Over its centuries-old history, Milan managed to visit both the banking capital of Europe and the capital of the duchy, and during Napoleon's time, the capital of the Italian kingdom. Numerous monuments and buildings that survived the destruction of local and world wars remind us of the historical and cultural significance of Milan in our time. Remained intact and the chapel of Santa Maria delle Grazie with the Last Supper by Leonardo, and the gallery, which stores priceless paintings of old masters, and the Duomo, and the amazing castle of Sforza.
Tourists come to Milan all year round: sales seasons replace Fashion Weeks, followed by premiere performances, the opening or closing of the season in La Scala, concerts, exhibitions, football matches, finally. So visit all the major sights of Milan in one day it’s unlikely to succeed: the city does not feel a shortage of people who want to gaze at world masterpieces.
To the sights of Milan tickets are sold out long before visiting
In some places, the flow of tourists is so large that tickets are sold out long before visiting. Sometimes even for a month or more. However, you should not think that local Italians, thanks to connections and acquaintances, have significant preferences for foreigners. In the age of the Internet, you can buy tickets for the most popular attractions in Milan in advance - online.
Not everyone knows about this until now. Those who are aware of the existence of such an opportunity have time to see much more traditionalists hoping to be in time on the spot. That is why BlogoItaliano decided to write a separate article about interesting places in Milan where you can buy tickets in advance.
The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci
The Last Supper of Leonardo da Vinci - the most rush attraction of Milan, which every tourist who somehow finds himself in Lombardy seeks to visit. About what it is, we already wrote in detail in this article. However, the work of the great master is worth it to once again dwell on some points regarding the history of its creation.
By order of the Duke of Lodovico Sforza, Leonardo worked on the fresco "The Last Supper", which adorned one of the walls of the refectory of the Dominican monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie, for 4 years: from 1494 to 1498. The sizes of the mural were standard for works of this kind: 460 × 880 cm, the compositional and technical features of the work were non-standard.
Strictly speaking, the Last Supper of Leonardo da Vinci is the materialization of the results of his research on the principles of aerial perspective, when, to convey the depth of space, the objects closest to the observer’s eyes are depicted in ordinary tones, while the removed ones acquire a bluish (airy) tint.
That is why the artist had to abandon the usual technique and apply paint not on wet but on dry plaster. Because of this, the fresco after a couple of decades looked very destroyed. Its complete destruction almost completed the reconstruction of the refectory, inept restoration, mockery of Napoleonic soldiers and the bombing of 1943.
Dominican Monastery Santa Maria delle Grazie
Fortunately, the frescoThe Last Supper, collected literally on a grain of sand at the end of the last century, to this day adorns the refectory wall. True, to see it is not so simple: this is one of those attractions in Italy, entrance tickets for which are being sold out several months in advance.
Complicating the situation is the fact that on any given day, only a certain number of visitors can visit the Last Supper. Such a slightly artificial deficit is fueling the already considerable excitement regarding a visit to the famous fresco of Leonardo da Vinci.
Nevertheless, there is a way out of the situation. Tickets for the Last Supper (on any day except Monday) can be bought online through the popular WeekendinItaly service. True, in this case it is better to take care of them in advance - 1-2 months before the trip. Also note that tickets for the Last Supper on Weekendinitaly can be bought only included with tickets to another popular attraction of Milan. For example, by combining a visit with the Ambrosian Library or the Pinacoteca Brera.
By the way, we recall that Santa Maria delle Grazie is a monastery, which means that entry to its territory in shorts, capris, miniskirts, T-shirts and tops is prohibited.
The "Atlantic Codex" by Leonardo and other treasures of the Ambrosian Library
See with your own eyes the thought movement of a great artist? This is almost real thanks to the existence of such a treasure as Atlantic Code of Leonardowhich is stored in the Ambrosian library of Milan. The Atlantic Codex is a collection of 12 notebooks that contains the writings and drawings of da Vinci, created by him for more than 40 years: from 1478 to 1519.
