Milan, Segrate and surroundings ...
Milan is an important commercial and industrial centre on an international level as well as being the main Italian hub for services and outside contractors, finance, Fashion, the publishing trade and it also has Exhibition Centres with the largest surface area dedicated to trade fairs in Europe.
The heart and symbol of Milan is the Cathedral (il Duomo) which, with its spires, is one of the most famous and complex Gothic buildings in the world. It is located in the square of the same name in the centre of the city where the Royal Palace (Palazzo Reale) can also be admired.
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is an arcade connecting piazza della Scala and piazza Duomo. The location of numerous designer shops selling prestigious names, it also features famous cafés and restaurants and is considered, together with Via Montenapoleone and Via della Spiga, to be one of the places for luxury shopping Milan style.
The Teatro alla Scala, often known simply as “La Scala" is not only one of the most famous theatres in the world, but it is also recognised as being the home of opera. Just a short walk from the Cathedral, you can admire The Santa Maria delle Grazie, a church that belongs to the Unesco world heritage programme and the “Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci located in the convent refectory.
The more important churches in Milan include the Basilica di Sant'Ambrogio, the Basilica di Sant'Eustorgio and l’Abbazia di Chiaravalle.
One of the most outstanding historical buildings is the Castello Sforzesco that was built in the 15th century by Francesco Sforza, Duke of Milan. A fortress of "art and culture”, the castle currently houses: the Castello Sforzesco art gallery, the Egyptian museum, the museum of ancient art, the museum of furniture and the museum of musical instruments. The city is also the location of other important museums including the Pinacoteca di Brera (the Brera Art Gallery), the Ambrosiana Art Gallery, the Museo Poldi Pezzoli, the Museo Nazionale della Scienza e della Tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci (the National Science and Technology Museum) and the Modern Art Gallery. After so much history, sport is also worth a mention. Built in 1925, the Stadio Meazza (Meazza Stadium) is more commonly known by the name San Siro and hosts the football matches of the two Milanese football clubs Inter and Milan.
There is yet another side to Milan and that is Milan by night, re-named in the 1960’s and 70’s “ "la Milano da bere: ” (Milan for drinking). The city offers plenty of opportunities for fun and relaxation. In their free time, visitors can savour Milanese specialities in the restaurants and wine bars, listen to good music, watch live shows, enjoy a new release at the cinema, take in a show at the theatre, visit events and exhibitions, dance the night away in one of the many discos in Milan or simply stroll along the Navigli or around the Brera district.
The “Navigli” canals form a part of a protected area within the Parco Agricolo Sud Milano which forms a semi-circle all around the southern side of the province of Milan.
Moreover, the whole area of the Park, includes the location of springs and fountain-heads that still provide water today (these natural sources of water have been adapted by man to irrigate the countryside). These are protected areas (le Sorgenti della Muzzetta in Rodano and Settala, Fontanile Nuovo in Bareggio) and they not only represent valuable sources of water for agriculture, but also create interesting ecosystems. The Municipality of Segrate is located 3 km. east of Milan, and borders the municipalities of Milan, Vimodrone, Pioltello and Peschiera Borromeo. It is a part of the Agricultural Park of Milan and offers many places of interest such as abbeys (the Abbey of Chiaravalle, photo on the right), castles (the Castle of Peschiera Borromeo, photo below) as well as nature reserves inside the Idroscalo and all over the territory.
Just 10 km. from the centre of the town, in the territory of Segrate, there is the Idroscalo a water basin,located within a huge nature park where a busy calendar of events is organised both in the summer and in the winter. In fact, each year from May to September, the Province of Milan holds artistic and sports events and exhibitions at this venue, some of which are on an international level, and during the winter ski slopes and an ice-skating rink are set up there.
Within the area of the South Park, there are many green parks (Parco Forlanini, Parco delle Noci in Melegnano, etc.), urban woods, oases, nature reserves and theme parks.
The “EUROPARK Idroscalo Milano theme park with its changing attractions, has become a meeting place for young people and families since the 1960’s.
Due to its strategic position, many important companies have chosen Segrate as the location for branches of the company or even for their head offices; these include Mediaset, Microsoft, IBM Italia, Symantec, Mondadori, Tele2, 3M and Lexmark.
Amongst the various works of architecture worthy of a mention in Segrate, there is the Segrate Town Hall by G. Canella and M. Achilli (1963), the square in front of the Town Hall with its monumental fountain that is the work of Aldo Rossi (1965), the Mosque of Segrate and the head office of Mondadori surrounded by a large lake by the Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer (1975).
