Milan Central Station

Milan Central Station (in Italian, Stazione Centrale di Milano or Milano Centrale) is one of the main European railway stations. The building began construction in 1906 to replace the old central station, which was a transit station and could not handle the increasing traffic. King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy laid the cornerstone of the new station on before a blueprint for the station had even been chosen. After numerous design contests architect Ulisse Stacchinia's design, based on Union Station in Washington D.C., was selected. Due to the Italian economic crisis during World War I, construction proceeded very slowly, and the project, rather simple at the beginning, kept changing and became more and more complex and majestic. This happened especially when Benito Musselini became Prime Minister, and wanted the station to represent the power of the fascist regime. The major changes were the new platform types and the introduction of the great steel canopies which 341 meters long and covering an area of 66,500 square meters. Construction resumed in earnest in 1925 and in 1931 the station was officially opened. Its facade is 200 metres wide and its vault 72 metres high, a record when it was built. It has 24 platforms. Each day about 330,000 passengers use the station, totalling about 120 million per year. The station has no definite architectural style, but is a blend of many different styles, especially Liberty and Art Deco, but not limited to those. It has been characterized by Frank Lloyd Wright as one of the most beautiful stations in the world, together with New York's Grand Central Terminal.


Brian E. Williford

Up on the Roof

If you don't believe that the Duomo di Milano is one of the world's largest churches, try going up on the roof! Offering awesome views of the Piazza del Duomo and panoramic views of Milan, the roofline is one of the most impressive places to experience the city. Visitors will encounter forests of spires along with masterful statuary that is otherwise unseen from the ground. The church also bears an octagonal cupola from the 1500's and the Madonnina spire capped with a statue of the Madonna at 108 meters high. On sunny days visitors are even rewarded with sights of the Italian Alps! The roof of the Duomo is open from 7:00-19:00 daily and the current fee is 3.50 Euro.

Greg Scarmo

Street Art, Sweet Art Exhibit

The Street Art, Sweet Art exhibit at Milan's Padiglione d'Arte Contemporanea is a fascinating show of modern Italian art. The collection includes the work of thirty talented Italian street artists, each bringing their street flavor to the walls of the museum. At the exhibit, one will find everything from glow-in-the-dark rooms to upside-down trees--not your typical artwork. The exhibit runs from the 8th of March to the 9th of April and admission is FREE.

Greg Scarmo

Pirelli Factory

Pirelli was founded in Milan in the 19th Century. It was a rubber company that made tires and cables but as of recently it became only a tire manufacturer. The company sponsors numerous soccer clubs in Europe as well as Brazil. It's best known by race fans as a huge sponsor in Formula and Le Mans Series racing. Surrounding the factory is hundreds of acres of land that is home to new facilities and mixed-use development which has led to a new company known as Pirelli Real Estate.

Brian