Page 31 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Milan & The Lakes

THE HIST OR Y OF MILAN  29

The Postwar Period anti- corruption investigations which
On 11 May 1946, Arturo Toscanini forced many members of the ruling
conducted a concert celebrating parties to step down from power.
the re-opening of the Teatro alla
Scala, which had been destroyed Present-Day Milan
by bombs during the war. This historic Thanks to the dynamism, productivity and
event demonstrated the inventiveness of its people,
desire for recovery and today’s Milan is a leading
reconstruction that European city, but it still
characterized postwar has a number of problems:
Milan. The linchpin of an Logo of Teatro alla Scala the decline in population,
industrial triangle with Turin and now 1.33 million, is proof of a
Genoa, Milan now had 1,800,000 growing dissatisfaction with a city that is
inhabitants. This period of secure growth, considered, for example, unsuitable for
disturbed only by student protests in children. The rapid increase in commuter
1968, ended on 12 December 1969, traffic has not been matched by adequate
when the explosion of a terrorist bomb long-distance public transport, which is
in a bank in Piazza Fontana, causing a why the city is frequently blocked by heavy
massacre, began a long, grim period traffic. Last, although Milan is probably the
of terrorist activity. The 1980s saw the most multicultural city in Italy, clandestine
development of the fashion industry that immigration causes its own social problems.
has made Milan one of the world leaders Despite this, Milan is an avant-garde city
in this field. The most significant event in by all standards, a financial, professional
the city’s recent history was the 1992 and cultural leader in Italian life.

The Growth of Milan
This map shows the growth
of Milan from the original Roman
city to the present-day metropolis.

Key
The Roman city
The Medieval city
Up to the 18th century
The 19th century
The early 20th century
Present-day Milan

The Pirelli Building
1950 Creation 1992 Outbreak 2004 Teatro alla
of Metanopoli, 1973 Telemilano (later of political Scala re-opens
satellite city of San Canale 5) first private corruption after extensive
Donato Milanese TV station in Italy scandal restoration
1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020
1946 Toscanini 1955–60 The 1973 Bomb in Via 1997 Dario
conducts the Pirelli Building Fatebenefratelli Fo, actor and 2000 “Needle, Thread 2015 EXPO 2015
opening concert is constructed playwright, and Knot” sculpture World Fair held
at the restored 1969 Bomb at wins Nobel Prize erected in Piazza in Milan
La Scala Piazza Fontana for Literature Cadorna

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