MONZA

Entertainment:

Milan is one of the most important centres in the world for Opera lirica, with its famous Teatro alla Scala (La Scala, theatre). The Biblioteca Ambrosiana contains drawings and notebooks by Leonardo da Vinci among its vast holdings of books, manuscripts and drawings and is one of the main repositories of European culture. The city is also the home of the Brera Academy of Fine Arts.

In the church Santa Maria delle Grazie can be found one of the most famous paintings of Leonardo da Vinci: The Last Supper

Navigli District:

On the outskirts of the city, the picturesque Navigli district is located on two canals. The area has an interesting and dynamic social mixture, with both traditional dwellings and newly renovated penthouses. It is well known for its pubs, restaurants and music clubs. 

Shopping:

The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is a covered arcade situated on the northern side of the Piazza del Duomo in Milan, connecting to the Piazza della Scala. Named after King Victor Emmanuel II (It. Vittorio Emanuele II), the first king of united Italy, it was built by Giuseppe Mengoni between 1865 and 1878.

The street is covered over by an arching glass and steel roof, thus giving it a claim to be the world's first shopping mall. The four story arcade includes elegant shops selling most things from 'haute couture' to books, as well as restaurants, cafes and bars. Thanks to the elegance and grace of its shops the Galleria, being one of the symbols of the city, is often referred to as Milan's "drawing-room".

The Via Montenapoleone is an elegant street in Milan, very famous for fashion and jewelry shops. Via Montenapoleone is the most important street of the Milan's Fashion District (it: "Quadrilatero della moda"). Others famous streets are: Via della Spiga, Via Manzoni and Via Sant'Andrea. All major Italian fashion designers have there their main ateliers and shops.

Teatro alla Scala:

The most famous opera house in the world, La Scala was built by Giuseppe Piermarini between 1776 and 1778. The opera house stands upon the ruins of the old church of Santa Maria della Scala, its namesake.

Set in Piazza alla Scala and circled by greenery, La Scala’s neoclassical architecture is complemented by a monument to Leonardo da Vinci. The theatre was closed for a four-year renovation, and re-opened in December 2004.

Art Galleries:

• Galleria Milano - Rotating exhibitions of modern and contemporary painters
  Galleria del Naviglio
• Fondazione Mazzotta
• Christian Stein - Features an exhibition of modern masters
• Gio' Marconi - This gallery exhibits contemporary photography and other works
• Padiglione d'Arte Contemporanea
• Pinacoteca Di Brera - The gallery occupies 38 showrooms with more than 560 pictures, mostly from the Venetian school of the 15th to the 17th centuries. There are works by Mantegna, Piero della Francesca, Bellini (Pietà), Raffaello and Caravaggio.

Museo Teatrale alla Scala

Inaugurated in 1913, this museum is a very crowded place, with lots of objects packed into just a few rooms. It is a genuine place of worship for opera lovers; in addition to busts and portraits of Italian and foreign musicians and singers from the 19th century to the present day, it features masks, costumes, scores, autographed letters and drawings of stage sets. Giuseppe Verdi is, of course, the museum's strong point. The museum originated from private collections and remains a private institution. Its material is often exhibited in foreign countries, and it also organizes a series of temporary exhibitions.

Night Life:

The hot spots are Bar Diana at the Sheraton Diana Majestic on Viale Piave and the Art Deco Bar Victoria at the end of Via Porrone which attracts a younger crowd. As with most cities, nightclubs fall in and out of favour in Milan. La Banque on Via Porrone tends to attract a clientele that includes models, football players, and whoever else is gracing the pages of the Italian tabloids. The trendy ATM bar (Bastioni di Porta Volta, tel. 655 2365) is in an old tram station and drinkers spill out onto the street on balmy evenings.

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