THE GREAT GALLERIA

The great Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II was planned by Giuseppe Mengoni and built between 1865 and 1877 on one side of Piazza del Duomo and on the other side of Piazza della Scala. With a dome soaring 48 meters above its mosaic floor, it was Europe's largest shopping arcade at the time. It is a magnificent example of 19th-century industrial iron and glass construction, and it marks the beginning of modern architecture in Italy. And it's still a lovely, lively neighborhood where folks congregate for lunch or coffee in exquisite cafés and shop in high-end boutiques. It has become so ingrained in Milanese culture that locals refer to it as "il salotto" (the salon). #travellater #italytravel #milan #majeanmarvels #europecities