The history of the Codex is also interesting. The written works of Leonardo were inherited by the Milanese Melzi family. Meltzi did not particularly need this heritage, the da Vinci archive was sold out and almost disappeared into countless collections throughout Europe. The famous sculptor of the late 16th century Pompeo Leoni collected and systematized the Atlantic Codex of Leonardo.
Da Vinci's texts and drawings are clearly visible on monitors
The manuscript consists of 1,186 sheets and contains works on mathematics, mechanics, astronomy, botany, geography, physics and anatomy.
The Codex pages contain research for the failed reconstruction of Milan's fortifications, the design of the new Medici palace in Florence, and sketches of paintings and frescoes, including the Adoration of the Magi and the now-lost Ice and Swan and the Battle of Angiari. Special attention should be paid to the schemes of various automatic devices, many of which became the prototype of the latest technical innovations.
Atlantic Code of Leonardo It was restored in 1968-72. In 2009, he was introduced to the general public. Its full demonstration in the framework of quarterly exhibitions was planned until 2015. But Da Vinci’s papers can also be seen after: the manuscript sheets are displayed on huge monitors, which allows you to study texts and drawings in detail online. Exposure changes every 4 months.
Buying tickets to explore the treasures of the Ambrosian Library is not easy
The Pinakothek, founded at the beginning of the XVII century by Cardinal Federico Borromeo and located in the sacristy of Bramante, presents canvases by Botticelli, Titian, Raphael, Caravaggio. The sacristy itself got its name thanks to the frescoes of Bramante decorating its walls. In addition, the library itself contains more than 12,000 graphic works by European artists of the XIV-XIX centuries.
Freely buying tickets for exploring the treasures of the Ambrosian library is obviously not an easy task. Moreover, the hype around the "Atlantic Code" does not subside over the years, and the Library itself is in the TOP list of the main sights of Milan. You can alleviate the problem with Weekendinitaly by booking tickets in advance at any convenient date.
Pinacoteca Brera
Almost every Italian city has several galleries, of which only one is considered the main one. In Milan, this is the Brera Pinacoteca, which is located on the same street (Via Brera, 28). The Milanese Academy of Arts, opened in 1776, also housed in an elegant baroque palace from the late 16th - early 17th centuries.
In the Pinakothek exhibited paintings by masters of the XV-XIX centuries
Pinacoteca Brera was established later, as educational exhibition halls for the academy. In 1809, thanks to the activities of Napoleon, it became a full-fledged gallery. Subsequently, the Brera Pinacotheca became a repository of the treasures of the Austrian Habsburgs and numerous philanthropists who bequeathed their collections to Milan.
In 37 pinakothek halls canvases of outstanding masters of the 15th-19th centuries are exhibited, another hall is given for works by artists of the 20th century, including Modigliani. The pearls of the meeting are the “Dead Christ” of Mantegna, “Christ at the Column” of Bramante, “Betrothal of the Virgin Mary” by Raphael, “The Miracle of St. Mark” by Tintoretto, “Dinner at Emmaus” by Caravaggio. The exposition is organized both in chronological order and in the schools of painting: Venetian, Milan, Florentine.
Statue of Napoleon in the image of the Mars triumphant by Antonio Canov
The Pinacoteca Brera also holds sculptural masterpieces, among which the famous statue of Napoleon in the image of the Mars-triumphant by Antonio Canov. In the halls of the gallery there are rare manuscripts, sketches and studies, fresco and altar paintings.
You can visit the pinacoteca any day, however it is better to buy tickets for inspection in advance: the gallery collection is very popular among tourists. As with the Last Supper and the Leonardo Atlantic Code, you can pre-purchase tickets online at Weekendinitaly. Moreover, their cost is very democratic - 15 Euros (2018).
Other useful articles:
- How to get from Milan to Florence and from Florence to Milan
- La Scala - the most famous opera house in Milan
- How to get from Milan to Venice and from Venice to Milan
- Milan: how to get from Malpensa airport to the city center
- Hotels in the center of Milan 3 stars: the best five
