Milan Things to Do – Living in Italy

Stazione Centrale – Central Station Milan

Stef Smulders — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 12:08:50 +0000

Milan’s Central Station is an impressive building in size and style and worth a visit even if you do not intend to travel by train. Although the construction of the railway station already begun in 1906, it was under the fascist reign of Mussolini that it got its definitive form and was finally completed. Some of it’s original style remained however, such as the Liberty and Art Deco elements. T

he text above the main entrance has been “christened” after WWII, but you can still recognize part of the word FASCismo beneath it. Indicative of the state of affairs in Italy, where fascist organisations still exist?

Platform 21 and the Shoah

Seen from afar it does bear some resemblance to Australia’s Ayers Rock in its massiveness . The impression of the building is as immense as are its dimensions : its facade is 200 meters wide and its vault 72 meters high, the steel canopies are 341 meters long and cover an area of 66,500 square meters. Visitors can see the Savoia family waiting room, Sala Reale, at platform 21. This, unfortunately, is also the platform from which during the final years of WWII hundreds of Jews were transport to the concentration camps of the Nazi’s, by order of the Repubblica Socialista Italiana of Mussolini. There is now a large inscription with the word Indifferenza, indifference as a reminder of the dark past.

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Poldi-Pezzoli Museum – A Renaissance Art Treasure in Milan

Stef Smulders — Tue, 19 Dec 2017 11:51:37 +0000

This a beautiful museum housed in the palazzo of the nobleman Gian Giacomo Poldi Pezzoli (19th century), very close to the Scala in the Via Manzoni. Among the numerous paintings from the 14th to the 18th century you’ll find the Madonna and Child by Andrea Mantegna , the Lament over the Dead of Christ by Giovanni Bellini , the Madonna and Child and Lament over the Dead of Christ two painting by Sandro Botticelli or the Portrait of a young woman a masterpiece by Antonio Pollaiolo , but also work of Piero della Francesca. The museum is also housing a collection of wonderful jewellery, Murano glass , porcelain, firearms, halberds, swords, tapestries, Persian carpets, fragments of Coptic textiles and a large collection of watches and clocks.

Aldo Pomodoro

Do not forget to visit the magnificent armoury directly to the left of the entrance. This room houses the collection of beautiful arms of Poldi Pezzoli and the display as it is now has been designed by 20th century artist Aldo Pomodoro, know for his large metal objects throughout the city. The display is impressive and a work of art in its own! Pomodoro is famous for his “Sphere within a Sphere” sculptures. There is also work of Pomodoro at the Banca Popolare (“Falling Movement”) and on Piazza Meda (‘Large Disc”) . In the Sant’Angela Merici church you can admire the altar designed by Arnaldo and his brother Giò ( Via Cagliero 26, north west of Stazione Centrale ).

Audio guides available in English (inclusive in ticket price). There is a calendar of temporary exhibitions. The museum website offers a beautiful guide of all paintings (sometimes with audio guide, phonetic English). The Museum is one of the four Historic House Museums (the others are the Villa Necchi , the Museo Bagatti Valsecchi and the Casa Museo Boschi Di Stefano) for which a passe-partout is available.

Accessible to the disabled, but no parking nearby.

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Sant’Eustorgio Basilisk – The Resting Place of the Three Magi

Stef Smulders — Mon, 18 Dec 2017 11:03:18 +0000

The Basilica of Sant’Eustorgio was for many years an important center for pilgrims on their journey to Rome or to the Holy Land, because it was the site of the tomb of the Three Magi. The tomb is currently housed in an urn located in the Chapel of the Kings. The bell tower even carries the star of Bethlehem instead of a cross!

With its series beautifully decorated chapels (commissioned from the 14th century onwards by the main families of the city) and impressive sculptures it’s a definite must see for visitors of Milan. The church is located at the end of the Corso di Porta Ticinese on the way to the Navigli district. The first chapel to the right has a Renaissance sepulcher and a triptych by Bergognone . The next three are more ancient, having frescoes of the Giotto school and tombs of members of the Visconti family. The high altar is an imposing marble polytich of the early 15th century. Also noteworthy are a Crucifixion on a table by a Venetian artist of the 13th century and St. Ambrose Defeating Arius by Figino of the late 16th century.

