Trip report Lombardia : Milan, Bergamo, Vigevano, Lodi
Aug 8th 2005, 10:01 pm
#1
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Posts: n/a
Trip report Lombardia : Milan, Bergamo, Vigevano, Lodi
Trip report of sightseeing and heritage tourism in Lombardia :
Milan :
There are a lot of lombardo-caroligian churches in Milano like San
Sempliciano or san Eufemio, the most important behing of course San
Ambrogio, one of the most interesting romanesque church in Europe,
preceded by a courtyard with porticoes like the old Saint Peter or the
actual San Paolo fuori delle mura in Rome. In the crypt the relics of
the saint, flanked with those of saint Cosme and Damiano, are presented
in sacerdotal costumes in a glass shrine. In San Lorenzo is the
enormous stone sarcophagus of the 3 Magi whose relics were later
brought to Köln/Cologne cathedral in Germany and a rare carolingian
gilded altar like in San Ambrogio or in Monza duomo (which keeps a very
exceptional paleochristian treasure). At the edge of San Lorenzo, stand
some remains of the palace of emperor Constantin who choosed Milan as
capital and signed there the edict which made christianism the official
religion of the empire. More than three impressive medieval city doors
remain. Near porta Ticiense is a roman colonnade and a paleochristian
palatine chapel. Bramante build the choir and the cloister of Sta Maria
delle Grazie and another important church for art history, San Satiro,
situated near the cathedral. You've got too the Portinari chapel in san
Eustorgio, as well an important Renaissance chapel, but in the
florentine style like the Pazzi chapel of Sta Croce in Firenze by
Brunelleschi. The palazo Sforza is the enormous brick fortress build by
the Visconti and the Sforza dukes to defend the city, which was
surrounded with fortifications. It is dominated by the Filarete tower
and includes the city furnitures, paintings and sculptures museums with
notably the Pieta Rondanini by Michelangelo and a medieval equestrial
monument. The unfinished terracotta monument of Ludovico Sforza by
Leonardo da Vinci was destroyed during the bombing of the palace by the
french during the wars of Italy. The city has suffered too some cruel
Bombings in 1944. The natural history museum holding the national and
most important historical collection of italy entirely burned then.
Luckier than the Eremitani chapel by Mantegna in Padova, half of the
walls and the ceiling of the Cenacle of Sta Maria delle Grazie
collapsed, 50 cm only from Leonardo's famous last supper frescoe
miraculously saved by a pile of sand bags... In the small but exquisite
Poldi Pezzoli museum given to the city by a rich milanese, the
exceptional neo-renaissance wood carved decorations were quasi entirely
destroyed at the exception of the dismantled doors. There you've got
lovely paintings notably by Mantegna, Paolo Ucello and above all a
wonderfull Virgin and child by Botticelli. In the pinacoteca Brera
founded by Napoleon are kept a lot of gilded retables, pieces of local
painters like Bergognone or Strozzi (but born in Genova), the dead
Christ by Mantegna, an enormous Carpaccio, a beautifull Tintoretto
(recovery of the corpse of San Marco), some Rubens, a Leonardo da Vinci
(portrait of a young man), etc... and above all the famous wedding of
the Virgin by Raphael and, my favourite one, the Virgin and Saints and
Federico Montefeltre (duke of Mantova) by Piero della Francesca, one of
the greatest painting in art history. In the geographical center of the
old town wich was a perfect circle you've got the main square with the
huge XIXth c. covered gallery Vittorio Emmanuele II, wich looks like
the one of Napoli (Umberto I ?) and leads to the Scala theatre, the
town hall and the beautifull baroque church of the Jesuits. Near the
main square is the old town hall and the Broletto with the merchants
loggia below : one of the few medieval district ambiance remaining in
the city. On the edge of the Broletto a street bordered with a baroque
palace leads to via Dante, the great avenue of the town, in the
perspective of the Filarete's tower of the palazo Sforzesco. On the
main square is the royal palace, with the cathedral/Duomo museum, as
well as two symetrical buildings of the 30ies leading to the scyscraper
built by Nervi I think. And of course throning in the middle of the
square the Duomo. One of the most amasing cathedral in Europe, the 3rd
biggest catholic church in the world after saint Peter and Sevilla and
the 2nd medieval one in size. Indeed when you get in, the impression is
stunning. Inside the volume is huge and entirely perceptible thanks to
the rectangular plan, the hight of the all identical columns, with
massives and richly decorated capitals at their top, like immense
trees, but sufficently spaced and thus hidding the gently decreasing
hight of the four lateral naves. You've got an impression of immensity
and unity that I've never felt before and which is propably unique in
the world for a medieval cathedral as is probably unique the fact that
from floor to roof tiles the Duomo is entirely made of marble.
Furthermore all the facades are richly decorated and covered with
hundreds of statues, as well as the bronze doors, the neo-gothic
central one being a real piece of art. From the roof, where the view is
not so great because of the numerous postwar reconstructed buildings,
you can appreciate the spire wich is probably one of the oldest
neo-gothic one in Europe like the one of Orléans cathedral for ex.
