Alice and I on the rooftop of the Metropolitan Cathedral-Basilica of the Nativity of Saint Mary but more commonly referred to as the Duomo di Milano or the Milan Cathedral in Milan. (April 24, 2023)
Italy Day 6: Alice and Milan, Together Again!
It’s the exquisite Duomo di Milano or Milan Cathedral in the Piazza del Duomo, so I must be in Milan. A very crowded, very busy Milan.
Alice, my awesome travel buddy, arrived safely, but tired from her flights. We grabbed a quick Margarita pizza, for an early dinner, close to the Duomo and just five minutes from our hotel.
I’ve been battling sneezing, a runny nose and a slight sore throat from mild drainage…gross, I know. But in these COVID times, one can’t take such symptoms for granted. So, I took a COVID test today just to make sure what I self-diagnosed as allergies is just that. And thankfully I’m negative for COVID but definitely positive for allergies. I’m noticing a lot of people sneezing so I’m in good Italian company.
More Milano tomorrow.
Arriving at the very crowded Milan train station to enjoy a few days in Milan but more importantly to meet up with Alice to begin our exploration of Italy. (April 23, 2023)The Hotel Gran Duca Di York in Milan where Alice and I stayed was just a few minutes walk from the grand Milano Cathedral. (April 23, 2023)My room at the Hotel Gran Duca Di York in Milan where Alice and I stayed, was just a few minutes walk from the grand Milano Cathedral. No views, like in Venice, but still a comfortable room. (April 23, 2023)I ended up taking a Covid test because I wasn’t sure if my allergies were Covid or not. Thankfully, they were not. (April 23, 2023)The Duomo di Milano or Milan Cathedral always makes a wonderful impression and was within a very short walking distance from our hotel, the Hotel Gran Duca Di York in Milan. (April 23, 2023)
Italy Day 7: All Things Duomo di Milano
With our prepurchased tickets in hand, Alice and I officially began our time in Milan with all things Duomo di Milano or Milan Cathedral. We began this beautiful day walking along the rooftop of the Duomo; then time in the 5th largest Christian church in the world; a walk through the archaeological area under and predating the Duomo and a visit to the Duomo Museum.
I’m still battling my allergies so after we had a late lunch, I took a much needed nap and spent the rest of the day and evening taking it easy and working on this post.
Alice and I on the rooftop of the Metropolitan Cathedral-Basilica of the Nativity of Saint Mary but more commonly referred to as the Duomo di Milano or the Milan Cathedral in Milan. (April 24, 2023)Views of the rooftop of the Milan Cathedral in Milan. (April 24, 2023)Views of the rooftop of the Milan Cathedral in Milan. (April 24, 2023)Views of the rooftop of the Milan Cathedral in Milan. (April 24, 2023)Views of the rooftop of the Milan Cathedral in Milan. (April 24, 2023)Views of the rooftop of the Milan Cathedral in Milan. (April 24, 2023)On the rooftop of the Milan Cathedral in Milan and perched on the highest spire of the Cathedral is the Madonna statue. She was placed on top of the Great Spire in December 1774. The statue represents the Virgin Mary’s Assumption into heaven and was commissioned to the sculptor Giuseppe Perego. (April 24, 2023)Getting in a selfie on the rooftop of the Milan Cathedral. (April 24, 2023)Views of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Italy’s oldest active shopping gallery in Milan, from the Milan Cathedral rooftop. (April 24, 2023)The Duomo di Milano or Milan Cathedral in Milan is the fifth largest Christian church in the world and it is only outdone some other spectacular cathedrals like St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, the Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida in Brazil, Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York and Seville’s Cathedral in Spain. (April 24, 2023)Heading down the nave inside the 637-year-old Milan Cathedral in Milan. (April 24, 2023)The theme of the Main Door of the Milan Cathedral represents the “Joy and Sorrow of the Virgin Mary,” to whom the Cathedral is dedicated. (April 24, 2023)The high altar inside the Milan Cathedral in Milan. (April 24, 2023)The thick columns and side chapels of the Milan Cathedral in Milan. (April 24, 2023)The beautiful Candoglia marble geometric floral design of the floors inside the Milan Cathedral in Milan. From the