La Scala, Milan's opera house, is one of the best known theatres in the world. Inaugurated in 1778, during its history it hosted the first performance (known as "prima") of many important operas. The whole theatre was originally illuminated by more than a thousand oil lamps, which were then replaced by gas lamps and subsequently in 1883 by electric lighting.

The opera season traditionally starts on St. Ambrogio's Day (7th December). There is also a museum which features costumes, documents and paintings relating to the history of the theatre.

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

 

The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II connects Piazza della Scala to Piazza del Duomo. Built between 1865 and 1877, it is named after the first king of united Italy. The Galleria consists of two glass-vaulted arcades that intersect at right angles in an octagon; the arching roof is made of glass and cast iron, and the central space is covered with a glass dome. The arcade is a predecessor of the modern shopping mall; today it houses restaurants and bars as well book stores and top designer shops.

Castello Sforzesco

 

The Castle is one of the most important buildings of the city. Built by Galeazzo II Visconti  between 1358 and 1368, the castle was badly damage in 1447. In 1450 the Castle was taken over by Francesco Sforza (Duke of Milan) who restored it; it soon became home to the Duke and his family. Over the centuries, the Castello Sforzesco has been damage several times and at some point there was even a plan to demolish it but in the end it was restored again by Luca Beltrami in 19th Century. Today the Castle houses several Museum and Art Collections.

Milano Arco della Pace

 

The Arco della Pace (Arch of Peace) was built 1807 by the Neoclassical architect Luigi Cagnola for Napoleon but was only completed in September 1838 when Emperor Ferdinando I of Austria inaugurated it. The architect's inspiration came from Settimo Severo's arch in Rome. The arch is made of marble and granite. Unfortunatly Luigi Cagnola died in 1833 and his work was finished by Francesco Peverelli and Francesco Londonio.

Santa Maria delle Grazie

 

Santa Maria delle Grazie is a beautiful Renaissance church built between 1466  and 1490 by Giuniforte Solaris and is home to one of the most famous masterpieces of Leonardo da Vinci: Il Cenacolo (The Last Supper). The painting took Leonardo 4 years to complete; due to the experimental techniques used by Leonardo, the painting deteriorated very quickly and had to be restored several times; the most recent restoration took place in 1978. It was a major project which took 21 years - under the supervision of Pinin Brambilla Barcilon - to finally stabilize the painting. Because of its fragility and other factors, viewing  has been restricted to 25 people every 15 minutes. I strongly recommend that you visit it because it might not be there in the future.

Il Cenacolo (The Last Supper)

 

Basilica di Sant'Ambrogio

 

The Basilica of Sant’Ambrogio is a perfect symbol of Romanesque architecture and one of the oldest churches in Milan. Wanted by St. Ambrogio, Bishop of Milan, it was built between 379 and 386 and was called Basilica Martyrum. Only after his death in 397 the Basilica changed its name to the present one. Inside there are many works of art, including mosaics, spanning several centuries. During the Second World War, the allied bombings almost completed destroyed the Basilica. St. Ambrogio is the Patron Saint of Milan.

Basilica di San Lorenzo

 

The Basilica of San Lorenzo was built around the middle of the 4th Century. However, it went through numerous renovations during its time with the most recent one in the 19th Century. Even the dome was rebuilt in Baroque style after the original one collapsed. The Basilica had many additions one of which is the octagonal Capella di Sant'Aquilino (Chapel of St. Aquilino). Outside the Basilica there is a statue of the Roman Emperor Constantine, who was the first Christian Roman Emperor.

Palazzo Reale (Royal Palace)

 

The Palazzo Reale is a very important historical building in Milan's history. The Palace used to be a government building and then became a noble residence, and was also used by the Spanish rulers. The Palazzo Reale is now a museum: it has one of the largest spaces for exhibition in Europe which means it is used regularly and is worth checking out for main events.

Other places to see in Milan

House of Omenoni

Cimitero Monumentale

Cimitero Monumentale, located in the heart of the city, is the resting place of many famous people including painters, writers and public figures. I will mention only a few: Alessandro Manzoni, Luigi Cagnola, Eugenio Montale, General Alberto Dalla Chiesa and Salvatore Quasimodo.