Saturday, December 10, 2011

Milano/Milan

When one says "Milan", if a female, will think at the fashion capital, if a male, will think to AC Milan. For one who loves music, it will be La Scala, but for a traveler will be The Cathedral or Il Duomo.

What can you see in Milan if you have only three hours? The Cathedral, of course! Taking the metro from the railway station, you will be right in the Piazza del Duomo. Right in front of you is the cathedral, to the right the Palazzo Meridionale (Southern Palace) and to the left, Palazzo Settentrionale (Northern Palace) with Victor Emanuel II Galleria. In the middle of the square you see a monument of the King Vittorio Emanuel II. The square was designed, in its actual form, by Giuseppe Mengoni in 1865.


The cathedral is the biggest Gothic construction in Italy. Construction begun in 1386 and continued some centuries. The first architect is not known but in time there have been many Italian, French and German artists who worked here. The high altar was consacrated in 1418 by Pope Martin V, and only in 1805 Napoleon entrusted  Carlo Amati with the task to finish the facade. The doors have been places in position between 1948-1965, except for the central Pogliaghi door (1908). As concerns the surface, Il Duomo is the second largest church in Italy and the third in the world, being surpassed only by St. Peter's Church in Rome and the Cathedral of Seville (Spain). The facings are of Candoglia marble, pinky white with bluish veining. There are 2245 statues and 96 huge gargoyles outside the cathedral.

The Vittorio Emanuel II Galleria connects Piazza Duomo with Piazza Scala. It has a cross form, with arms of 195, respectively 105 m in length. It is also named "the drawing room", as there are there many elegant shops, famous bookshops and expensive cafes.

Crossing the Galleria, you will be in the Scala Square. The building of the most famous opera in the world is very simple, with a neo-classical facade. It was built in 1778 by Maria Giuseppe Piermarini. A monument dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci and the beautiful Palazzo Marini are also there. The palace is the seat of the town council from 1860.

This is what I have seen in short stop in Milano, on January, 2000. This means I have to go back someday because there are still many interesting things to be seen.
 
Cand spui "Milano", daca esti femeie te gandesti la capitala modei, daca esti barbat, iti vine in minte AC Milan, un meloman s-ar gandi la Scala, iar calatorul se gandeste, cu siguranta, la Dom!

Ce poti vedea in Milano, cand ai doar trei ore la dispozitie? Desigur, Piata Domului (Piazza del Duomo)!  De la gara, metroul te lasa chiar acolo. Mai intai absorbi privelistea domului care, din locul in care esti, are in fata sute de oameni si porumbei. Apoi, iti rotesti putin privirea si vezi, in stanga  Palazzo Meridionale si in dreapta Palazzo Settentrionale intre ale carui ziduri se afla si Galeria Vittorio Emmanuelle. In mijlocul pietei se afla statuia ecvestra a regelui Victor Emanuel II, datorata lui Ercole Rosa (1896). Intreaga piata a fost proiectata in aceasta forma in 1865, de catre Giuseppe Mengoni.
 Piazza del Duomo, ianuarie 2000
 Il Duomo
 Palazzo Meridionale
Galeria Vittorio Emanuelle II
Catedrala reprezinta cea mai mare constructie gotica din Italia. Ridicarea ei a inceput in 1386, pe locul unei biserici din secolul al 9-lea, care a servit drept fundatie. Primul architect al domului nu este cunoscut. De-a lungul secolelor de desavarsire a edificiului, au participat la proiectare artisti italieni, francezi si germani. Altarul principal a fost sfintit in 1418, de catre Papa Martin V, in trecere prin Milano.  Statueta Madonnina (Mica Madona) aflata in varful domului, a fost ridicata acolo abia in 1774, iar in 1805 Napoleon a incredintat terminarea fatadei lui Carlo Amati. Constructia turnurilor a continuat in secolul 19 si usile fatadei au fost fixate intre 1948-1965, cu exceptia portii principale, Pogliaghi, pusa la locul sau in 1908.
Poarta Pogliaghi
Ca suprafata, Domul din Milano este al doilea din Italia si al treilea din lume, fiind depasit doar de Catedrala Sf. Petru din Roma si Catedrala din Sevilla. Dintre cele 135 de turnuri, cel mai inalt are 108.5 m. Constructia este placata cu marmora de Candoglia, de culoare alb-rozie, cu vinisoare albastrui. Un numar de 2245 de statui si 96 gargui impodobesc exteriorul. Baza catedralei, pana la ferestre, este baroc, executata in secolul al 16-lea, dupa planurile lui Pellegrini. Partea superioara a fost remodelata in stil gotic in secolele urmatoare.
Galeria Vittorio Emanuelle II leaga Piata Domului de Piata Scala. Ea este construita in forma de cruce, cele doua brate avand lungimea de 196, respectiv 105 m. Construirea sa s-a desfasurat intre 1865-1877. Cupola, acoperita cu sticla, are - in punctul sau cel mai inalt (deasupra octogonului) - 47 m inaltime. In interior se afla cafenele luxoase, magazine elegante si librarii cunoscute. De aceea galeria mai este numita si "salonul de desen" al orasului.
Galeria Vittorio Emanuelle II
 mosaic in octogon
Strabatand galeria, ajungi in Piata Scala unde iti atrage privirea Opera Scala. Nici nu mi-as fi imaginat ca, in exterior, este atat de simpla! Cladirea celei mai faimoase opere din lume a fost construita in 1778 de catre Maria Giuseppe Piermarini, pe locul bisericii Sf. Maria dalla Scala, ridicata in 1381. Fatada operei este una neo-clasica, avand pe frontispiciu un basorelief care il reprezinta pe Apollo in carul sau.
In piata se mai afla un Monument dedicat lui Leonardo da Vinci (1872, Pietro Magni) si frumosul Palazzo Marini, considerat unul dintre cele mai frumoase din Milano. Constructia sa a inceput in 1553 si s-a terminat abia in 1892. Din 1860, cladirea este sediul Consiliului Local.
 Monumentul lui Leonardo da Vinci
Atat am reusit sa vad intr-o fugara trecere prin oras, in ianuarie 2000, ceea ce inseamna ca va trebui sa ma intorc aici pentru ca mai sunt lucruri interesante de vazut.