time it was created in the 1404 the project of the flooring was entrusted to Marco da Carona who completed the flooring of the northern sacristy in soft pink Candoglia marble with geometric inlays in black marble with red brocatelle. (April 24, 2023)The beautiful Candoglia marble geometric floral design of the floors inside the Milan Cathedral in Milan. (April 24, 2023)The statue of “St. Bartholomew skinned,” made by the sculptor Marco d’Agrate in 1562 inside the Milan Cathedral in Milan. St. Bartholomew was one of Christ’s 12 apostles, executed for his Christian faith, portrayed here carrying his own skin. (April 24, 2023)The beautiful stained glass windows inside the Milan Duomo in Milan. (April 24, 2023)The Annunciation stained glass inside the Milan Cathedral in Milan develops the story of the life of Christ. (April 24, 2023)A close-up of the Annunciation stained glass inside the Milan Cathedral in Milan develops the story of the life of Christ. (April 24, 2023)The large, thick columns inside the Milan Cathedral in Milan. (April 24, 2023)The large, thick columns inside the Milan Cathedral with carved statues at the top. (April 24, 2023)The large, thick columns inside the Milan Cathedral with carved statues at the top. (April 24, 2023)A plate on the wall inside of the Milan Cathedral celebrates the laying of the first stone in 1386. (April 24, 2023)The remnants and archeological ruins of the ancient basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, Santa Tecla, and the Baptistery of San Giovanni alle Fonti under and predating the Milan Cathedral. The first baptistery was said to take place on the eve of Easter in 397 AD. (April 24, 2023)The Baptismal Offering of San Giovanni alle Fonti under and predating the Milan Cathedral contains some 222 coins dating to between the mid-4th century to the beginning of the 7th century. Passages by Church Fathers suggest several ways to interpret the function of the coin: 1. an offering for the healing of the soul from sin 2. a symbol of the passage from one condition to another (death-life) 3. an amulet to keep demons away. (April 24, 2023)The Main Door of the Milan Cathedral in Milan, the “Joy and Sorrow of the Virgin Mary,” was finished in 1906 was made by the sculptor Ludovico Pogliaghi. (April 24, 2023)The theme of the Main Door of the Milan Cathedral represents the “Joy and Sorrow of the Virgin Mary,” to whom the Cathedral is dedicated. (April 24, 2023)The Main Door view of the Milan Cathedral in Milan, the “Joy and Sorrow of the Virgin Mary,” was finished in 1906. (April 24, 2023)The very busy Piazza del Duomo with a side view of the Milan Cathedral. (April 24, 2023)Silver busts from the mid to late 1500s inside the Duomo Museum in Milan. The museum tells the history of the Duomo through the centuries: statues, stained-glass windows, paintings, tapestries, architectural models, terracottas and plaster casts. All of them are original elements taken from the Cathedral. (April 24, 2023)Original statues taken from the Milan Cathedral inside the Duomo Museum in Milan. (April 24, 2023)Original statues taken from the Milan Cathedral inside the Duomo Museum in Milan. (April 24, 2023)An original terra cotta of the “Creation of Eve” by Giovanni Battista Crespo from around 1628-1629 inside the Duomo Museum in Milan. (April 24, 2023)A tapestry of Moses receiving the 10 Commandments made around 1554-1556 inside the Duomo Museum in Milan. (April 24, 2023)A close-up of the tapestry of Moses receiving the 10 Commandments made around 1554-1556 inside the Duomo Museum in Milan. (April 24, 2023)A line-up of statues of women saints inside the Duomo Museum in Milan. (April 24, 2023)A model of the statue of the Madonnina for the Cathedral of Milan inside the Duomo Museum. The statue represents the Virgin Mary’s Assumption into heaven and she graces the highest spire of the Cathedral. (April 24, 2023)
Italy Day 8: Leonardo, Last Supper & More of Milan
Leonardo da Vinci and his “The Last Supper” is a must see when in Milan. I believe this beautiful and simple faded masterpiece along with the Milan Cathedral are reason enough to come to Milan. And, in our case, we also got to see some of the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie that the mural was made for inside its refectory or dining room.
We also made a quick stop at the Castello Sforzesco or Sforza’s Castle, a medieval fortification in Milan.