Vigevano :
There's a medieval town hall and a cathedral too. But it is famous
above all for its large renaissance ducal square with arcades and
decorated walls. On the edge of the square a stair leads to the hill
were stands unfinished the circular ducal palace. In the center, the
main brick building waits for restoration and is surrounded with a belt
of buildings comprising the ducal stables designed by Leonardo da
Vinci. A long covered street passes on a bridge over the town like in
Firenze and the Vatican and leads to the countryside in order to allow
escape in case of troubles.
Lodi :
This is too a lovely town. All the streets have been refurbished with
the best taste. The most important monuments are the church of Santa
Maria Incoronata with his gold and blue decoration, the cathedral on
the main square, the medieval town hall or Broletto and the church San
Francisco (I think) with beautifull XVth c. frescoes. The city is very
pleasant to live. Santa Maria Incoronata, like the charterhouse of
Pavia, probably inspired the french for the Loire castles during the
wars of italy since the decorations similitudes are striking.
Bergamo :
This is a charming little town separated into a lower town and an upper
town surrounded with fortifications like Lucca. In the upper town is a
fortress from where you've got a beautifull view on the historical
skyline made of several churches spires and cupolas, on the communal
tower and the surrounding hills. At the higher extremity of the town is
the venetian fortress. Both side of the governor's palace, there are
two contiguous squares surrounded with monuments. On the first is the
palace of the library and the communal tower from where you've got a
beautifull view as well, just from under the bells which ring every 1/2
hour among an amasing concert of all the city bells. On the other
square are the baptistery, the cathedral and the church San Giovanni
Baptista with a beautifull decorated interior and the Colleoni chapel
covered with polychrom scuplted marbles (It's the Colleoni of the
equestrial monument by Verrochio in Venice). The old town is lovely
with many renaissance houses. The lower town was (re)built according to
a rather interesting urban design despite the addition of some
ponderous public buildings in the 30ies (like in Brescia). This part is
centered on the town hall square which is preceded with symetrical
greek style porticoes. Like Lodi and Vigevano the city has been
restored and planned with great sensitiveness and taste since WWII :
the insertion of new buildings is very well done and the technics used
for street pavings or house coatings are perfect and similar to those
of Germany. This part of Lombardia is not much different for urban
planning quality.
didier Meurgues
Milan :
There are a lot of lombardo-caroligian churches in Milano like San
Sempliciano or san Eufemio, the most important behing of course San
Ambrogio, one of the most interesting romanesque church in Europe,
preceded by a courtyard with porticoes like the old Saint Peter or the
actual San Paolo fuori delle mura in Rome. In the crypt the relics of
the saint, flanked with those of saint Cosme and Damiano, are presented
in sacerdotal costumes in a glass shrine. In San Lorenzo is the
enormous stone sarcophagus of the 3 Magi whose relics were later
brought to Köln/Cologne cathedral in Germany and a rare carolingian
gilded altar like in San Ambrogio or in Monza duomo (which keeps a very
exceptional paleochristian treasure). At the edge of San Lorenzo, stand
some remains of the palace of emperor Constantin who choosed Milan as
capital and signed there the edict which made christianism the official
religion of the empire. More than three impressive medieval city doors
remain. Near porta Ticiense is a roman colonnade and a paleochristian
palatine chapel. Bramante build the choir and the cloister of Sta Maria
delle Grazie and another important church for art history, San Satiro,
situated near the cathedral. You've got too the Portinari chapel in san
Eustorgio, as well an important Renaissance chapel, but in the
florentine style like the Pazzi chapel of Sta Croce in Firenze by
Brunelleschi. The palazo Sforza is the enormous brick fortress build by
the Visconti and the Sforza dukes to defend the city, which was
surrounded with fortifications. It is dominated by the Filarete tower
and includes the city furnitures, paintings and sculptures museums with
notably the Pieta Rondanini by Michelangelo and a medieval equestrial
monument. The unfinished terracotta monument of Ludovico Sforza by
Leonardo da Vinci was destroyed during the bombing of the palace by the
french during the wars of Italy. The city has suffered too some cruel
Bombings in 1944. The natural history museum holding the national and
most important historical collection of italy entirely burned then.