The heart and symbol of Milan is the Cathedral (il Duomo) which, with its spires, is one of the most famous and complex Gothic buildings in the world. It is located in the square of the same name in the centre of the city where the Royal Palace (Palazzo Reale) can also be admired.
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is an arcade connecting piazza della Scala and piazza Duomo. The location of numerous designer shops selling prestigious names, it also features famous cafés and restaurants and is considered, together with Via Montenapoleone and Via della Spiga, to be one of the places for luxury shopping Milan style.
The Teatro alla Scala, often known simply as “La Scala" is not only one of the most famous theatres in the world, but it is also recognised as being the home of opera. Just a short walk from the Cathedral, you can admire The Santa Maria delle Grazie, a church that belongs to the Unesco world heritage programme and the “Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci located in the convent refectory.
The more important churches in Milan include the Basilica di Sant'Ambrogio, the Basilica di Sant'Eustorgio and l’Abbazia di Chiaravalle.
One of the most outstanding historical buildings is the Castello Sforzesco that was built in the 15th century by Francesco Sforza, Duke of Milan. A fortress of "art and culture”, the castle currently houses: the Castello Sforzesco art gallery, the Egyptian museum, the museum of ancient art, the museum of furniture and the museum of musical instruments. The city is also the location of other important museums including the Pinacoteca di Brera (the Brera Art Gallery), the Ambrosiana Art Gallery, the Museo Poldi Pezzoli, the Museo Nazionale della Scienza e della Tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci (the National Science and Technology Museum) and the Modern Art Gallery. After so much history, sport is also worth a mention. Built in 1925, the Stadio Meazza (Meazza Stadium) is more commonly known by the name San Siro and hosts the football matches of the two Milanese football clubs Inter and Milan.
There is yet another side to Milan and that is Milan by night, re-named in the 1960’s and 70’s “ "la Milano da bere: ” (Milan for drinking). The city offers plenty of opportunities for fun and relaxation. In their free time, visitors can savour Milanese specialities in the restaurants and wine bars, listen to good music, watch live shows, enjoy a new release at the cinema, take in a show at the theatre, visit events and exhibitions, dance the night away in one of the many discos in Milan or simply stroll along the Navigli or around the Brera district.
The “Navigli” canals form a part of a protected area within the Parco Agricolo Sud Milano which forms a semi-circle all around the southern side of the province of Milan.
Moreover, the whole area of the Park, includes the location of springs and fountain-heads that still provide water today (these natural sources of water have been adapted by man to irrigate the countryside). These are protected areas (le Sorgenti della Muzzetta in Rodano and Settala, Fontanile Nuovo in Bareggio) and they not only represent valuable sources of water for agriculture, but also create interesting ecosystems. The Municipality of Segrate is located 3 km. east of Milan, and borders the municipalities of Milan, Vimodrone, Pioltello and Peschiera Borromeo. It is a part of the Agricultural Park of Milan and offers many places of interest such as abbeys (the Abbey of Chiaravalle, photo on the right), castles (the Castle of Peschiera Borromeo, photo below) as well as nature reserves inside the Idroscalo and all over the territory.
Just 10 km. from the centre of the town, in the territory of Segrate, there is the Idroscalo a water basin,located within a huge nature park where a busy calendar of events is organised both in the summer and in the winter. In fact, each year from May to September, the Province of Milan holds artistic and sports events and exhibitions at this venue, some of which are on an international level, and during the winter ski slopes and an ice-skating rink are set up there.
Within the area of the South Park, there are many green parks (Parco Forlanini, Parco delle Noci in Melegnano, etc.), urban woods, oases, nature reserves and theme parks.
The “EUROPARK Idroscalo Milano theme park with its changing attractions, has become a meeting place for young people and families since the 1960’s.
Due to its strategic position, many important companies have chosen Segrate as the location for branches of the company or even for their head offices; these include Mediaset, Microsoft, IBM Italia, Symantec, Mondadori, Tele2, 3M and Lexmark.
Amongst the various works of architecture worthy of a mention in Segrate, there is the Segrate Town Hall by G. Canella and M. Achilli (1963), the square in front of the Town Hall with its monumental fountain that is the work of Aldo Rossi (1965), the Mosque of Segrate and the head office of Mondadori surrounded by a large lake by the Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer (1975).