Walking towards the statue of Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), located in Piazza Della Scala and adjacent to Galleria Victoria Emanuele II in Milan. He lived from 1482-1499 and from 1506-1513 in Milan at the Sforza Castle. Leonardo was your ultimate Renaissance man who was active as a painter, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor and architect. (April 25, 2023)Me standing below the statue of Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), located in Piazza Della Scala and adjacent to Galleria Victoria Emanuele II in Milan. He lived from 1482-1499 and from 1506-1513 in Milan at the Sforza Castle. Leonardo was your ultimate Renaissance man who was active as a painter, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor and architect. (April 25, 2023)The statue of Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), located in Piazza Della Scala and adjacent to Galleria Victoria Emanuele II in Milan. (April 25, 2023)Santa Maria delle Grazie or Holy Mary of Grace is a church and Dominican convent along with being a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Milan, with its refectory being the home of Leonardo da Vinci’s mural, The Last Supper (c. 1492-1498). (April 25, 2023)The Santa Maria delle Grazie church (right) and the entrance to Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” (left) Leonardo’s Last Supper is located in its original place, on the wall of the dining room of the former Dominican convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. Tickets must be bought in advance and “The Last Supper” can only be seen with time-slot reservations. (April 25, 2023)Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous painting, The Last Supper, was commissioned for the refectory or dining room area of the Convent of Santa Maria della Grazie in Milan and painted between 1494 and 1498. Timed tickets have to be purchased in advance. (April 25, 2023)Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous painting, The Last Supper, was commissioned for the refectory or dining room area of the Convent of Santa Maria della Grazie in Milan and painted between 1494 and 1498. (April 25, 2023)Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous painting, The Last Supper, was commissioned for the refectory or dining room area of the Convent of Santa Maria della Grazie in Milan and painted between 1494 and 1498. (April 25, 2023)Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous painting, The Last Supper, was commissioned for the refectory of the Convent of Santa Maria della Grazie in Milan and painted between 1494 and 1498. It represents the last meal shared by Jesus with his disciples before his capture and death, and shows the moment when Jesus has just said “one of you will betray me”, and the consternation that this statement caused. (April 25, 2023)This Crucifixion mural by Giovanni Donato da Montorfano from 1495 is at the opposite end of Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper.” Giovanni Donato da Montorfano (c. 1460–1502/03) was an Italian painter of the Renaissance who was born, lived and worked in Milan. (April 25, 2023)A close-up of this Crucifixion mural by Giovanni Donato da Montorfano from 1495 is at the opposite end of Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper,” inside the refectory or dining room of the former Dominican convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. Giovanni Donato da Montorfano (c. 1460–1502/03) was an Italian painter of the Renaissance who was born, lived and worked in Milan. (April 25, 2023)Inside the Santa Maria delle Grazie church towards the altar in Milan where Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” can be found in its refectory or dining room of the former Dominican convent of the church. (April 25, 2023)The high altar inside the Santa Maria delle Grazie church in Milan where Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” can be found in its refectory or dining room of the former Dominican convent of the church. (April 25, 2023)The dome inside the Santa Maria delle Grazie church in Milan where Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” can be found in its refectory or dining room of the former Dominican convent of the church. (April 25, 2023)nside the Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan church in Milan where Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” can be found its refectory or dining room of the former Dominican convent of the church. (April 25, 2023)Towards the entryway inside the Santa Maria delle Grazie church in Milan where Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” can be found in its refectory or dining room of the former Dominican convent of the church. (April 25, 2023)The trams in Milan. (April 25, 2023)The trams in Milan. (April 25, 2023)A quick lunch, something light and just what I needed, a crispy shrimp