Page 207 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Italy

MILAN І 205

4 Monza with a bas-relief of the Lion
of Venice.
Monza. * 120,000. V @ n Piazza
Carducci 2 (039 32 32 22). Open 9am– The arcades of the Palazzo
noon, 3–6pm daily. ( Thu & Sat. della Ragione lead to Piazza del
Duomo, the square of the Neo-
These days Monza is mostly Classical Duomo. The square is
famous for its international dominated by the Cappella
Formula One Autodromo, which Colleoni (see p188), a chapel
lies inside a vast park that also built in 1476 to house the tomb
has an elegant Rococo hunting of Bergamo’s famous political
lodge, the Villa Reale, and a golf leader, Bartolomeo Colleoni.
course. At one time, however, It is flanked by two 14th-
Monza was one of the most century buildings: an octagonal
important towns in Lombardy. baptistry and the porch leading
Theodolinda, the 6th-century to the Romanesque basilica
Lombard queen, built its first of Santa Maria Maggiore.
cathedral and bequeathed her Leonello d’Este (c.1440) by Pisanello in the The basilica’s austere exterior
treasure to the town. Accademia Carrara, Bergamo contrasts with its Baroque
In the town centre is the interior, which contains the
Duomo, with its notable green 5 Bergamo tomb of Bergamo born
and white 14th-century façade * 120,000. V @ n Via Gombito composer Gaetano Donizetti
and beautiful 15th-century 13 (035 24 22 26). Open 9am–5:30pm (1797–1848).
frescoes portraying Theodo linda’s daily. ( Mon. ∑ visitbergamo.net The collection from the
life. Behind the high altar is the Galleria dell’ Accademia
small Iron Crown, believed to Bergamo owes much of its artistic Carrara, a major picture gallery
have belonged to Emperor inspiration and architectural with works by Venetian masters
Constantine: it is prized for the splendour to the influence of and local artists, as well as
iron strip, said to have been one Venice, which ruled it from the masterpieces from the rest of
of the nails from the cross of 15th to the late 18th century. Italy, is housed temporarily in
Christ. More local treasures in The town is divided into two Palazzo della Ragione while
the Duomo’s Museo e Tesoro distinct parts: Bergamo Alta, the building is being restored.
del Duomo include a silver hen crowning the hill with its cluster It includes 15th- and 16th-
standing over seven tiny chicks of attractive medieval and century works by Pisanello,
– which symbolize Lombardy Renaissance buildings, and Crivelli, Mantegna, Giovanni
and the seven provinces it the more modern Bergamo Bellini, Botticelli, Titian, Raphael
ruled – and a relic said to be Bassa below. and Perugino, 18th-century
John the Baptist’s tooth. The jewel of the upper town canvases by Tiepolo, Guardi and
is Piazza Vecchia, containing Canaletto, as well as paintings
P Autodromo one of the most appealing by Holbein, Dürer, Brueghel
Parco di Monza. Tel 039 248 21. Open archi tectural ensembles in the and Velázquez.
daily. Closed public hols. & 7 region. Its buildings include the
∑ monzanet.it 12th-century Torre del Comune E Palazzo della Ragione
R Duomo with its fine clock and curfew Città Alta. Tel 035 39 96 77.
Piazza Duomo. Tel 039 32 63 83 bell that rings daily at 10pm, Open Jun–Sep: 10am–9pm
(museum). Museo e Tesoro del Duomo: the late 16th-century Biblioteca Tue–Sun (to 11pm Sat); Oct–May:
Open 9am–6pm daily (from 3pm Civica and the attractive 9:30am– 5:30pm Tue–Fri,
Mon). & ∑ museoduomomonza.it 12th-century Palazzo della 10am–6pm Sat & Sun. & 7
Ragione, or law courts, adorned
The Edict of Milan
Milan was colonized by the Romans in 222 BC,
and quickly grew to be an important city at
the junction of various trading routes. As the
Roman Empire grew and then split into two, the
emperors began to neglect Rome for the better-
placed Mediolanum (literally, “city in the middle of
the plain”). It was here that Emperor Constantine
declared his edict of AD 313, in which Christianity
was recognized as one of the permitted religions
of the Empire, ending centuries of persecution.
The emperor is said to have converted following a
Emperor vision, but by the 4th century adopting Christianity
Constantine was also one way to unite the disparate Empire.
Detail from the Cappella Colleoni

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