EXPERIENCE MILAN Milan is a dynamic city, devoted to business and famous throughout the world for fashion, but it is also rich of artistic beauty. Below we point out some monuments and museums that you should visit during your stay in Milan for Xylexpo. DUOMO Wanted by Gian Galeazzo Visconti was built in a long period of 5 centuries, the work began in 1386. Example of late Gothic Italian architecture, Milan s Duomo is the fourth largest Catholic church in the world by size. On the highest spire stands the statue of the Virgin Maria, covered with gold. It is possible to visit the roof of the Duomo from which you can enjoy a beautiful view of the city. Inside the cathedral, beneath the churchyard are the remains of the Baptistery of San Giovanni alle Fonti. In the nearby Palazzo Reale is the Cathedral Museum. www.duomomilano.it PALAZZO REALE Built in 1700 by the architect Piermarini, was the residence of Visconti and Sforza families and later of their Spanish and Austrian governors. It was destroyed by bombs during the Second World War and lost its neoclassical interiors. It always hosts temporary exhibitions.
PALAZZO ARENGARIO It is located close to Piazza Duomo, il Palazzo dell Arengario, is directly connected to Palazzo Reale. It hosts the Museo del Novecento www.museodelnovecento.org. TEATRO ALLA SCALA It was built by the architect Piermarini between 1776 and 1778 on the site where once stood the Church of S. Maria alla Scala at the behest of Maria Theresa of Austria. Renewed during the nineteenth century it was destroyed during the Second World War by the bombs dropped on Milan. Theatre technically advanced, especially for acoustics, the façade is not particularly flashy, while the interior is very impressive. www.teatroallascala.org MUSEUM LE GALLERIE D ITALIA In Piazza della Scala, next to Palazzo marino, the seat of the Municipality of Milan, was recently opened the museum called Le Gallerie d Italia of the Italian Fondazione Banca Cariplo with a path from Canova to Boccioni and the Progetto Novecento aimed at enhancing the beautiful works of the XX centuries. www.gallerieditalia.com
PINACOTECA DI BRERA High level international museum is located in the seventeenth-century palace, former a Jesuit collegenot far from Pialla della Scala. Over 400 exhibits documenting the Lombard and Italian painting in 1300 at the forefront of 900. Many masterpieces, including paintings by Mantegna, Raffaello, Caravaggio, Tintoretto and Hayez. www.brera.beniculturali.it POLDI PEZZOLI MUSEUM In Via Manzoni, in the building whre lived the art collector Giacomo Poldi Pezzoli, is located the eponumous museum. The works on display range from antiquity to the nineteenth centrury and include paintings, sculptures, object d art and furniture. Among the paintings we indicate masterpieces by Piero della Francesca, Botticelli, Pollaiolo, Mantegna, Guardi, Canaletto e Tiepolo. www.museopoldipezzoli.it GALLERIA VITTORIO EMANUELE AND CORSO VITTORIO EMANUELE The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele is structured by a system of cruising inside which stands out the dome of iron and glass. The gallery showcases 24 statues depicting illustrious Italians. Due to the elegant ambience and the appearance of shops and cafes it is considered the living room of Milan. Behind the Duomo cathedral there are the arcades
of Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, one of the street with the highest concentration of shops of the city. The street runs from Piazza Duomo to Piazza San Babila. At the beginning of Corso Emanuele, next to Piazza S. Babila, is located Piazzetta S. Carlo with the eponymous nineteenth century church. PIAZZA SAN BABILA The square where is located the fountain donated by Fiera Milano dates back to the 1930s fascism. The Church of San. Babila was restored at the beginning of '900 and has ancient origins (V sec. DC - fall of the Roman Empire). MONTENAPOLEONE STREET As well as Via Manzoni, Via della Spiga, Via S. Andrea and Via del Gesù, Montenapoleone Street homes the stores of the most famous Italian designers. The name is derived from the public bank (named "monte") of the pledges opened by Napoleon. In Via del Gesù is the Bagatti Valsecchi Museum, one of the museum houses the most important and best preserved in Europe. In Via S. Andrea you can visit the Palazzo Morando Bolognini Attendolo, museum and art gallery.
