Milan Milan, the capital of the region of Lombardy, is the biggest industrial city of Italy with many different industrial sectors. It is a magnetic point for designers, artists, photographers and models. Milan has an ancient city center with high and interesting buildings and palazzos, which is why so many people from all over the world want to see the city of glamour. In the Edict of Milan of 313 A.D., Emperor Constantine I guaranteed freedom of religion for Christians. As a result, many churches were built and the first bishop, Ambrogio, was appointed. Ambrogio, later to become Saint Ambrose, had strong influence on the layout of the city, redesigning the center and building the great basilicas at the city gates. These basilicas still stand, refurbished over the centuries, as some of the finest and most important churches in Milan. In the 14th and 15th centuries, the Visconti family ruled and brought a period of glory and wealth to the city. The Milan Cathedral, built between 1386 and 1577, is the largest and most important example of Gothic architecture in Italy, and the fourth largest cathedral in the world. It hosts the world's largest collection of marble statues with the widely visible golden Madonna statue on the top of the spire, nicknamed Madunina (the little Madonna), and has become the symbol of Milan. Milan has played a role in many periods throughout history, but most recently has become synonymous with high fashion. In the 1980's, Milan became a major exporter of textiles, and several fashion houses headquartered in the city became internationally renowned (such as Armani, Versace and Dolce & Gabbana). The traditionally affordable and practical, yet stylish and chic attire produced by the city's stylists made it a serious global competitor, threatening Paris' century-long status as the world capital of haute couture. Based on aboutmilan.com/the-city-of-milan.html and en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milan |