The procession of the three Magi

The 15th century Portinari Chapel is one of the most celebrated examples of Renaissance art in Lombardy. It has frescoes by Foppa and a marble ark of St. Peter , a work by Balduccio (1rst half 14th century) with the 8 figures of the “Virtues” set as caryatids to support the sarcophagus. Many pictures of the Cappella Portinari and of frescoes , paintings and sculptures can be seen on the official (Italian) website. Each year, at the feast of Epifania (January 6th) there is a procession of the Three Magi from Piazza Duomo to the Sant’Eustorgio .

Annex to the Basilica, at Piazza Sant’Eustorgio 3 , there is a museum with relics and liturgical artifacts.

Completely accessible to the disabled.

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Leonardo da Vinci in Milan – Traces of the Renaissance Man in Lombardy’s Capital

Stef Smulders — Sat, 16 Dec 2017 13:53:12 +0000

The biographer Walter Isaacson has recently published a new biography of the uomo universalis of all history’s geniuses, Leonardo da Vinci. The book has immediately become a worldwide bestseller so apparently there still is need for more information about the Renaissance man Leonardo. From 1482 till 1499 Da Vinci worked in Milan for Ludovico Sforza and there is a lot to see in the city that reminds of the inventor and artist.

An overview of the traces Leonardo da Vinci left in Milan

The Cenacolo or Last Supper
To see (15 minutes per visit) in the Santa Maria delle Grazie church when you book well in advance or take a tour. On how to get tickets for the Last Supper see my special blog post. The fresco isn’t a real fresco and started deteriorating almost immediately after completion (guarantee till the exit!). Restored at the end of the 20th century.
Leonardo da Vinci museum
It’s impossible to give an overview here of the wealth of exhibits presented at the Museo Nazionale della Scienza e della Tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci in Milan. The excellent website (in English) will help you out here.The museum is housed in a former cloister (plus two new pavilions) and is the largest of its kind in Italy. Especially worth mentioning is the entire department dedicated to the inventions of Leonardo (rightly so as the museum takes its name from the Renaissance uomo universale), see again the excellent website.
Castello Sforzesco
In the Palazzo Ducale of the Sforza castle you’ll find the Sala delle Asse decorated with paintings originally designed by Leonardo da Vinci.
Pinacoteca Ambrosiana
The Library of the art gallery has the Codex Atlanticus (the most important collection of his drawings) of Leonardo da Vinci on exhibit. The gallery itself exhibits the Ritratto di musica painting of Leonardo.
Leonardo’s Horse
To honor his father, the Duke of Milan Ludovico il Moro commissioned Leonardo da Vinci to make the largest horse statue of the world. Unfortunately Leonardo’s clay model was destroyed and the statue never came to be (designs of Leonardo’s hand exist though). It was only in the 20th century that American pilot Charles Dent decided that the statue should finally be realized. An new model was made and the enormous horse (7 x 9 x 2.4 meters) was cast in bronze in 1999. The horse statue can be admired in the Cultural Park of the Hippodrome San Siro. There is a copy of the horse in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA and a miniature version in Allentown, USA and also in Vinci, Leonardo’s birthplace. The Galileo Museum in Florence has made a different reconstruction of the horse, in steel and fiberglass, also based on Leonardo’s designs.
Leonardo’s Vineyard
This is a new museum in the house where Leonardo owned a vineyard at the end of the 15th century, the Atellani House. Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan, gave the vineyard to Leonardo in 1498. The house is now a museum, cafe and bed and breakfast! The house is situated opposite of the Santa Maria delle Grazie church with Leonardo’s Last Supper. Skip the line last minute tickets for the Last Supper can be booked through the museum’s website.

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Ambrosian Art Gallery Milan – Home of Leonardo da Vinci’s Codex Atlanticus

Stef Smulders — Sat, 16 Dec 2017 13:15:53 +0000

The Ambrosian Art Gallery , located not far west from the Duomo, consists of the actual Art Gallery as well as the Biblioteca and an Accademia. Paintings and sculptures from the 14th century to the beginning of the neoclassical 19th century are in the collection. An overview of the exhibition rooms is available on the very extensive museum website (still only in Italian), as well as a virtual visit to the exhibition rooms.

The most significant works of art include:

La canestra by Caravaggio
Ritratto di Musica by Leonardo da Vinci
Madonna del Baldacchino by Botticelli
the small pictures of Jan Brueghel
sketch of the Scuola di Atene of Raphael
Adorazione dei Magi by Titian

The Library has the Codex Atlanticus (the most important collection of his drawings) of Leonardo da Vinci on exhibit and also a manuscript of Virigilus that once belonged to Petrarca .