salad in Milan. My allergies seem to be messing with both my taste buds and my appetite but I had no problem consuming this salad. (April 25, 2023)The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II entrance at the Piazza del Duomo, and by the Milan Cathedral in Milan. (April 25, 2023)The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in the Piazza del Duomo, and by the Milan Cathedral, is considered to be Italy’s oldest active shopping gallery in Milan with some high end luxury boutiques such as the original Prada store, Gucci and Louis Vuitton. The shopping center, designed in 1861 and built by architect Giuseppe Mengoni between 1865 and 1877, was named after the first king of the Kingdom of Italy, Victor Emmanuel II. (April 25, 2023)Inside the four-story double arcade Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II by the Milan Cathedral. It is considered to be Italy’s oldest active shopping gallery built between 1865 and 1877 in Milan. (April 25, 2023)Inside the four-story double arcade Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II by the Milan Cathedral. It is considered to be Italy’s oldest active shopping gallery built between 1865 and 1877 in Milan. (April 25, 2023)Inside the four-story double arcade Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II by the Milan Cathedral. It is considered to be Italy’s oldest active shopping gallery built between 1865 and 1877 in Milan. (April 25, 2023)The Castello Sforzesco or Sforza’s Castle, a medieval fortification in Milan. (April 25, 2023)The Castello Sforzesco or Sforza’s Castle, a medieval fortification in Milan. (April 25, 2023)Alice and I standing by the fountain of the Castello Sforzesco or Sforza’s Castle, a medieval fortification in Milan. The original construction was ordered by Galeazzo II Visconti, a local nobleman, in 1358 but in 1450 Francesco Sforza began reconstruction of the castle to turn it into his princely residence. (April 25, 2023)The Castello Sforzesco or Sforza’s Castle, a medieval fortification in Milan.The entrance gate into the courtyard of the Castello Sforzesco or Sforza’s Castle, a medieval fortification in Milan. (April 25, 2023)Inside the courtyard of the Castello Sforzesco or Sforza’s Castle, a medieval fortification in Milan. (April 25, 2023)The Castello Sforzesco or Sforza’s Castle, a medieval fortification in Milan. (April 25, 2023)The Castello Sforzesco or Sforza’s Castle, a medieval fortification in Milan. (April 25, 2023)The Castello Sforzesco or Sforza’s Castle, a medieval fortification in Milan. (April 25, 2023)Inside the courtyard of the Castello Sforzesco or Sforza’s Castle, a medieval fortification in Milan. (April 25, 2023)The unassuming entrance to the San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore church in Milan with its frescoes from the 16th century covering the walls. The church was consecrated in 1518. (April 25, 2023)Inside the Church of Saint Maurice al Monastero Maggiore in Milan with its frescoes from the 1500s covering the walls. (April 25, 2023)Inside the Church of Saint Maurice al Monastero Maggiore in Milan with its frescoes from the 1500s covering the walls. (April 25, 2023)Inside the Church of Saint Maurice al Monastero Maggiore in Milan with its frescoes from the 1500s covering the walls. (April 25, 2023)Inside the Church of Saint Maurice al Monastero Maggiore in Milan with its frescoes from the 1500s covering the walls. (April 25, 2023)Inside the Church of Saint Maurice al Monastero Maggiore in Milan with its frescoes from the 1500s covering the walls in the choir. (April 25, 2023)The choir Inside the Church of Saint Maurice al Monastero Maggiore in Milan. (April 25, 2023)Inside the Church of Saint Maurice al Monastero Maggiore in Milan with its frescoes from the 1500s covering the walls. (April 25, 2023)Inside the Church of Saint Maurice al Monastero Maggiore in Milan with its frescoes from the 1500s covering the walls. (April 25, 2023)Inside the Church of Saint Maurice al Monastero Maggiore in Milan with its frescoes from the 1500s covering the walls. (April 25, 2023)Inside the Church of Saint Maurice al Monastero Maggiore in Milan with its frescoes from the 1500s covering the walls. (April 25, 2023)Inside the Church of Saint Maurice al Monastero Maggiore in Milan with its frescoes from the 1500s covering the walls. (April 25, 2023)The unassuming entrance and exit to the San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore church in Milan. (April 25, 2023)
Italy Day 9: A Day of Rest and Finally Finding Good Allergy Meds
Missed out on doing a day trip to Verona. I just couldn’t do anything today. And I’m glad I didn’t. Taking these Italian meds were incredibly helpful because I have never had allergy issues this bad before.
Thank you Alice for picking these up for me at the pharmacy because they worked brilliantly.
Stay tuned for a little more Milan and a less stuffy head me.
