Milan is the capital of Lombardy region and hosts several prestigious research centres, universities, important business centres, financial institutions and also possesses a unique mix of cultural landmarks.
The city is connected to 170 destinations all over the world by three international airports (Linate, Malpensa and Orio al Serio) and railways.
The city was founded around 400 B.C by Celtic people (The Insubri) and the name Mediolanum, which means "central place", was later given by the Romans. The city centre is relatively small, full of cobbled streets, fashion boutiques, monuments and business centres. Four subway lines plus an interconnecting underground railway (Passante Ferroviario) and an extensive network of buses and trams facilitate moving around the different areas of the city.
The Duomo, with its massive white pinkish marble structure, is considered the symbol of Milan. It was founded in 1386 and took almost 5 centuries to be completed.
On a side of Duomo square lies the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, a covered double arcade built in 1863 which connects Duomo square to the La Scala square. The Galleria is nicknamed "il salotto di Milano", or Milan's drawing room, due to the number of shops and restaurants.
Il Teatro "La Scala", the premier opera house in Italy, is probably Milan's best known landmark, built in 1776 in Neoclassical style. Recently a stage tower was added by the Swiss architect Mario Botta.
Not far from Duomo square, the Castello Sforzesco can be found. This huge fortified complex, perhaps one of the most famous renaissance monuments, houses city museums and connects through its courtyard the central core of the city to one of the largest parks in the centre, the Sempione park.
Important paintings can be found in the many art museums in Milan, such as the Pinacoteca di Brera and Poldi Pezzoli museum, but perhaps the most famous is The Last Supper fresco (Cenacolo Vinciano) by Leonardo Da Vinci, on the side of Santa Maria delle Grazie church.
The Navigli canals, where the port was located until the 19th century, are located in the south part of the city. The Navigli area is nowadays full of pubs and restaurants and is among the most famous nightlife district in town. Additionally, a number of gorgeous sites, such as the Como, Maggiore and Garda lakes, are only one hour drive away.
In addition to the historic center of Milan, new modern neighborhoods have been created such as:
The CityLife is a residential and commercial complex in the Portello district of Milan. It was designed by architects Arata Isozaki, Daniel Libeskind and Zaha Hadid. The complex is also known colloquially as Tre Torri, the straight, the crooked and the curved.
Piazza Gae Aulenti is an elevated pedestrian square located in front of the Garibaldi train station. From the square you can see the skyline of Milan including the Palazzo della Regione, the Pirelli grate, the vertical forest and the diamond tower. Next to the square is the park "la biblioteca degli alberi".
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Additional links:
City information
Milan Tourism
Lakes around Milan