Stazione Centrale – Central Station Milan
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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This a beautiful museum housed in the palazzo of the nobleman Gian Giacomo Poldi Pezzoli (19th century), very close to the 
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 ).
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 
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 .
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.
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.
mia. 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.
About 500 meters north of the 
Bramante , Christ at the column
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 
Connecting the square of the 
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).
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.
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.
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 
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.
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.
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.
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