24 comments:

Joop Zand said...

Nice city in north Italy.....good photo's.

Traveling Hawk said...

Thank you, Joop! Have a nice weekend!

Rama Ananth said...

Pretty dark blue skies, beautiful arches, beautiful place. Enjoy!

Traveling Hawk said...

Thank you, Rama!

chasity said...

amazing architecture.

Traveling Hawk said...

Welcome and thank you, chasity! You have great photos on your blog, I've checked out:)

VP said...

I lived in Milan for about a year in the early 80s and have been there once and then since. Nice to see it again in your pictures...

Francisca said...

You got a LOT in, in just three hours! Milan really is about architecture and art and fashion and design... But now I must confess, you will think me shallow, when I think of Milan I think of the MEN! It's been two decades already since I was there, but in my early 30's what caught my eye was the drop-dead handsomeness of the male species. I hope none come here to read this, because it would only serve to inflate their already large egos. LOL!! I don't know if I would still think so today. So you see, I too have reasons to return. :-)

Traveling Hawk said...

I'm glad, VP, that my post can serve as remember for you. Thanks!

Traveling Hawk said...

Amusing comment, Francisca! I was not able to observe this in such a short time! And now you will say that I brag, but Romania has a lot of handsome men too! Don't forget that we, Romanians, are "ginta latina", we have some common ancestors with the Italians:). No need for us to look for them elsewhere. And we have a lot of beautiful girls too:)

Randy said...

Italy is a dream of mine and one day I will get to see all this first hand. Wonderful photos.

Phivos Nicolaides said...

An amazing city to visit!!!

Traveling Hawk said...

I wish your dream come true, Randy!

Traveling Hawk said...

Thank you, Phivos!

Doug Hickok said...

Love your posts from Italy! You capture the essence of your travels for all of us to enjoy. I went down the page and relished the scenes and settings that you shared with us. Thank you as always :^)

Traveling Hawk said...

Thank you, Doug, for your kind words!

J_on_tour said...

Magnificent place but unaffordable to some. I looked at accommodation there but chose a break to Nice instead. The Cathedral is amazing but my number 1 destination would be Vittorio Emanuelle II Gallery and it wouldn't be for the shopping ... great photography & the site of the film The Italian job.

Traveling Hawk said...

I understand what you say, J_on_tour, and you are probably right but I stayed only 3 hours:) Yes, great location for photos, that's the reason they take a lot there for the fashion models.

magda said...

Really, Il Duomo in Milano, is great!!!
And i, we have stey there only a few hours. In Milan the commonly used, as a transitional station, some other destination.
The photos you are very nice and interesting!
Many greetings and kisses

Traveling Hawk said...

Thanks,dear Magda!

Helma said...

Jemineee ... What a great cathedral! Truly beautiful and oh so impressive. This I would really love to visit.

Thank you for making us late for that to enjoy these beautiful photos.

Greetings, Helma

LifeRamblings said...

Milan looks like a great city to explore.

Traveling Hawk said...

It's my pleasure, Helma. Thanks for the visit!

Traveling Hawk said...

It is, Life Ramblings, like all Italy.