and Napoleon III crushed the Austrian forces in 1859 and Milan became part of the Kingdom of Italy.
After WWI Mussolini, in Milan as editor of the socialist newspaper Avanti!, founded the Fascist Party here in 1919. WWII was the city’s darkest hour: allied bombings during WWII destroyed much of central Milan. Although postwar economic recovery was rapid, corruption quickly infiltrated the city.
In 1992 the Tangentopoli scandal broke, implicating thousands of Milanese politicians, officials and businesspeople, fashion designers Gianni Versace and Giorgio Armani among them. A year later a Sicilian Mafia terrorist bomb exploded outside Milan’s contemporary art museum and in 1995 fashion tycoon Maurizio Gucci was shot dead outside his office on the same street.
Milan’s self-made big shot, Silvio Berlusconi, was elected Italian prime minister in 2001. He became Italy’s longest-serving postwar leader. The city’s mayoral race that year was also close, obliging new centre-right mayor, Letizia Moratti (the city’s first female mayor), to form a coalition government with the left.
