We continue our walking photo exploration of Milan venturing out into the neighboorhoods around the Duomo.
Immediately in front of the cathedral is the Piazza Duomo, bustling with activity day and night. Stairs and escalators give access to two of the three subways in Milan, the Red (#1) and Yellow (#3) lines. The subways are modern, the oldest (red) line being inaugurated in 1964, and convenient, with trains leaving every two minutes during rush hour and every 5 minutes the rest of the day.
The shopping mall is not a late 20th century invention. The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II faces the Piazza Duomo and is an elegant arcade lined with cafés and shops. The Galleria opened 1867 as part of an urban renewal project.
The Galleria is a popular place to meet friends, shop, eat and people watch.
The Galleria’s main hall connects the Piazza Duomo with the Piazza Scala were one finds this statue of Leonardo da Vinci by Pietro Magni (1872). Around its base, are statues of four famous disciples of the great artist and scientist: Antonio Boltraffio, Marco d’Oggiono, Andrea Solari and Cesare da Sesto. Leonardo worked in Milan from 1482 until 1499.
Eight telamones (a figure of a man used as a supporting pillar) dominate the facade of house/studio built by the sculptor Leone Leoni in 1565. The Milanese call these figures “Omenoni”, or “large men”, hence the name of the building.
The contrast of spacious piazzas with narrow winding streets adds to the charm of Milan. What was a surprise to at least this American, there are thriving shops along these seemingly easy to miss passageways.
The Via Arcivescovado runs along the southeast side of the Duomo and some of the buildings have surprising architecture.
Street cars provide an integral link in the Milan transportation system, as well as providing visual interest to street scenes.
Even (perhaps especially) the backside of a city provides interesting visual experiences.
The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is one of the most impressive commercial buildings i can imagine. I love it as much as the dome.
http://helgesfotoalbum.wordpress.com/2012/08/17/2226/
http://helgesfotoalbum.wordpress.com/2012/05/18/mailands-stolz/
I agree, it is a facinating place! I probably spent time there every day during my short visit to Milan.
Thanks for sharing your photos!
Love the B&W of the people in the Galleria and that shot of the tram is timeless 🙂