My doctor back in Dallas recommended I take Benadryl and Flonase for my allergies but the equivalent here in Italy is Zirtec and Fexallegra Nasale. Thank you Alice for picking these up for me at the pharmacy because they are working brilliantly. (April 26, 2023)Had a late lunch/early dinner of a tuna salad, a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon red wine and carbonated water at a restaurant close to our hotel. Oh, and bread. Most meals come with bread. (April 26, 2023)
Italy Day 10: Milan’s Other Treasures
It was our last full day in Milan and we topped it off with a walking tour called “Off the Beaten Track in Milan.” Considering we saw the biggies like the Milan Cathedral and Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper,” getting off the tourist track was a nice change of venue.
Our stops included The Naviglio Grande an actual canal in Milan, the Basilica of Sant’Eustorgio containing the remains of the Three Magi, a medieval gate, Roman colonnade and the Basilica of San Lorenzo.
Alice and I, after a little break, visited the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana established in 1618 by Cardinal Federico Borromeo to lay our eyes on several sketches by Leonardo da Vinci and other masterpieces of art.
And, for our Last Supper in Milan, Alice and I enjoyed a feast of one course of treats after the other at the Enotecca Boccondivino. It included prime pasta, risotto, incredible local prosciutto and all kinds of cheese, wine and bread.
Arrivederci Milano; Ciao Parma!
Alice and I standing on the steel bridge crossing the Naviglio Grande, a canal in Milan. At one time in its history, Milan had quite a few canals, but not anymore. It was built between 1177 and 1272. (April 27, 2023)The Naviglio Grande is the oldest canal in Milan, built between 1177 and 1272. There are restaurants and shops alongside the canal. (April 27, 2023)A steel bridge crossing the Naviglio Grande, the oldest canal in Milan. (April 27, 2023)Another steel bridge crossing the Naviglio Grande, the oldest canal in Milan. (April 27, 2023)Standing along the steel bridge crossing the Naviglio Grande, the oldest canal in Milan, built between 1177 and 1272. There are restaurants and shops alongside the canal. (April 27, 2023)Standing along the steel bridge crossing the Naviglio Grande, the oldest canal in Milan, built between 1177 and 1272. There are restaurants and shops alongside the canal. (April 27, 2023)Housing and a former canal along the side of the building now covered in greenery along a residential street in the Naviglio district of Milan. (April 27, 2023)Walking in the Naviglio district of Milan towards a mural of a local writer and poet. (April 27, 2023)This is Alda Merini, an Italian writer and poet who was born and died in Milan (March 21,1931-Nov. 1, 2009). She is called the poet of the Navigli because her home, for the last period of her life, was close to the Navigli Grande. (April 27, 2023)Alice and I standing by the drawings of three Italian women at a corner in the Navigli district including Italian writer and poet Alda Marini in the center. The other two Italian women honored are astrophysicist Margherita Hack (right) and actress, playwright, feminist and politician, Franca Rame (left).Throughout the years, the Basilica of Sant’Eustorgio, has housed the tomb and relics of the Magi since its building, which were stolen by Fredrick Barbarossa in 1164 and only partially returned to Milan in 1904. Probably founded in the 4th century, the church’s name refers to Eustorgius I, the bishop of Milan credited for transporting the Magi relics to the city from Constantinople in 344. Eight centuries later in 1164, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa took the relics of the Magi from the Basilica and gave them to the Archbishop of Cologne. Then, supposedly in 1903, due to the intervention of Cardinal Ferrari some of the sacred remains returned to the Basilica of Sant’Eustorgio. (April 27, 2023)Throughout the years, the Basilica of Sant’Eustorgio, has housed the tomb and relics of the Magi since its building, which were stolen by Fredrick Barbarossa in 1164 and only partially returned to Milan in 1904. Probably founded in the 4th century, the church’s name refers to Eustorgius I, the bishop of Milan credited for transporting the Magi relics to the city from Constantinople in 344. Eight centuries later in 1164, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa took the relics of the Magi from the Basilica and gave them to the Archbishop of Cologne. Then, supposedly in 1903, due to the intervention of Cardinal Ferrari some of the sacred remains returned to the Basilica of Sant’Eustorgio. (April 27, 2023)Inside the Basilica of Sant’Eustorgio in Milan. (April 27, 