Milan – the fashion square of Europe

…., an Italian economic, transit and industrial engine and of course an Italian synonym for style. Today, Milan bears the nickname 'alpha global city', thanks to the fact that it is the global center of fashion and design, and at the same time one of the cities with the highest purchasing power in the world. The city is tailored to its inhabitants, i.e. 'alla milanese', which is particularly attractive to visitors. Therefore, it is not unusual that the 'Milanese' in a way still live as in the time of rich families, because Milan has everything, and although it was never the capital of modern Italy, for many it is the 'moral capital' (capitale morale).

Golden Mecca
One of the oldest parts of central Milan, Piazza San Babila is a great starting point for exploring old and new Milan. Church of San Babila was built already in the fourth century and dedicated to Bishop Babila from Antioch, from where the church and the square got their name, but the church got its present-day neo-Romanesque facade only in the 20th century. It is known that with the Edict of Milan in 313, Christianity was no longer a prohibited religion and that this important document is the beginning of a new chapter in history. The church was the gathering place of the first Christians, and today the lively square in front of it is an attractive point that puts every traveler before the inevitable question and temptation: "Where to go?" Northwest of the square is a pedestrian street, which is the main artery of social life Via Montenapoleone. At the very beginning of the street is an inevitable stop for a quick espresso or a cup of tea in the cult Covi, which has been delighting guests since Napoleonic times. Everything we see on the catwalks can be found in this small area, not only in the stores, but also while watching the elegant Milanese strolling casually through the streets in clothes and shoes from Bally, Salvatore Ferragamo, Gucci, Emilio Pucci, Louis Vuitton, Bottega Veneta, Armani, Prada, Kenzo, etc. Everything you can imagine in the field of fashion can be found on this and a few neighboring streets, such as Via Sant'Andrea and Via della Spiga. This part of the city hides fantastic surprises even behind the facades and shop windows, in the quiet courtyards. It is also one such surprise Hotel Four Seasons Milan, which is in the premises of a former monastery from the 15th century. Luxurious rooms, top service and wonderful peace are the attractions and the main reasons for the success of the hotel. At the end of the walk Monte Napi is waiting for us Via Alessandro Manzoni, where there is a magnificent conclusion to our fashion acquaintance. In the building at number 31, a fashion show by one of the greatest masters of fashion, Giorgio Armani, is constantly taking place. The building of the insurance company from the beginning of the last century was changed in 2000 to Armani boutique on 6000 square meters and on several floors. In it, in addition to everything you can imagine with the Armani inscription, you can also enjoy the delicacies of Japanese cuisine Nobu restaurant.

A bit of culture
Via Manzoni leads us west to a completely different Milan. The beautiful classicist facades of the buildings testify to luxury, discover a new, more spacious world and lead to a completely new destination. Palazzo Manzoni was the house of the famous Milanese writer Manzoni, to whom Giuseppe Verdi (also a long-time resident of Milan) dedicated the famous Requiem as a great friend. At the end of the 19th century, the great Milanese art collector Giacomo Poldi - Pezzoli donated his collection to the city, and on the same street, at number 12, in the Poldi Pezzoli Museum his collection exhibited. It is a real pleasure to walk around this palace-museum. Antique furniture, porcelain, jewelry and tapestries represent one part of the collection, while the other is the artworks of painters from the 15th and 16th centuries: Mantegna, Tiepolo, Bellini, Botticelli and others. In the middle of the square Piazza della Scala at the end of the street we will meet another famous Italian, Leonardo Da Vinci. The benches around his statue invite you to rest, but at the same time they are a unique theater for admiring the daily life of the Milanese. The square is not large, but the buildings, including Leonardo himself, who painted his famous Il Cenacolo in Milan, are symbols of the city. The classical opera house Scala surprises us with its facade, looking at which it is hard to believe that the hall can accommodate 2,800 spectators. From its opening until today, the most famous musical artists in the world have conducted and performed in the Teatro della Scala and La Scala is certainly one of the most iconic music halls. In 2004, the renovated building opened with a production of Salieri's opera Europa Riconosciuta conducted by the famous Riccardo Muti. This is the opera that was also performed at the first opening in 1778. There is a museum next to the opera house Museo Teatrale della Scala, intended for everyone to fans of musicals by various composers and portraits of great artists. We will be easily recognized in the market Palazzo Marino, as it boasts one of the few preserved facades from the 16th century, and today it houses the city council. Opposite the Marino Palace we will also find the entrance to one of the oldest shopping centers Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II or the so-called Il salotto di Milano. The gallery, built in the shape of a Latin cross, connects two important Milanese squares: Piazza Scala and Piazza Duomo. It is interesting that the gallery is one of the first buildings in Europe where iron and glass were used in the construction of the roof. In the central part of the gallery, there are mosaics on the floor depicting the signs of the zodiac and the locals (although we will see mainly tourists) believe that for good luck we must step on the genitals of the sign of the bull. The gallery is also a place for social gatherings. Two famous bars Il Salotto and Zucca and Galleria, which were once reserved exclusively for rich Italians reading newspapers while having an aperitif, are now full of rich tourists who are willing to pay an expensive meal or coffee just to enjoy the elegant ambience.

Milan tomorrow
Today, Milan is visited by around 2 million tourists a year, and the number is increasing every year. Among the many events in the city, it is especially worth mentioning the so-called white night (la notte bianca), which takes place every year on the first day of summer, June 21. That's when Milan lives 24 hours, which means that all museums, shops and restaurants are open all night. At the moment, the city itself is also being 'changed'; in Milan, a complete urban redesign is in progress, going from the center to the suburbs, and the world's leading architects are participating in the renovation. The project will change the image of Milan. We will see how successful it will be and whether it will be liked by the inhabitants in 2015, when a large world exhibition will be held in the Lombardy capital Expo.