Reservation in advance is advised as only a limited number of people is let in at a time. You can reserve tickets on-line or at the call-center 0515881589.

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Pinacoteca di Brera – Art Gallery of Milan

Stef Smulders — Fri, 15 Dec 2017 10:58:29 +0000

About 500 meters north of the Scala you’ll find the Pinacoteca di Brera (Brera Art Gallery). Surprisingly enough the museum owes its name not to its founder but to the Germanic word braida , indicating a grassy opening in the city structure.

Several of Italy’s greatest masterpieces can be admired here, for example:

Andrea Mantegna ‘s amazing Dead Christ and St Luca Altarpiece ,
Raphael ‘ s Betrothal of the Virgin,
Piero della Francesca ‘s Madonna with Saints ,
Caravaggio ‘s Supper at Emmaus .

Other works by several Bellini’s (Pietà, Madonna with Child, Sermon of St Mark in Alessandria) , Canaletto, Tintoretto ( The Discovery of St Mark’s body ) and Veronese and many more:

Bramante , Christ at the column
Bramantino , Holy Family
Bassano , St Roche among the plague victims
Carpaccio , Disputation of St Stephen
Correggio , Adoration of the Magi
Crivelli , Madonna della Candeletta
Da Fabriano , Val Romita polytich
Foppa , Altarpiece
De Predis , Portrait of a young man
Veronese , Last Supper .

A virtual visit is available on the (unfortunately all Italian) website. An overview with reproductions of many of the artworks of the Pinacoteca can be found on the 1st-art-gallery website. Audio guides are available in Italian, English, French, German, Spanish.

Disabled visitors
The gallery is on the first floor of the building but is accessible by lift from the Soprintendenza entrance (Via Fiori Oscuri , 2). Electric wheelchairs available. No reserved parking.

Part of the same Brera complex are an astronomical museum and a botanical garden , both free admission.

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Monumental Cemetery of Milan – A Museum of the Dead

Stef Smulders — Fri, 15 Dec 2017 08:17:22 +0000

Visiting a graveyard may not be your favorite pastime when on vacation, but the (really) Monumental Cemetery of Milan is one not to miss. The mortuary monuments of the graves of famous Milanese families were produced by the best sculptors and artists since the opening of the cemetery (1866). A large variety of death themes and styles can be found: the door set ajar, the subterranean, grieving figures, allegorical representations.

Real works of art can be admired here in an atmosphere of serene silence: the Liberty-style tomb of Arturo Toscanini (which also houses the body of Vladimir Horowitz ), the spectacular Besenzanica tomb and an entire reproduction of Leonardo’s Last Supper at the Campari tomb (just in case you might fail to obtain tickets for the real one). In the Famedio (Pantheon) you’ll find the much visited grave of Alessandro Manzoni and the tombs of many other famous Italians.

A particularity of the cemetery is that it has always been open for different beliefs: there is a Jewish department and a cremation “temple” .

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The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II – the Salon of Milan

Stef Smulders — Wed, 13 Dec 2017 16:15:09 +0000

Connecting the square of the Duomo with Piazza della Scala , the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II of Milan offers a wide range of luxury shops, bars and restaurants. Not the cheapest places, so you can spend a lot of money if you wish. At the Town House Galleria Hotel you can stay at a price of 900 up to 3000 euro a night. All shops, even McDonald’s, are obliged to have their names written in gold on black on their windows to guarantee visual uniformity .

The Salon of Milan

The glass and steel constructed roof and cupola date from the late 19th century and the mosaics in the floor represent the weapon of the House of Savoy, the different capitals of Italy (Milan, Turin, Florence and Rome) and allegories of the four continents. The statues in the gallery represent Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Galileo etc. Tradition has it that turning in circles with your heel on the vital parts of the bull in the center mosaics brings you fortune, though the precise details on how to do it differ (so if it doesn’t work, it’s your fault).

The Galleria is frequently called the salon of Milan as it is a favorite meeting place for the inhabitants.

A bite of Italian : the characters of the name of VERDI during the years of the struggle of independence of Italy (il Risorgimento ) stood for the first king of united Italy Vittorio Emanuele Re d’Italia.

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Lake Como – the Mediterranean of Milan

Stef Smulders — Wed, 13 Dec 2017 15:35:36 +0000

Lake Como, located only 40 km north of Milan has for ages been a major tourist attraction due to its mild climate and beautiful surroundings. The rich and famous of all times have built their villas and landscaped their gardens here, along the panoramic shores of this lambda shaped beauty.

