Piazza del Duomo, Milan

Panoramic view

Piazza del Duomo is the main piazza in the city of Milan in Italy. The square takes its name after the dominating Milan Cathedral. Tourists and pigeons crowd the area and it is a good place for photography.

History

Azzone Visconti made the square in c. 1330 for mercantile purposes, the piazza dell'Arengo create a precursor of today's square. They ranged from the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore and the Basilica of Santa Tecla. For this purpose, several taverns were razed. Gian Galeazzo Visconti, demolished 1385 houses and a few other Baptistery. 1458 Francesco Sforza left with the approval of Pope Pius II, who demolished the Basilica di Santa Tecla, a great tribute, Domplatz create. 1548 the course has been extended again.

The place in the 19 Century

Also in the Napoleonic period, an increase of the square was considered, with the dominant role of the cathedral in favor of other monuments (triumphal arches, courthouse) should be reduced. The high-flying plans, however, were thwarted by the lack of money and at the imminent end of the era of Napoleon. Also during the Restoration period 1814-1859 was relatively low. 1865-73, however, the Dome Square won by the plan of the architect Giuseppe Mengoni its current face. The place was considerably enlarged and modernized the square perimeter with confidence.

The project, by Giuseppe Mengoni

The elation of the triumphant unification of Italy was in April 1860 invited the citizens of Milan, ideas for the new Cathedral Square and to present a new, to Vittorio Emanuele II designated streets. An architectural competition by May 1861 yielded 18 projects in the summer of 1862 have been awarded four of them. Mengonis project received no prize, but found much support in a second competition, he was declared the winner. The council decided on 15 September 1863 in the positive sense. After some modifications in 1864, the king sat on 7 March 1865 the foundation named after him for the Galleria, which opened in just three years and 15 September 1867 was opened.

The Piazza Duomo in 1866.

The City of Milan Improvements Company Limited, a London company that had built the Galleria but soon showed economic weakness and the Gallery had acquired from the city of Milan will be. The city was bound to bring a greater financial role to play in the transformation of the place as initially planned. The Palazzi dei Portici were completed her 1875th However, it still lacked the planned two triumphal arches, for which there was a lack of money. Mengoni was fighting for his project, in this context also financial risks - and rushed to the site on 30 December 1877 to death.

In 1896, the equestrian statue of Vittorio Emanuele II, was inaugurated in 1936 instead of the two was never built triumphal arches dell'Arengario palace built by him in which Benito Mussolini used to make his speeches to the citizens of Milan.

In December, 2009, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was attacked with an alabaster replica of the Cathedral, having been hit squarely in the face, and sent to hospital. MIKE HOGAN LIKES DICK

Monuments

• The Duomo di Milano (Milan Cathedral)
• The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
• The Palazzo dell'Arengario
• The Palazzo Carminati
• The Palazzo dei Portici Settentrionali
• The Palazzo dei Portici Meridionali
• The Royal Palace of Milan
• The Monument to King Victor Emmanuel II

Gallery

• 
  The Piazza in 2007
• 
  The Sqaure during Christmas 2008
• 
  One of the porticoes in the square
• 
  The courtyard of the Royal Palace of Milan
• 
  The monument to King Victor Emmanuel II flocked by pigeons.
• 
  The Arcivescovado
• 
  The Palazzo Carminati and the square in May 2009
• 
  The Monument to King Victor Emmanuel II and the Palazzo Carminati behind it.