Luckier than the Eremitani chapel by Mantegna in Padova, half of the
walls and the ceiling of the Cenacle of Sta Maria delle Grazie
collapsed, 50 cm only from Leonardo's famous last supper frescoe
miraculously saved by a pile of sand bags... In the small but exquisite
Poldi Pezzoli museum given to the city by a rich milanese, the
exceptional neo-renaissance wood carved decorations were quasi entirely
destroyed at the exception of the dismantled doors. There you've got
lovely paintings notably by Mantegna, Paolo Ucello and above all a
wonderfull Virgin and child by Botticelli. In the pinacoteca Brera
founded by Napoleon are kept a lot of gilded retables, pieces of local
painters like Bergognone or Strozzi (but born in Genova), the dead
Christ by Mantegna, an enormous Carpaccio, a beautifull Tintoretto
(recovery of the corpse of San Marco), some Rubens, a Leonardo da Vinci
(portrait of a young man), etc... and above all the famous wedding of
the Virgin by Raphael and, my favourite one, the Virgin and Saints and
Federico Montefeltre (duke of Mantova) by Piero della Francesca, one of
the greatest painting in art history. In the geographical center of the
old town wich was a perfect circle you've got the main square with the
huge XIXth c. covered gallery Vittorio Emmanuele II, wich looks like
the one of Napoli (Umberto I ?) and leads to the Scala theatre, the
town hall and the beautifull baroque church of the Jesuits. Near the
main square is the old town hall and the Broletto with the merchants
loggia below : one of the few medieval district ambiance remaining in
the city. On the edge of the Broletto a street bordered with a baroque
palace leads to via Dante, the great avenue of the town, in the
perspective of the Filarete's tower of the palazo Sforzesco. On the
main square is the royal palace, with the cathedral/Duomo museum, as
well as two symetrical buildings of the 30ies leading to the scyscraper
built by Nervi I think. And of course throning in the middle of the
square the Duomo. One of the most amasing cathedral in Europe, the 3rd
biggest catholic church in the world after saint Peter and Sevilla and
the 2nd medieval one in size. Indeed when you get in, the impression is
stunning. Inside the volume is huge and entirely perceptible thanks to
the rectangular plan, the hight of the all identical columns, with
massives and richly decorated capitals at their top, like immense
trees, but sufficently spaced and thus hidding the gently decreasing
hight of the four lateral naves. You've got an impression of immensity
and unity that I've never felt before and which is propably unique in
the world for a medieval cathedral as is probably unique the fact that
from floor to roof tiles the Duomo is entirely made of marble.
Furthermore all the facades are richly decorated and covered with
hundreds of statues, as well as the bronze doors, the neo-gothic
central one being a real piece of art. From the roof, where the view is
not so great because of the numerous postwar reconstructed buildings,
you can appreciate the spire wich is probably one of the oldest
neo-gothic one in Europe like the one of Orléans cathedral for ex.
Vigevano :
There's a medieval town hall and a cathedral too. But it is famous
above all for its large renaissance ducal square with arcades and
decorated walls. On the edge of the square a stair leads to the hill
were stands unfinished the circular ducal palace. In the center, the
main brick building waits for restoration and is surrounded with a belt
of buildings comprising the ducal stables designed by Leonardo da
Vinci. A long covered street passes on a bridge over the town like in
Firenze and the Vatican and leads to the countryside in order to allow
escape in case of troubles.
Lodi :
This is too a lovely town. All the streets have been refurbished with
the best taste. The most important monuments are the church of Santa
Maria Incoronata with his gold and blue decoration, the cathedral on
the main square, the medieval town hall or Broletto and the church San
Francisco (I think) with beautifull XVth c. frescoes. The city is very
pleasant to live. Santa Maria Incoronata, like the charterhouse of
Pavia, probably inspired the french for the Loire castles during the
wars of italy since the decorations similitudes are striking.
Bergamo :
This is a charming little town separated into a lower town and an upper
town surrounded with fortifications like Lucca. In the upper town is a
fortress from where you've got a beautifull view on the historical
skyline made of several churches spires and cupolas, on the communal
tower and the surrounding hills. At the higher extremity of the town is
the venetian fortress. Both side of the governor's palace, there are
two contiguous squares surrounded with monuments. On the first is the
palace of the library and the communal tower from where you've got a
beautifull view as well, just from under the bells which ring every 1/2
hour among an amasing concert of all the city bells. On the other
square are the baptistery, the cathedral and the church San Giovanni
Baptista with a beautifull decorated interior and the Colleoni chapel
covered with polychrom scuplted marbles (It's the Colleoni of the
equestrial monument by Verrochio in Venice). The old town is lovely
with many renaissance houses. The lower town was (re)built according to
a rather interesting urban design despite the addition of some
ponderous public buildings in the 30ies (like in Brescia). This part is
centered on the town hall square which is preceded with symetrical
greek style porticoes. Like Lodi and Vigevano the city has been
restored and planned with great sensitiveness and taste since WWII :
the insertion of new buildings is very well done and the technics used
for street pavings or house coatings are perfect and similar to those
of Germany. This part of Lombardia is not much different for urban
planning quality.
didier Meurgues
Aug 9th 2005, 10:54 am
#2
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Trip report Lombardia : Milan, Bergamo, Vigevano, Lodi
"didier Meurgues" <[email protected]> wrote:
>Trip report of sightseeing and heritage tourism in Lombardia :
Thank you Didier. Herself and I have an aspiration to take a long
break some year soon, and ramble in Europe, particularly in France and
Italy. Reports like yours go into the project file. You might get
specific feedback in 2009 or thereabouts.
--
PB
The return address has been MUNGED
>Trip report of sightseeing and heritage tourism in Lombardia :
Thank you Didier. Herself and I have an aspiration to take a long
break some year soon, and ramble in Europe, particularly in France and
Italy. Reports like yours go into the project file. You might get
specific feedback in 2009 or thereabouts.
--
PB
The return address has been MUNGED
