La Scala

 

Inside La Scala, one of the most famous opera houses in the world.

Milan Italy

A Very Special Room

 

Inside the room where Michealangelo's The Last Supper can be viewed.  In order to preserve the fading painting, the room is temperature controlled and only a few people are allowed in at one time.  It's worth the scheduling necessity.  

Milan Italy

Home to a Masterpiece

 

The Dominican convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie is home to Leonardo DaVinci's The Last Supper.

Milan Italy

Entertaining the Shoppers

 

A pianist entertaining the crowds inside Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II shopping center.  

Milan Italy

Unusual Architecture

 

The Torre Velasca Tower was built in the 1950's by BBPR Architectural Partnership.  It is located in central Milan and stands tall above the surrounding buildings.  This view was taken from the rooftop of the Milan Duomo.  In 2011 it was put under protection as a historic building.

Milan Italy

Home of Opera

 

The famous La Scala Opera House.

Milan Italy

The Last Supper

 

Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece, The Last Supper can be found at the Basilica Santa Maria della Grazie in what used to be the dining hall for the former Dominican convent of Santa Maria della Grazie.

Milan Italy

Leonardo

 

Statue of Leonardo da Vinci 

Milan Italy

Display of Armor

 Armor Display at Museo Poldi Pezzoli

Milan Italy

The Last Supper

 

Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper

Milan Italy

Traveling Indulgences

 

On my last trip to Italy, my friend Glenda and I spent three nights in Milan before we met up with four others on Lake Como.  On our first night in the city we were tired from the long flight so we decided to just have dinner at our hotel.  We didn't realize that the hotel's restaurant was a gourmet delight.  Above was just a little chef's treat before we dug into some of the most delicious spaghetti I've ever eaten. 

The next day we were off to see the sights but on our walk from the hotel, we passed a patisserie with the most beautiful treats I've seen in a very long time.  We made a pact to return on our way back to the hotel and indulge in one or two of these beauties.  I'll add that they tasted every bit as good as they looked.

Milan is where I discovered my new favorite cocktail. It's called a Hugo Spritz and it contains elderflower liquor and sparkling wine.  I started ordering it wherever we went.  

At lunch on one day we were seated next to a family with a dog who seemed very used to dining at restaurants with his people.  He didn't beg, bark or cry.  He just observed the food as it arrived and patiently waited for his people to finish their meal.

Of course, one night we had to have pizza.  We were in Italy after all.  I can't say it was the best pizza I've ever tasted but it ticked a box on our list of things to do in Milan. 

Our last indulgence before we left Milan was back at the hotel in the cozy little bar.  We decided to split a bottle of Prosecco and the friendly bar tender provided the bowl of chips and nuts.  It was a perfect ending to three fast paced days in the beautiful city of Milan.  

Wandering Around Milan

 

Milan is one city in Italy that wasn't on my list of places to visit but since it is close to the Lake Como area, that is where I landed on my last trip to Italy.  I am certainly glad that I took the time to explore this city before heading further north.  The Milan Duomo is a must see.  You can see more about this spectacular church here.  I even took the opportunity to explore the view from the roof top.  You can see a post about that here.

Here are two photos I took from the roof of the Duomo. Above is an Italian flag flying over the rooftops.  

To the right, a very odd looking building on the horizon above those rooftops.

I stood and listened to this group play for a little while.  They found a good spot to perform right next to the Duomo and they were wonderful to listen to.

To the left is a view from the courtyard garden at the Monastery of Santa Maria Delle Grazie, where the Last Supper is housed.  

Above is a street scene where you can see a modern skyscraper looming over the much older buildings.  

Leonardo da Vinci spent a lot of time in Milan and made great contributions to the city.  It's appropriate that there should be a monument honoring him.

I had lunch one day at a very nice sidewalk cafe that was facing this green space between two streets.  In the center was this spectacular sculpture by Amado Pomodoro called Grande Disco.  I love Pomodoro's sculptures so it was a pleasure to have this view while enjoying lunch.  

You can see the Pomodoro sculpture at The Vatican here.  And, you can see the one we have in Phoenix here.  

