Milan

State

Lombardy

Country

Italy

Continent

Europe

Size

182 KM²

Population

1,350,000

Spending Budget

$1,842 - $8,075

Best Time to Visit

January
April
May
September
October

History

Milan is the leading financial center and the most prosperous manufacturing and commercial city in Italy. Also has a self-image of the moral capital of Italy. The city’s sense of moral superiority comes from being the motor of extraordinary economic development during the 20th century. Today Milan is not only the richest city in Italy but also the richest city in Europe. Milan saw rapid internal migration after World War II. Seeking improved conditions in factories floods of immigrants came from impoverished Italian south and northeast. Population pressure resulted in the growth of self-constructed urban villages in the countryside around Milan, as well as in an expansion of the city itself. From the mid-1970s onward, Milan has been host to a new migration movement, this time from outside Italy. These new immigrants come from a variety of countries—e.g., Morocco, Egypt, Senegal, the Philippines, and Ecuador. The population of the city has grown exponentially over the years estimated approximately to be 13.7 lakhs in 2017.

Present Day

The city is located at a nexus of the traffic routes of the Po River valley and lies on the borderline between the advanced agriculture of the fertile irrigated plains of the south and the limited agriculture of the north. The most important wholesale markets of Italy are still in Milan. Milan also sits on the main route connecting Italy with the rest of Europe. Industrial development in the 20th century further stimulated commercial activity in the city. Export trade is of great importance to Milan’s economy. Milan exports products such as artificial fibers, cotton, wool goods, chemical products, and machinery. Manufacturing industries overtook the service sector in the 20th century.

Future

Piuarch has designed a new building for Human Technopole, Italy’s research institute for life sciences, situated at the centre of the growing MIND, Milano Innovation District. Reaching 61 metres at its highest point, the building will contain over 16,500 square metres for laboratories. Designed by Stefano Boeri Architetti, this public-facing, mixed-use housing and commercial structure traces the form of a Milanese courtyard house. Set near the Ticino river area, the building reveals a sustainable ethos in the solar and photovoltaic panels covering the roof and rainwater collection systems. The green courtyard building is set to revitalise Via San Cristoforo in the creative quarter of the south-west area of Milan. At the heart Porta Nuova district of Milan is BAM, a public park designed for developer COIMA by the Dutch studio Inside Outside and Petra Blaisse, together with Simona and Franco Giorgetta, covering approximately 10 hectares – including a dozen circular forests each dedicated to a plant species, a labyrinth and flower beds of perennial plants designed by Piet Oudolf.

Must Visit Places ------------

Palazzo di Brera

The most notable of the city’s many palaces is the Palazzo di Brera, construction of which dates to 1651. The building’s Pinacoteca di Brera, founded in 1809 by Napoleon, is one of the largest art galleries in Italy and contains a fine collection of north Italian painting. The Palazzo di Brera also contains the Braidense National Library, and its beautiful courtyard is dominated by Antonio Canova’s statue of Napoleon. Also, during Napoleon’s rule, the construction of a huge triumphal arch later called the Arch of Peace (Arco Della Pace) was begun. It stands on the edge of Sempione Park.

Basilica San Simpliciano

The Basilica San Simpliciano, which according to tradition was founded in the 4th century by St.Ambrose contains the 15th-century fresco Coronation of the Virgin by Ambrogio Bergognone.

Dominican monastery

The former refectory of the Dominican monastery of Santa Maria Delle Grazie is home to Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper, one of the most famous frescoes of the Renaissance. It was fully reopened to public view in 1999 after a lengthy, controversial restoration.

Navigli

Another interesting tourist hot spot is the Navigli which originally was a 16th-century network of communication and transportation canals in the southern part of the city, now attracts large crowds of people who frequent the numerous bars, restaurants, and shops alongside the canals.

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is the world’s oldest mall and is a testament to Milan’s title as one of the fashion capitals of the world. This wondrous, glass-ceilinged arcade connects the piazzas of the Duomo and the Teatro Alla Scala opera house and is lined with cafes and high-end boutiques.

Castello Sforzesco

Castello Sforzesco (Sforza Castle) looks more like a fortress with a large courtyard than a castle. The complex has a library and several museums. Some of these hold the works of Michelangelo and da Vinci, as well as arts and artifacts from Ancient Egypt.

Leonardo da Vinci National Museum

The Leonardo da Vinci National Museum of Science and Technology is one of Milan’s most inspiring and engaging historical sites. From the outside, it’s a Renaissance monastery. Inside there is a rich showcase of interactive and educational exhibits. There’s plenty to see and learn about, from real-life 3D realizations of da Vinci’s mechanical designs to aviation, particle physics, locomotion, and multimedia that lets one explore the galaxies. A life-size submarine from WWII is highly famous among the kids.