Landmark
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
Milan · Lombardy
QUICK INFORMATION
- CATEGORY
- Landmark
- COUNTRY
- Italy
- REGION
- Milan · Lombardy
- DURATION
- 1–2 days
ABOUT THIS ATTRACTION
The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is the 19th-century glass-vaulted arcade that links the Piazza del Duomo to the Piazza della Scala, and the model on which every later shopping mall was based. It was built between 1865 and 1877 to a design by Giuseppe Mengoni, a four-storey double arcade covered by a glass-and-iron dome at the crossing, with luxury boutiques, cafés and restaurants on the ground floor and offices above. The mosaic floor of the central octagon shows the coats of arms of the cities of the new kingdom of Italy, and spinning a heel on the bull of Turin is said to bring luck. It is the most elegant covered street in Milan and the natural passage between the cathedral and the opera house.
HISTORY & BACKGROUND
The story behind it
After Italian unification in 1861, the city of Milan and the new king commissioned a modern covered arcade to link the cathedral square to the opera house, as a showcase of the new Italy. The architect Giuseppe Mengoni designed a four-storey cruciform arcade with a central octagonal dome, and it was built between 1865 and 1877. Mengoni fell to his death from the scaffolding days before the inauguration, and the king himself opened it. Damaged by Allied bombing in 1943, the Galleria was restored after the war and again in the 2010s, when the mosaics were cleaned and the glass roof renewed. It has housed Prada since 1917 and Savini restaurant since 1867.
WHAT TO SEE
What to see here
The central octagon — the glass dome over the crossing, with the mosaic floor of the four major cities of Italy below.
The mosaic floors — the coats of arms of Rome, Milan, Florence and Turin, with the bull of Turin that visitors spin for luck.
The luxury boutiques — Prada, Gucci, Louis Vuitton and the historic Savini restaurant, in business since 1867.
The passage to the Scala — the Galleria opens onto the Piazza della Scala at the far end, leading to the opera house.
WHY IT MATTERS
Why it matters
The Galleria is the prototype of the modern shopping arcade, and the one that still does it best. It is also the room in which the new Italy presented itself to the world after unification — the mosaics of its cities, the glass dome, the luxury shops were all a statement of a modern, prosperous kingdom. For a visitor, it is the most beautiful covered street in the city and the natural way to walk from the Duomo to the Scala.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Before you go
MAP & LOCATION
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Milan, Lombardy, Italy
45.4658, 9.1899
MORE ATTRACTIONS
More to see in Milan
THINGS TO DO
Things to do nearby
FOOD & DRINK
Where to eat nearby
Trattoria Milanese — a historic trattoria for the classic risotto alla Milanese and ossobuco, since 1933
Marchesi 1824 — one of Milan’s oldest pasticcerie, for breakfast pastries and coffee in the Brera quarter
Ristorante Cracco — Carlo Cracco’s celebrated modern Milanese restaurant in the Galleria, book well ahead
Luini — the famous panzerotto fry-shop near the Duomo, a Milanese street-food institution since 1888
Trattoria del Nuovo Macello — a buzzy modern trattoria near Porta Romana, honest cooking and a great wine list
HOTELS & STAYS
Where to stay nearby
Bulgari Hotel Milano — a luxury hotel in a quiet quarter near La Scala, with a garden and a spa
Armani Hotel Milano — Giorgio Armani’s design hotel in the fashion quadrilateral, with a rooftop restaurant
Hotel Spadari al Duomo — a design hotel a short walk from the Duomo, good value for a central base
Room Mate Giulia — a stylish hotel beside the Duomo, designed by Patricia Urquiola
NEARBY DESTINATIONS
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