The main city of northern Italy is also one of the centers of world fashion, and therefore not only its historical quarters attract tourists from all over the world. In the suburbs of Milan, the main outlets and inexpensive shopping centers are concentrated, where there is always something to choose even for the most fastidious shopaholic.
Flower on the card
Milan is divided into nine districts and has a flower-like administrative map. Its center is the historical part of the city, and its eight petals are streets and quarters where the station, educational institutions, residential areas, hotels and shops are concentrated.
Some of the outskirts have preserved world sights, noted by the attention of UNESCO and other influential organizations. For example, Porta Nuova is a suburb of Milan where the city gates were located. They were erected at the beginning of the 19th century on an ancient Roman road that connected the city to the foot of the Alps. The triumphal arch made of yellow stone is decorated with bas-reliefs, and its architect was Giuseppe Zanoya, who also designed the facade of the Duomo in Milan.
On the eastern approaches
One of the nicest suburbs of Milan is the town of Bergamo on the way to Venice. Strictly speaking, it existed completely autonomously, but the expanding Milan gradually came close to Bergamo.
The old town is spread out at ease on a high hill formed by the spurs of the Alps. The hill smoothly flows into the picturesque valley of the Po River, and the historic center is connected to the new city by a cable car.
The main symbols of this suburb of Milan are spicy bergamot, Bergamo dance and Harlequin, which is often called Truffaldino in Italian comedy. The main attractions of Bergamo form a magnificent medieval panorama:
- The cathedral was consecrated in the 17th century. Its architectural style is rather difficult to define - the majestic building contains elements of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque.
- The city tower soars 54 meters into the sky. Its construction began in the 10th century, and the clock still keeps track of the exact time.
- The first edition of Dante's Divine Comedy was once kept in the building of Palazzo Nuovo. Built in the 16th century, the palace served as both the town hall and the city library.
- The interior of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore is truly magnificent! The construction of this church began in the 12th century, and the interior was decorated with frescoes by Tiepolo and tapestries by Allori in the 16th – 18th centuries.
