Milan Italy is a city famous for fashion, culture, delicious cuisine, and beautiful attractions. Milano, Italia, as Italians refer to it, is located in northern Italy at the heart of the Po basin. Milan is a sprawling metropolis with an area of 1,980 sq km and a population of 1.3 million. Milan is the second largest city in Italy and is an international commercial, financial, and industrial center.
The history of Milan is as diverse as the city itself. Milan was conquered by Rome in 222 BC, when it became capital of the Western Empire and the religious center of Northern Italy. However, over the next hundred years Milan was damaged and conquered by the Huns, the Goths and the Lombard’s. In the 12 century, Milan finally became a free, independent commune and gradually gained supremacy over the cities of northern Italy. The city flourished until it became involved in the Italian wars and passed under Spanish domination in the year 1535. At the end of the War of the Spanish Succession, Austrian rule of Milan was established. Finally in 1861 Milan was incorporated back into Italy and once again began to flourish as a city of great industrial importance.
Today, with Milan’s influence on the design world and its industrial capabilities, the city is recognized as one of the fashion capitals of the world. Shopping is of very high importance in Milan. Milan is home to countless boutiques, theatres, cinemas, clubs and restaurants that serve the city’s large population and numerous tourists. Milan is also Italy’s economic city, home to Italy’s stock market and many of its business centers.
With Milan receiving more visitors than Venice or Florence, its many attractions get the attention they deserve. Milan’s breathtaking Duomo is one of the world’s largest, most striking cathedrals. Milan’s many art galleries, many housed in former palaces, are home to many significant works including Leonard da Vinci’s Last Supper. Apart from Milan’s beautiful city center, another fairly unknown area deserving of a visit is the Brera. Located immediately north of the Duomo, Brera is a shopper’s paradise with its many galleries and expensive shopping streets.
Milan is a modern, industrial and fashionable city that is one of the most interesting in Italy. Anyone planning a trip to Italy cannot miss out on the wonder that is Milan.