2023)The altar of the Basilica of Sant’Eustorgio in Milan. (April 27, 2023)The Ancona of the Passion, in the altar of the Basilica of Sant’Eustorgio, was sculpted in carved marble by sculptors in the Lombardi region of Italy sometime between 1395 and 1402. Of the nine bas-relief compartment, the largest one in the middle depicts the Crucifixion with the Virgin Mary and Saint John. The other tiles, which are to be read from the bottom left and then moving on to the upper line, represent, left to right: the Agony in the Garden, the Kiss of Judas, Jesus before Caiaphas, the Flagellation of Jesus, Jesus before Pilate, Jesus carrying the Cross, the Deposition and Lamentation of Jesus, the Descent into Limbo. (April 27, 2023)The reliquary of the Holy Magi inside the Basilica of Sant’Eustorgio in Milan, above the Magi altar in an the steel shrine, are the remains of the Three Wise Men. According to the Bible, the Magi were three middle eastern kings— Gaspar, Melchior, and Baltasar—who felt compelled by God and a new star in the sky to go to Jerusalem and bring gifts to the newborn son of God. To the right of the altar and the reliquary is the empty sarcophagus that carried the Three Wise Men’s remains to Milan. (April 27, 2023)To the right of the altar and the reliquary is this, the empty sarcophagus that carried the Three Wise Men’s remains to Milan at inside the Basilica of Saint’Eustorgio. (April 27, 2023)The Magi reliquary above the Magi altar inside the Basilica of Saint’Eustorgio in Milan are said to be the remains of the Three Wise Men. Probably founded in the 4th century, the church’s name refers to Eustorgius I, the bishop of Milan credited for transporting the Magi relics to the city from Constantinople in 344. Eight centuries later in 1164, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa took the relics of the Magi from the Basilica and gave them to the Archbishop of Cologne. Then, supposedly in 1903, due to the intervention of Cardinal Ferrari some of the sacred remains returned to the Basilica of Sant’Eustorgio. (April 27, 2023)The back view of the Basilica of Sant’Eustorgio and the Parco Papa Giovanni Paolo II (“Pope John Paul II Park”) in Milan. Originally named the Parco delle Basiliche, Basilica owes its name to the fact that it connects two major basilicas, the Basilica of San Lorenzo and the Basilica of Sant’Eustorgio. (April 27, 2023)The Porta Ticinese is one of the remaining 12th century gates from the medieval walls of Milan. (April 27, 2023)The Colonne di San Lorenzo or Columns of San Lorenzo is a group of ancient Roman ruins, located in front of the Basilica of San Lorenzo in central Milan. (April 27, 2023)The Roman Colonne di San Lorenzo and the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Milan. The columns came from various Roman buildings dating back to the 2nd or 3rd century, probably from a pagan temple located in the area. (April 27, 2023)The Roman Colonne di San Lorenzo and the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Milan. The columns came from various Roman buildings dating back to the 2nd or 3rd century, probably from a pagan temple located in the area. (April 27, 2023)Standing next to the Roman Colonne di San Lorenzo and facing the Porta Ticinese the remaining 12th century gate from the medieval walls of Milan. (April 27, 2023)The Basilica of San Lorenzo Maggiore, a Roman Catholic Church, built on the remains of a pagan temple in Milan. It is one of the oldest churches in the city, originally built in Roman times, but subsequently rebuilt several times over the centuries. It’s interior is currently under renovations. It is enclosed by the Roman Colonne di San Lorenzo and close to the medieval Porta Ticinese. The statue of Roman Emperor Constantine the Great commemorates Constantine’s important Edict of Milan, which granted religious tolerance throughout the Roman Empire. This is a copy and the original statue now in the Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano in Rome. (April 27, 2023)The back view of the Basilica of Sant’Eustorgio and the Parco Papa Giovanni Paolo II (“Pope John Paul II Park”) in Milan. Originally named the Parco delle Basiliche, Basilica owes its name to the fact that it connects two major basilicas, the Basilica of San Lorenzo and the Basilica of Sant’Eustorgio. (April 27, 2023)The interior of the Basilica of San Lorenzo Maggiore, a Roman Catholic Church, built on the remains of a pagan temple in Milan. It is one of the oldest churches in the city, originally built around the 4th century in Roman times, but subsequently rebuilt several times over the centuries and is again under restoration. (April 27, 2023)A very faded “The Last Supper” mural and Pieta inside the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Milan. (April 