"A Designing Town" Milan by tpal
Milan Travel Guide: 2,765 reviews and 6,830 photos
Several months after our visit, I have finally begun to recapture in my mind our trip to Milan. At about the same time Carol gave me a new "Tom Book", having decided that the type of books I enjoy now comprise an entire new genre. The book is "Brunelleschi's Dome" by Ross King. The book traces the history of the design and construction of the great dome of the cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence. From this unexpected source came a sudden insight into a question I recalled asking on the roof of the Duomo in Milan, "What were they thinking?"
...Ross King
Apparently, what "they" were thinking about was to build "big and showy" in much the same way as the Germans and French had done using flying buttresses and ...at least in the minds of the Florentines, in a manner using solutions considered to be "ugly...awkward makeshifts".
Ok, ok...enough! What is going on? For years I thought the flying buttress was a somewhat elegant solution to a tricky engineering problem. Now it turns out that whole groups of people hated the design and not just on style but as it turns out for political reasons as well. It seems there was a lot of "that's the way they do it" going on even back then.
Of course, at the time of our trip to Milan Carol and I had none of these marvelous insights to temper our impressions of what we considered then...and still consider to be a magnificent cathedral. As we ascended to the roof of the Duomo, our excitement rose proportionally with each marble step. Ultimately we could not get enough of the views of the flying buttresses receding into perspective in much the same way as an image does in a mirrored elevator.
Milan is one the great design centers of the world. Carol and I have been involved in architecture and design most of our lives and in fact it is an important reason why we are together. We knew there would be wonderful opportunities in Milan to see things of great style and were excited by the prospects. The Duomo is what we did first.
Reviews (13)
Visually Distracting
Warnings and Dangers
(1)
We were in the vicinity of the Piazza Oberdan (but frankly it could have been anywhere), a beautiful classical European... more travel advice
Just a little Decoration To Dress It Up
Off The Beaten Path
(2)
This building is the Ufficio del Territorio Milano Consulenze Erariali Demanio. Now, before you get too excited, I have... more travel advice
A Heavenly Park
Favorites
(3)
This is one of my favorite pictures of Carol from our trip to Italy. I can't be sure but in my mind Carol is saying to... more travel advice
All Things Armani
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(1)
This is Milan after all. If there is one designer in this town who is revered above all others it is Giorgio Armani. So... more travel advice
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Restaurants (2)
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Things to Do (2)
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Comments (17)
I was in Milano a long time ago, I should pay another visit. Ufficio etc is something like tax consultation office for the territory of Milan. Not sure that the Smart car would have handled your luggage! Passenger OR luggage!
I visited Milano at Easter this year, it was my first visit as a tourist. I loved it! I saw a lot of churches and museums, but I don't know when and if my Milano page will be finished. Did you see the painted art nouveau house near Porta Venezia?
And there still aren’t very many smart cars on North American roads. Makes you wonders if the Europeans aren’t a bit smarter in this regard.
thank you for the advice, photos and good detailed descriptions.
It is a real nuisance - you come to see a historic place once in your lifetime and all you see is the scaffolding. But I suppose they have to do restoration work sometime. Excellent page, making a very good reading, as always from you.
wonderful tips my dear friends !!! nice time there....good to know from u
Milan has some very nice things to offer...A literary tip: Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling is a great read by Ross King, also. Happy New Year!
Great city, shane about the traffic! Another piece of excellent travel literacy, T &C
I really should be working on my Milan page too, but I'm so lazy and uninspired.I always favor Como lake area for updates!I have never seen as many Smart's as in Italy!But sorry to disappoint you,I don't like them at all.
Yet another beautifully photographed and superbly written page - anyone with an appreciation of architecture & culture has to love your pages!...cat