Beautiful Milan
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is an ornate shopping arcade built in the 1860s and 1870s. It is known as il Salotto di Milano (Milan’s drawing room).
Even the McDonalds has to tone-in with the colour scheme.
The architect, Giuseppe Mengoni was on scaffolding checking some details just before the building was completed, when tragically he slipped and fell to his death.
In order to prevent such bad-luck re-occuring, it is customary to grind one’s heel into the bull’s testicles on the mosaic floor.
Let’s just say, that after 130-plus years of grinding, that poor bull has not much equipment left.
Just across the piazza, is Milan’s Duomo – one of the largest churches in the world (I think it is no. 4 after Venice, the Vatican and Seville.)
Built in the 14th Century, it is a magnificent example of Gothic architecture – the marble seemingly floats upwards into delicate spires.
Of course, see church…must climb.
There is a lift…but we decided to go old-school and climb the stairs.
It’s a long way up, but the view from the top is worth it. You walk on the roof of the church itself and have views across the city to the Alps.