27, 2023)A very faded “The Last Supper” mural inside the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Milan. (April 27, 2023)Art graffiti of Leonardo da Vinci, artist, engineer, inventor and more, on a wall around the corner of the Basilica San Lorenzo on the way to the Basilica of Sant’Eustorgio in Milan. (April 27, 2023)Art graffiti on a wall around the corner of the Basilica San Lorenzo on the way to the Basilica of Sant’Eustorgio in Milan. (April 27, 2023)Art graffiti on a wall around the corner of the Basilica San Lorenzo on the way to the Basilica of Sant’Eustorgio in Milan. (April 27, 2023)Art graffiti on a wall around the corner of the Basilica San Lorenzo on the way to the Basilica of Sant’Eustorgio in Milan. (April 27, 2023)The Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, established in 1618 by Cardinal Federico Borromeo, in Milan is an art gallery of the masters, a library and just as importantly, it contains numerous sketches by Leonardo da Vinci. (April 27, 2023)The Adoration of the Magi by Titian from 1559 inside the gallery of the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, established in 1618 by Cardinal Federico Borromeo, in Milan. (April 27, 2023)Inside the art gallery of the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, established in 1618 by Cardinal Federico Borromeo, in Milan. (April 27, 2023)The Madonna and Child with Three Angels (also known as Madonna del Padiglione) by the Italian Renaissance master Sandro Botticelli from around 1493 inside the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana in Milan. (April 27, 2023)Inside the art gallery of the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, established in 1618 by Cardinal Federico Borromeo, in Milan. (April 27, 2023)The Vase of Flowers with Jewel, Coins and Shells by Jan Brueghel il Vecchio from around the early 1600s on display at the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana in Milan. The splendid bunch of flowers, painted by Brueghel for Cardinal Federico, is the oldest documented painting of this type. It consists of about a hundred different species of flowers, some of which are very rare and of great quality. (April 27, 2023)The Adoration of the Magi by Maestro del Santo Sangue from around 1515 to 1520 on display at the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana in Milan. Two Magi at the center of the painting offer their gifts to the Child and the third Magi, on the left, waits to make his offering while a man behind him, probably a patron, looks out at the viewer. (April 27, 2023)The drawing by Rafaello Sanzio (1483-1520 of The School of Athens inside the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana in Milan was made as a preparatory work for the Stanza della Segnatura in the Vatican on a commission by Julius II. It entered Federico Borromeo’s collection in 1626, when he purchased it from the widow of Fabio Borromeo Visconti even though it had been on loan to the Ambrosiana since 1610. (April 27, 2023)A video about the drawing of The School of Athens inside the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana in Milan shows the final fresco painted between 1509 and 1511 as a part of Raphael’s commission to decorate the rooms now known as the Stanze di Raffaello, in the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican. It depicts a congregation of philosophers, mathematicians, and scientists from Ancient Greece, including Plato, Aristotle, Pythagoras, Archimedes, and Heraclitus. (April 27, 2023)Courtyard of the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana in Milan.(April 27, 2023)The balcony over the courtyard of the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana in Milan. (April 27, 2023)The Biblioteca Ambrosiana inside the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana in Milan was the second public library inaugurated in Europe in 1609. Currently, it has over 750,000 books and over 35,000 manuscripts. Among the library’s most valuable possessions are over 1,000 pages of the Codex Atlanticus by the Italian Renaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci, including pages with drawings and explanations of his inventions. (April 27, 2023)The Biblioteca Ambrosiana inside the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana in Milan was the second public library inaugurated in Europe in 1609. Sculptor Pompeo Leoni gathered more than 1700 drawings and writings of Leonardo da Vinci into one big volume consisting of 402 pages. In 1637 the Atlantic Codex, together with 11 other manuscripts by Leonardo, were donated to the Biblioteca Ambrosiana. Taken by Napoleon and brought to Paris, the Codex returned to the Ambrosiana, where it