VILLA REALE It is located in Via Palestro, not far from Piazza S. Babila, opposite to te Public Gardens and is one of the most important examples of the neoclassical style of Milan. It was inhabited by Napoleon and Josephine and later by Eugenio Beauharnais and from General Radetzsky. The richest part of the building is the one that gives back towards the picturesque garden with an elegant play of columns and pillars. The internal rooms, home to the Gallery of Modern Art, are decorated with frescoes, sculptures and furniture that can give to the visitor and idea of how high level families in Lombardy furnished their homes. VILLA NECCHI Built between 1932 and 1935 by Milanese architect Piero Portaluppi, a few step from Piazza S. Babila, Villa Necchi Campiglio is survived completely intact, both in our huge garden, complete with tennis court and swimming pool, both inside with its rich succession of rooms. Architecture, decorative arts, furniture and collection express as a harmonious whole, the high standard of living of the owners, members of the upper class of Lombard industrial. www.casemuseomilano.it
PIAZZA MERCANTI (MERCHANTS SQUARE) Example of civic architecture in Milan, from the Middle Ages to the seventeenth century. The main building is Palazzo della Ragione or Broletto Nuovo, while the other side is the fourteenth-century Loggia degli Osii. In Via Mercanti is the Palazzo dei Giureconsulti: te core of the Torre con l Orologio (Tower with the Clock) dates back to 1272. DANTE STREET Long city street full of shops, now a pedestrian, connects Piazza Duomo with the Castello Sforzesco. PINACOTECA AMBROSIANA The original function of the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana at the time of its establishment in 1618, was that of a teaching aid for students of the Academy of Fine Arts, founded by Cardinal Borromeo. Home to priceless masterpieces also houses the Biblioteca Ambrosiana which preserves manuscripts of exceptional rarity. In the Library is preserved the Atlantic Code of Leonardo da Vinci, the most extensive collection of drawings and writings by Leonardo da Vinci, comprising 1119 pages collected in 12 volumes www.ambrosiana.it
SFORZESCO CASTLE Along with the Duomo is the symbol of Milan. It was built and destroyed several times. The original dates back to 1358-68 at the time of Galeazzo Visconti. The central tower is a project of Filarete. Inside has richly frescoed halls and includes libraries, museums (Egyptian Museum) and art collections, as the sculpture Pietà Rondanini of Michelangelo Buonarroti. www.milanocastello.it ARCO DELLA PACE (ARCH OF PEACE) Located right behind the Castello Sforzesco, near the Parco Sempione. It was designed to celebrate the glories of Napoleon, who, however, was defeated at Waterloo before its completion. In 1826 the Austrian Emperor Francesco I wanted to complete it dedicating it to peace.
ARENA Made in 1806 it is an elliptical amphitheater and holds up to 30,000 spectators. For the construction were used recycled materials from the fortifications of the Castello Sforzesco demolished a few years earlier. SAN LORENZO COLUMNS The 16 columns of the second century A.D. placed in front of the Basilica of San Lorenzo were part of a temple and represent the most important Roman rest of the city. S. MARIA DELLE GRAZIE AND CENACOLO VINCIANO (LEONARDO DA VINCI LAST SUPPER) S. Maria delle Grazie was built in 1463 by enclosing a pre-existing chapel and ended in 1490. Two years later was added to the grandstand where Ludovico il Moro buried his wife Beatrice d'este. The reputation of the world-famous basilica is essentially linked to the Cenacolo painting in which Leonardo da Vinci depicted the Last Supper.
The Cenacolo is a wall painting in tempera (and possibly other oil binders) on plaster of Leonardo da Vinci, dating from 1494 to 1498 and stores in the former refectory of the convent adjacent to the sanctuary of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. To visit the Cenacolo we recommend the underground Red Line1 or Green Line 2, Cadorna stop. www.cenacolovinciano.org BASILICA OF S. AMBROGIO Named after the patron saint of Milan i san example of Romanesque architecture. In the district of the Basilica is the Museum of Science and Technology and the Church of S. Victor who is worth a visit for the richness of its frescoes. To vist the Basilica di S. Ambrogio, underground Green Line 2, S. Ambrogio stop. www.basilicasantambrogio.it
BASILICA OF S. MAURIZIO Once home to the most important female monastery of the Benedictine order in the city, located on the corner of Via Luini and Corso Magenta. It is decorated inside with frescoes belonging to the Lombard school and is referred to as the "Sistine Chapel" of Milan or Lombardy. To visit Basilica di San Maurizio, undeground Red Line 1 or Green Line 2, Cadorna stop. I NAVIGLI (CANALS) OF MILANO The fascinating history of canals begins in the second half of the twelfth century with the construction of the first fairway. Today it is still possible to appreciate the ingenious system of locks designed by Leonardo da Vinci at the end of 1400. It s an area with a special atmosphere where next to bars and cafés still survive nice trendy craft shops. To visit the Navigli area we suggest to take the underground Green Line 1, S. Agostino stop or Porta Genova stops.