The Inner City of Milan

At the center of the city is the Piazza del Duomo, on one side of which is Italy's greatest Gothic cathedral (duomo). The apse of this white marble cathedral was begun in 1386. The work was continued by French, German, and Italian master masons. Although it was consecrated by Saint Charles Borromeo, cardinal and archbishop of Milan, in 1577, it was not completed until the late 19th century. The facade, finished in 1805–1809, is one of the cathedral's least impressive features. The exterior is adorned with a profusion of spires, statues, and other ornaments. There are 135 marble spires and many marble statues. The highest spire is topped by a statue of the Madonna. The cathedral's majestic interior is somber. The five aisles in the nave are separated by tall pillars. An impressive 16th century mausoleum by Leoni is in the south transept.

On the north side of the Piazza del Duomo is the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, an arcade lined with cafes, restaurants, and specialty shops. This leads to the Piazza della Scala, with its world-renowned opera house, the Teatro alla Scala, built by Giuseppe Piermarini in 1778. Damaged by bombing in World War II, it was restored and modernized at the end of the war. Opposite is the 16th century Palazzo Marino, seat of the city's administration.
 
North of the Piazza della Scala is the 17th century Palazzo di Brera, home of one of the finest art collections in Italy. It is particularly renowned for its works by painters of the Lombard school. An outstanding example is Bernardino Luini's Madonna with Roses. The Venetian school is well represented: Gentile and Giovanni Bellini's St. Mark Preaching at Alexandria, a pietà by Giovanni Bellini, Tintoretto's Discovery of the Body of St. Mark, and works by Veronese and Titian. Mantegna is represented by his masterly Dead Christ, and Raphael by an altarpiece, the Marriage of the Virgin. Foreign masters represented in the collection include Rembrandt, Rubens, and Van Dyck.
 
Two other noteworthy galleries in Milan are housed in the Palazzo dell'Ambrosiana (built for Cardinal Federigo Borromeo in 1603–1609) and the Poldi-Pezzoli Museum. The palace contains a library and an art gallery. One of the gallery's greatest treasures is its collection of drawings and two paintings by Leonardo da Vinci. The Poldi-Pezzoli Museum contains works by Botticelli, Cranach, Bellini, Tiepolo, and Filippo Lippi.

Leonardo's most famous fresco, The Last Supper (1495–1497), is to be found in the refectory adjacent to the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, built for the Dominicans during the Renaissance. It has been restored several times.
 
West of the Piazza del Duomo is the Piazza dei Mercanti, the medieval center of Milan. It is surrounded by historic buildings including the Palazzo della Ragione (1223–1238) and the Loggia degli Osii (1316). From here the Via Dante leads to the Castello Sforzesco, an imposing brick castle built for Francesco Sforza after 1450 as a residence and fortress. It was enriched by Leonardo and Bramante, and restored in the 19th century by Beltrami. Its museum exhibits ancient and Oriental art, paintings, sculptures, tapestries, and armor.

Milan's greatest medieval church is the Basilica di Sant'Ambrogio, founded in 386 by Saint Ambrose, the bishop of Milan and Milan's patron saint, who is buried in the crypt. Rebuilt early in the 12th century, it is one of the best examples of Romanesque-Lombard architecture. The main altarpiece is a splendid example of medieval goldsmithing.
 
Perhaps Milan's greatest Renaissance church is San Satiro, which, except for the facade and the 9th century campanile, is the work of Bramante. The architect has achieved an illusion of great space in the interior of this relatively small church. The Church of Sant'Eustorgio has a fine Renaissance chapel, the Capella Portinari, designed by Michelozzo. It has been called "a perfect jewel in stone." The Basilica of San Lorenzo was founded in the second half of the 4th century. The church and campanile have been rebuilt (12th and 16th centuries), but the basilica retains its original octagonal plan.
 
In the northwest section of the inner city is the vast Parco Sempione, with its gardens, stadium, arena, neoclassical Arch of Peace (1807–1838), and its tower of steel tubing. The Palazzo dell'Arte, on the west side of the park, is used for art exhibitions, including the Triennale of the decorative arts.

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