The western shore of Lake Como

Starting from the city of Como itself, you may want to discover the western shore first, as this is where most of the historical villas and gardens are located. Not to be missed either is the city of Bellagio , situated at the intersection of the three branches of the lake. Your first stop along the western shore would be Cernobbio with Villa d’Este surrounded by its Italian gardens that still are in their original state. The Villa nowadays functions as a top-class hotel .

Continuing north along the old Via Regina you pass picturesque villages until you see the only island of the lake, Isola Comancina that used to be a stronghold during the Middle Ages. You can take the boat across to the island to dine in the famous restaurant there. Past the isle the most beautiful part of the shore begins, the Riviera della Tremezzina . Near Lenno look for the Villa Arconati Visconti Balbianello with its splendid loggia overlooking the lake.

Further north, at Tremezzo , you’ll find Villa Carlotta , which hosts sculptures of Canova and paintings of Hayez and is again surrounded by a beautiful garden (entry at 9€). The last stop along the shore would be Menaggio , from where car ferries depart for Bellagio .

Between the legs of the Lambda

Bellagio is situated at the promontory that sticks far out in the Lake. In Bellagio you may visit the beautiful park of the Villa Serbelloni hotel and Villa Melzi with its gardens. And as a secret tip: walk to the small village Pescalla to the west. Even if Bellagio is crowded, this hidden spot is quiet. To walk back just follow the main road and admire the beautiful houses and gardens!

From Bellagio (or straight from Menaggio) you may want to take the ferry to another picturesque town at lake Como: Varenna. A lively spot with all the tourist stuff: shops, bars, terraces, restaurants and a long scenic lakefront walkway. A steep walk uphill there is a castle you may want to visit. Further south is the city of Como’s counterpart, called Lecco, a larger lively town.

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Il Duomo – the Cathedral of Milan

Stef Smulders — Tue, 12 Dec 2017 16:32:59 +0000

Definitely the most famous sight of Milan , the Duomo Santa Maria Nascente is also one of the largest religious buildings in the world . Its splendidly white marble facade with thousands of spires and statues opens up to the large Piazza del Duomo , where all great festivities of Milan take place (like Inter or Milan soccer championships). Some people were less enthousiastic about the cathedral’s architecture, calling it a giant typewriter.

Where Saint Ambrose baptised Saint Augustine

Walk around the building for an impression of its size and beauty, then enter through one of the 20th century bronze doors. The space inside is impressive. The very large stained-glass windows behind the choir in the back are spectacular. You may also visit the crypt , the treasury and the underground baptistery, remains of the 4th century Santa Tecla basilica. This is a truly historical spot as it was in this baptistery that St Ambrose finally christened St Augustine , who was to have a decisive influence in the history of catholicism over the ages. Parts of the apse of the Santa Tecla (floor tiles) are visible through a glass window at the Duomo Metro station.

A roof with a view

The one thing not to miss is to visit the roof (by stairs or elevator) where you enjoy a panoramic view of the city and possibly the Alps. It also allows you have a closer look at the statues among which the gilded copper Madonnina (the highest point of Milan). Tickets for Duomo rooftop, treasury and baptistery are available at the MilanTourismPoint and Autostradale Offices. The prices are rooftop elevator 12€, rooftop stairs 7€, rooftop, treasury and baptistery 13 resp 10€. In summer you might be so lucky as to be able to attend one of the few concerts on the roof terrace . Must be a spectacular experience! See the Viviilduomo website for the calendar of events.

The Nail of the Holy Cross

In September the so-called Rito della Nivola is celebrated, in which the chiodo relic , that is believed to be a nail from the Holy Cross , is taken from its position in the cathedral. It is preserved in the apse in a case inside a tabernacle, about 45 m above the ground, and taken from there by the bishop who is lifted up by an elevator, called the nivola (cloud). To experience this event, you need to make a reservation at the Venerando Fabbrica .

Audio guides are available at the Duomo Info Point ( Via Arcivescovado ) and recommended. Audio Guides may also be downloaded from the VisitaMilano website (in english).

Fully accessible to the disabled.

Decent clothing obligatory (no shorts, arms & legs covered)!

A bite of Italian:
La fabbrica del Duomo is an expression that signifies a never ending work. The building of the Duomo lasted from 1386-1812.

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