Milan is both historical and futuristic, creative and stylish.
Cultural Legacy
Ruled successively through history by the Caesars, Napoleon, the Austro-Hungarians and Mussolini, Milan has an ancient and fascinating cultural history. Milan invented the city-state and the Edict of Milan (AD 313) ended the persecution of Christians. Art collections old and new provoke conversations about where the world is heading and prestigious nights at La Scala and an illustrious literary heritage are balanced by a diverse contemporary music and publishing scene. Milan is often portrayed as work-obsessed but it’s so much more than that.
A Modern Miracle
Since Leonardo da Vinci broke all the rules with his stunning Last Supper, the indefatigably inventive Milanese seem to have skipped straight from the Renaissance to the 21st-century. It’s true that Milan is a treasure trove of 20th-century art. However, art deco and rationalist architecture abound and today, the city leads the way with the largest post-war re-development in Italy. Impressive, sustainable architecture and a futuristic skyline modelled by Zaha Hadid, Daniel Libeskind and César Pelli add to the Milanese experience. There are now ambitious plans to make Milan a hi-tech hub, with the likes of Google, Microsoft, Alibaba and Apple establishing headquarters there.
Living By Design
Without doubt, the roots of Italian design belong to 1930s Milan. Seeing it in a home context offers the chance to refresh one’s appreciation, and a visit to the Design Museum is a wonderful way to pay homage to the work of Italy’s best and brightest.
Buon Appetito
Cucina povera (peasant cooking) may be the cry of the south, but Milanese cuisine is a product of a rich urban culture. It was in powerful commercial cities such as Milan that Italy’s great cuisine was born, marrying Mediterranean fruits, spices and herbs with cooking methods, pastry techniques and eating styles from France and central Europe. Even today Milan continues to push Italy’s culinary boundaries, making sushi and dim sum their own, and holding the second highest number of Michelin stars in the country.
Title Image Credit: Romain Pontida (Image Cropped)