Milan Overview
By iCheapAirfares Staff
While it has long been known as the fashion capital of the world, Milan, with its unique blend of beauty and sophistication, has so much more to offer than its style. Here is a place rich in history, where the modern world lives side by side with the structures and buildings of old. Milan, has graduated far beyond the humble meaning of its name: “in the middle of a plain.” Such a place has to be much more than that to become the economic and financial capital of its country.
Though fashion plays a large part in Milan’s style and reputation, there are plenty of other reasons to visit such a wondrous place. There are more theaters, museums, exhibitions, universities, stadiums and monuments than one can imagine. The city is full of historical buildings where one can admire Milan’s history of old.
One attraction well worth visiting is the Leonardo da Vinci Museum, or the Museo della Scienza e della Tecnica “Leonardo da Vinci”. Founded in 1947, the museum has wasted no time in gathering an impressive 15,000 pieces in its collection. Considered the most important technical and scientific museum in the world, its 28 sections contain, among others, a reproduction of “The Last Supper". Highly worth noting is that the original is contained only 200 meters away at the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie.
Another striking example of Milan’s fine architecture is the Duomo Cathedral. It was started in 1075, replacing the two original buildings, Saint Ambrose’s “New Basilica” from the beginning of the 5th century, and another from 836 after fire brought them down. The Duomo, as it is known today, is the largest Gothic Cathedral in the world. At 157 meters long, it can hold an amazing 40,000 visitors comfortably. Its beauty is renowned the world over, but perhaps Mark Twain summed it up best, “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."
While in Milan, a glorious attraction that cannot be missed is the La Scala Opera House, or Teatro alla Scala. Distinguished as one of the world’s great opera houses, its history dates back to 1778, built on the site of the Church of Santa Maria della Scala. It was remodeled in 1867, modernized in 1921 and restored in 1946 after it had been damaged by bombings during World War II. The House has the grand distinction of being host to a great many premieres such as Verdi’s Otello and Falstaff, Puccini’s Madame Butterfly and Turandot and Bellini’s Norma.
There are a great many more attractions in Milan, just waiting to be discovered by the anxious traveler. For the 1.3 million people that inhabit her, Milan is home, yet a treasure they do not mind sharing. With its vast credentials of beauty and art, glamour and glitz, history and tradition, one thing is certain - Milan will continue to be a grand epicenter of influence on the world as we know it. Go!