remained ever since. The content embraces the thoughts of Leonardo for a period of more than 40 years, from 1478 to 1519. (April 27, 2023)The Biblioteca Ambrosiana inside the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana in Milan was the second public library inaugurated in Europe in 1609. Currently, it has over 750,000 books and over 35,000 manuscripts. Among the library’s most valuable possessions are over 1,000 pages of the Codex Atlanticus by the Italian Renaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci, including pages with drawings and explanations of his inventions. (April 27, 2023)Military machine drawings by Leonardo da Vinci from circa 1485-92 inside the Biblioteca Ambrosiana of the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana in Milan. The top sheet features a catapult designed to hurl two fifty pound boulders. The lower sheet shows a complex contraption with a large wheel whose 16 spokes are connected to as many crossbows loaded with arrows. (April 27, 2023)A number of Astronomy drawings by Leonardo da Vinci from circa 1505-08 inside the Biblioteca Ambrosiana of the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana in Milan. The notes deal with the earth’s surface which, being mainly covered with water, reflects sunlight as a mirror. The drawings scattered over the sheet deal with the reflection of solar rays on seawaves. Sculptor Pompeo Leoni gathered more than 1700 drawings and writings of Leonardo into one big volume consisting of 402 pages. In 1637 the Atlantic Codex, together with 11 other manuscripts by Leonardo, were donated to the Biblioteca Ambrosiana. Taken by Napoleon and brought to Paris, the Codex returned to the Ambrosiana, where it remained ever since. The content embraces the thoughts of Leonardo for a period of more than 40 years, from 1478 to 1519. (April 27, 2023)Playful geometric elements and notes on flight drawings by Leonardo da Vinci from circa 1514 inside the Biblioteca Ambrosiana of the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana in Milan. Leonardo’s treatise on geometry that was never completed and dedicated exclusively to squaring the circle. (April 27, 2023)The ‘Head of Christ the Redeemer’ from 1511 by Gian Giacomo Caprotti detto Salai (1480-1524) on display at the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana in Milan. (April 27, 2023)The Portrait of a Musician at the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana in Milan is considered an unfinished painting widely attributed to Leonard da Vinci and is dated c. 1483–1487. Produced while Leonardo was in Milan, the work is painted in oils, and perhaps tempera, on a small panel of walnut wood. It is his only known male portrait painting, and the identity of its sitter has been closely debated among scholars. (April 27, 2023)The Last Supper by Andrea Bianchi detto il Vespino circa 1611 to 1616 inside the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana in Milan was commissioned by Cardinal Federico Borromeo to paint copies of a number of great Renaissance masterpieces. (April 27, 2023)The Last Supper by Andrea Bianchi detto il Vespino circa 1611 to 1616 inside the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana in Milan was commissioned by Cardinal Federico Borromeo to paint copies of a number of great Renaissance masterpieces. (April 27, 2023)Views of Milan on our walk to dinner at the Enotecca Boccondivino. (April 27, 2023)Views of Milan on our walk to dinner at the Enotecca Boccondivino. (April 27, 2023)The Enotecca Boccondivino where Alice and I enjoyed our “Last Supper” in Milan. The restaurant became highly recommended and we made reservations in advance. This is not a restaurant where you pick from the menu. Instead, we are at the mercy of the chef. (April 27, 2023)Alice and I enjoying our “Last Supper” in Milan at the Enotecca Boccondivino. It was a feast of one course of treats after another including prime pasta, risotto, incredible local prosciutto and all kinds of cheese, wine and bread. (April 27, 2023)The edible bowl of vegetables on the table of our “Last Supper” in Milan at the Enotecca Boccondivino. (April 27, 2023)Preparing our plates of risotto and prime pasta at the Enotecca Boccondivino in Milan. (April 27, 2023)My plate of risotto and prime pasta at the Enotecca Boccondivino in Milan. (April 27, 2023)Getting in a night’s view of II Dito, Italian for ‘the finger’ on our walk back to our hotel, the Hotel Gran Duca Di York after dinner at the Enotecca Boccondivino in Milan. The sculpture, facing the stockexchange building, Palazzo Mezzanotte, consists of a hand with all the fingers severed with the exception of the middle finger. (April 27, 2023)
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