Miami

MILAN

Dear Monica,

we don't know how much you know about our wonderful country and about our history, so we would like you to visit one of the must-see Italian cities and we would like to introduce you to some of its most brilliant and famous citizens.

So, let's go to Milan.

Milan is the capital of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1,315,000, while the urban area is the largest in Italy and the fifth largest in the European Union. The Milan metropolitan area, by far the largest in Italy, is estimated by the OECD to have a population of 7,400,000.

The city was founded under the name of Medhlan, by the Insubres, Celtic people. It was later captured by the Romans in 222 BC, and the city became very successful under the Roman Empire. Later Milan was ruled by the Visconti, the Sforza, the Spanish in the 16th century and the Austrians in the 18th century. In 1796, Milan was conquered by Napoleon I and he made it the capital of his Kingdom of Italy in 1805. During the Romantic period, Milan was a major cultural centre in Europe, attracting several artists, composers and important literary figures

And nowadays?

What do American people know of it? It's the capital of fashion and design! It's financially the most important city in Italy.

Yes, they're right but Milan is also a very ancient city, rich in magnificent monuments, art, museums and it has an unbelievable charm.

We know you like art and landscapes very much. What about this?

This photo has been taken from the "roof" of our most important church: the Duomo. It is a gothic cathedral and it took nearly six centuries to be completed. It is the 5th largest cathedral in the world and it has 3400 statues plus over 700 marble reliefs. The outer perimeter, the roof terraces and the 135 spires and pinnacles are covered with thousands and thousands of ornamental elements, each different from the others.

And what about its facade?

And how does it look inside?

Dear Monica, if you came here we will show you lots of wonderful places ...

There's a small (compared to our Duomo all the churches are smaller !) church called Santa Maria delle Grazie...it looks wonderful and in fact it was completed by one of our greatest architect Bramante, in the 15th century. Can you imagine ? This church belongs to UNESCO World Heritage ! Do you know why? Because in the refectory, on the north wall, it contains a treasure: Leonardo's "Last Supper".

Unfortunately, Leonardo did not work in oil but it was a fresco on a two-layered surface of plaster that was no damp-proof. It was as early as 1568 when problems with this painting technique began. Repeated conservation programmes have been carried out, the most recent over the past 20 years.

Maybe you're wondering why Leonardo, who was born in the Florence Republic, was here in Milan...

In 1482 the 30-year-old Leonardo moved to Milan to work in the service of the city's Duke, Ludovico Sforza, and spent here 17 years, until Ludovico's fall from power. The reason was the charm Milan had at those times; Ludovico's court was brilliant and open-minded. A very stimulating place to live and work into!

A young girl, Lucia, is going to marry her fiancé, Renzo, but an evil, rich and powerful man, Don Rodrigo, has put his eyes on her and decides to impede the marriage. The couple is desperate: they must move apart, she is kept in a convent of nuns, he is involved in a revolt, imprisoned; they must face the plague, she promises to God that if Renzo survives she won't marry him...but finally they marry and grow children. A soap opera's plot ? A new TV series? Not at all ! It's the masterpiece of one of the most brilliant Italian writers born in Milan : Alessandro Manzoni.

Manzoni (1785 - 1873) was a writer and poet, especially famous for this novel called 'I Promessi Sposi' (The Bethrothed), claimed to be one of the best books written in Italian. He was born in Milan. He was the author of poems, critical and philosophical essays, but it wasn't until 'I Promesi Sposi' was published that he gained much acclaim. It is a romance placed at the time of the XVII century plague in Milan. The author's monument is situated within the city. He was also honoured by Verdi's 'Requiem'.

BUT...

Milan has not only a great past but also a brilliant present.

We have the pleasure to introduce you to a very funny character, which is a "bridge" between past and present:

It still has no name, but it is nice, isn't it ? It represents the mascot of EXPO 2015, an extraordinary universal event with 141 official participants.

Its central idea will be food, sustainable development and health. Why have Italy and Milan been chosen ? Because Italian food is loved all over the world: it's healthy, it has outstanding qualities, it's authentic. Our passion for quality and taste of food, our regional cuisine, our biodiversity are part of our culture !

How does the Expo mascot represent a "bridge" between past and present ?

Because it is inspired by another brilliant Milan citizen: Giuseppe Arcimboldi (Milan, 1527 - Milan, 1593).

Giuseppe Arcimboldo (also spelled Arcimboldi; 1527 - July 11, 1593) was an Italian painter best known for creating imaginative portrait heads made entirely of such objects as fruits, vegetables, flowers, fish, and books - that is, he painted representations of these objects on the canvas arranged in such a way that the whole collection of objects formed a recognisable likeness of the portrait subject.

How many beautiful places we could show you...

"La Scala", in full "Teatro alla Scala", one of the principal opera houses in the world and the leading Italian house. Rossini, Bellini, Verdi, Puccini had the "world premieres" of their operas here.

The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is impressive: formed like a Latin cross, its longer walkway measures 196 meters long. The Galleria symbolized Italian unity and self-confidence, so it is no surprise that the arcade is decorated with plenty of patriotic symbols: a wolf for Rome, a lily for Florence, a bull for Turin and a white flag with red cross for Milan.

The Navigli district is one of the most vibrant in the city boasting restaurants, wine-bars, and live music but also painters’ studios and a slew of interesting shops. Take a trip into the past with a boat ride on the Navigli: four daily excursions by boat leave from the Alzaia Naviglio Grande.The trips take visitors on a tour of the charming Vicolo dei Lavandai, the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, the old bridges, and the sluice designed by Leonardo.

So, dear Monica, what about coming here to enjoy this charming city with us ?

Location 1

MIAMI

Final Destination

MILAN