Intriguing Discovery

I had just enjoyed a great lunch at a sidewalk cafe on Via Deli Omenoni in Milan last year when I turned the corner and saw a building with a fascinating facade.  It appeared to house either apartments or offices because I could see multiple mailboxes inside that doorway.  But one thing was certain, it was a very old building.

Luckily I had photographed the the street sign so that I would remember to do a little research and see if I could find some information about this place.  I learned this building is called Casa Degli Omenoni and it is a historic palace built by sculptor Leone Leoni.  Apparently he lived and worked here.  You might think he actually sculpted the facade himself but it appears he designed it and it was created by another sculptor, Antonio Abondio.  The name of the palace is based on the eight statues which in Italian were known as "omenoni" or big men.

What caught my eye immediately was this rather grotesque relief just under the cornice.  It depicts two lions tearing a satyr to pieces.  Lions were a reoccurring theme for this building evidently referring to the "Leoni" family name.  This depiction might serve as a warning to not mess with the people living inside.  That's just a guess on my part.

Thinking of Milan

I've been thinking about the beautiful city of Milan these last few days as they struggle with a recent outbreak of the coronavirus.  According to news reports, most of the public squares like these are almost devoid of tourists and young people just hanging out with friends.

Most of the cafes are closed so there won't be people enjoying pizzas at sidewalk cafes like I did when I was there.

According to the reports I've heard the streets look empty like the scene above.

When I was there last spring, there were people everywhere.  I even happened upon a group of young girls practicing a dance routine while a guy (out of the photo) was filming them.

Milan is a city I didn't expect to like because it was said to be more industrial than places like Rome and Florence.  However, I found it to be a wonderfully vibrant city with the old and new mixed together quite nicely.

Wherever I walked, I was always greeted with something interesting to see and admire.

Here's hoping the scientists discover ways to prevent this virus from spreading soon so all the places in the world that have been affected can get back to their normal routines and rhythms.

Getting High in Milan

I posted about visiting the Milan duomo last week and this week I'm posting about the view from its roof.  Visitors can get a ticket to go up on the roof of the duomo and walk among the spires, statues, carvings and gargoyles.  The photo above was my first view after exiting the elevator that takes visitors up on top. I could see down on the plaza and the crowds below had turned to tiny dots.

The elevator takes you most of the way but, there are a few stairs left to climb once you are up there.  It's well worth the effort to be able to get lost in this breathtaking forest of marble and have a close encounter with a gargoyle.

Once up there, if you want, you can sit for a while and just admire all that beautifully carved marble against a sapphire blue sky.

At one spot, there is a telescope so you can get a close look at the beautiful Golden Madonna, the symbol of Milan atop the tallest spire on the roof.

I didn't need the telescope, I just zoomed in.

I was lucky that I to got see a work crew giving one of the hundreds of statues a bit of a clean up.  

While up there, it's nice to also be able to enjoy an outstanding view over the city.  There are not many public places with a view like this.  The top of the duomo is the best place to get high in the city of Milan.

Inside the Milan Duomo

I have to admit that I didn't expect to like Milan as much as I did.  I had heard too many people say it wasn't there favorite city in Italy.  I found the city to be beautiful with an amazing selection of architecture both ancient and new.  One place that I found stunningly beautiful was the Milan Duomo. What a gorgeous building.

The outside of the church is completely covered with statues and reliefs of saints and biblical scenes. It was hard to take it all in.

The inside of the church is impressive in size and stature.  I loved those pillars with the statues circling the tops.

The alter and tabernacle were impressive at the top of the presbytery.

The most unusual thing I saw inside the cathedral was the statue of a flayed St. Bartholomew.  He looks pretty creepy.

If you walk to the side of the statue, you see a head hanging behind him and what looks like a robe draped over his shoulder is actually his skin.  Yikes...that really is creepy.

I guess St. Bartholomew was actually flayed alive and beheaded for the crime of converting the King of Armenia to Christianity.  I'm fairly certain that the punishment did not fit the crime.

The statue was carved by Marco d'Agrate in 1562.  

Aside from the creepy statue of St. Bartholomew, everything else about the duomo is breathtaking.  And, when it was lit up a night, it was even more beautiful.

Next week I'll take you on a tour of the roof of the cathedral.  That was an experience I'm glad I took advantage of.