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Milan Il Duomo
The Duomo, which
traditionally symbolizes the city of Milan, is the most extraordinary
example of Italian late Gothic art. It ranks third in terms of dimension
after the Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican in Rome and Seville's
Cathedral. Located in the very heart of the city it represents both the core
of the city and the unavoidable destination of countless visitors from Italy
and abroad.
Mark Twain a great fan of the Duomo, can take over the description (from
Innocents Abroad ) from here:
What a wonder it is! So grand, so solemn, so vast! And yet so
delicate
, so airy, so graceful! A very world of solid weight, and yet it seems
...a delusion of frostwork that might vanish with a breath!...
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The central one of its
five great doors
is bordered with a bas-relief of birds and fruits and beasts and
insects, which have been so ingeniously carved out of the marble that they
seem like living creatures-- and the figures are so numerous and the design
so complex, that one might study it a week without exhausting its
interest...everywhere that a niche or a perch can be found about the
enormous building, from summit to base, there is a
marble statue
, and every statue is a study in itself...
Away above, on the lofty roof, rank on rank of carved and fretted
spires
spring high in the air, and through their rich tracery one sees the sky
beyond. ...(Up on) the roof...springing from its broad marble flagstones,
were the long files of spires, looking very tall close at hand, but
diminishing in the distance...We could see, now, that the statue on the top
of each was the size of a large man, though they all looked like dolls from
the street...
They say that the Cathedral of Milan is second only to St. Peter's at
Rome.
I cannot understand how it can be second to anything made by human hands.
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The construction
of the Duomo began in 1386 promoted by Gian Galeazzo Visconti, lord of
Milan, and continued for centuries.
The Duomo is
entirely covered from its base with pinkish-white marble. In the facade five
large portals are inserted carrying high-reliefs illustrating sacred and
historical scenes such as "The life of Sant'Ambrogio".
Wide slabs of marble
make up the roof of the Duomo which can be reached by a steep external
staircase, consisting of 919 steps, carved between the left side and the
transept.
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The effort of
"climbing" the Duomo is highly rewarded by the magnificent view of the
surrounding plain up to the Alps; should the weather be ungenerous it will
still be possible to enjoy the vision of the "Madonnina" , the golden statue
of the Virgin Mary, the 135 lace-like spires and the many statues which
decorate the roof.
On entering the
majestic interior of the cross-shaped cathedral, the sight is captured by
the polychrome stained glass windows depicting scenes from the life of the
saints. The eight naves of the Cathedral are divided by 52 gigantic pillars
topped by a series of niches with statues.
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From the Duomo roof -
Photo (c) Javier
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Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
The renowned Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, one of the first buildings
in Europe built in glass and iron, was inaugurated in 1867 by King
Vittorio Emanuele II himself.
It is called il salotto di Milano because it is the traditional
meeting place of the Milanese; indeed it offers a wide range of cafés,
restaurants such the historical restaurant Savini as well as fashion
boutiques and the most important bookshops in the city.
It is on the plan of a Latin cross with an octagonal center, the
famous Ottagono regarded by every single Milanese as the heart of the
city and is dominated by a central dome expanding into four branches
one of which overlooking Piazza Duomo. The main branch connects Piazza
Duomo with Piazza Scala and is the preferred promenade for La Scala
amateurs who love strolling around with their fashionable evening
dresses before enjoying a performance at La Scala Theatre.
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Palazzo Reale
Palazzo Reale, a
large Neoclassical building which is a result of the radical re-elaboration
made by architect Piermarini between 1772 and 1778 of a pre-existing palace,
was the seat of Spanish governors in the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries.
The original
construction was characterized by a court facing the palace which was
afterwards replaced by a large area by Piermarini, who wanted it to become a
wide square. The square as we can admire it today has preserved the features
according to Piermarini’s design.
The bombs of
1943 seriously damaged most of the palace, including the splendid Hall of
the Caryatids.
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Nevertheless,
Palazzo Reale is the most important exhibiting space in the city hosting
internationally renowned exhibitions of works by outstanding artists such as
Monet, Kandinsky, Picasso and exhibitions on artistic movements which have
marked the history of art.
Over the most
recent years, reconstruction works have been carried out to reclaim huge and
prestigious areas in order to host more permanent and temporary exhibitions.
Text Courtesy of
Welcome to Milan - By the Town Turist Office
(c) 1997-2008 E. Massetti
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