Milan has an understated charm that takes time to understand. This is not Italy, people who visit this city for the first time often say. This unofficial capital of Italy, and the center of the northern region of Lombardy, is facing modern Europe; there are plenty of banks and business facilities, but that doesn’t mean the culture is neglected.
On the contrary, Milan boasts a rich cultural and historical content, which together with other attractions makes this city a complete whole. Here is why a trip to Milan is mandatory and what makes it the capital of the world in as many as 5 dimensions.
Economy
While Rome is the capital of culture and politics, Milan is the financial heart of the country. The Milan area contributes to GDP with as much as 9%. The city is home to as much as 45% of all businesses in the Lombardy region.
Since the end of the 19th century, Milan has been an important industrial center, especially for the automotive industry. Alfa Romeo, Pirelli, and Techint are located in the city area. Milan is home to many companies, banks, and major publishers in Italy.
Culture
Milan is home to many cultural institutions, museums, and galleries. Pinacoteca di Brera is one of the most important art galleries in the city. Castello Sforzesco is home to many art collections, especially sculptures, ancient weapons, and furniture.
Art in Milan flourished during the Middle Ages, due to numerous donations from the Visconti family when the city became an important center of Gothic architecture and art. During this period, Leonardo da Vinci was in charge of creating many masterpieces in the city, such as The Last Supper.
Milan is an important international center of opera music. La Scala Opera House is considered one of the most prestigious in the world. It hosted numerous world premieres of famous operas: Nabucco, La Gioconda, Madama Butterfly, Turandot, and Tineke.
Fashion
Milan is best known as the capital of industrial design, fashion, and architecture. During the 1950s and 1960s, a revolutionary change took place. Fashion exports rose from $ 726 million in 1952 to $ 2.5 billion in 1955.
Milan is synonymous with fashion, because many of the most famous Italian brands, such as Valentino, Gucci, Versace, Prada, Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, are located in this city. Twice a year, Milan becomes the center of the fashion world – supermodels, creators, paparazzi, bloggers, and anyone who is important in the fashion world come to Milan when Fashion Week is held.
Shopping is a special attraction in Milan, the so-called quadrangle of fashion is the place where the most prestigious shopping streets are located, as well as the famous Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, one of the oldest shopping centers in the world.
Sports
Milan is the only city in Europe from which the two winners of the Champions League come, the renowned Serie A clubs – AC Milan and FC Inter. Both teams also won the Intercontinental Cup. With 10 Champions League titles, Milan is the city with the most titles, right after Madrid.
The teams share the stadium with 5 stars rated by UEFA – Giuseppe Meazza, better known as San Siro. This is one of the largest stadiums in Europe, with a capacity of 80,000 visitors.
In addition to football, the city hosts the fastest circus in the world. Near the city, there is a race on Monza, on one of the oldest race tracks in the world.
Education
Some of the most prominent educational institutions in Italy are located in Milan. The education system in Milan consists of 7 universities and 48 faculties, where more than 185,000 students study
The most famous university is the Politecnico di Milano, founded in 1863. Which makes it the oldest university in the city. It is organized in 16 departments, through a network of 9 schools of engineering, architecture, and industrial design. It is also the largest technical university in Italy.
Milan is also known for its art schools, and how could it not be, when its reputation as the capital of fashion and architecture is widely known. Here is the largest music school – the Milan Conservatory, which for its 200 years of existence has educated some of the biggest names in Italian music.
In addition to all this, one of the most important aspects is people. With so much variety of content, the people you meet provide a great opportunity to broaden your horizons and discover new things.