Milan, no self-esteem problems

Mateusz Zmyślony

04 of August '23

Some of the icons of contemporary design: "Smiley Basketball" - design has many faces, in this case smiling ones

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The material is from A&B issue 6|23

Milan was never on my list of first choice: cities I must see in my life. I associated it with snobbish fashion, brands I would never wear, just not my fave. At the same time, the city of design should intrigue me, because I just love design, I write about architecture and aesthetics, Milan should be in my plans.

And yet it never was. And that was a mistake!

"Cheshire Cat" in 3D—design has many faces, in this case smiling ones

So, in search of good design, we set out for the design capital. I went to this event with my daughter—curious immensely if, how and to what extent her impressions would coincide with mine. The city was recommended to me by a proven and trustworthy person regarding my urban tastes. So I wasn't afraid of failure, but I also didn't promise myself too much, mindful of my rather stereotypical prejudices against fashionistas investing in luxury brands. I needed the top Italian city for the collection as another mirror in which to reflect my observations on the development of Polish metropolises, namely Wielomiast.

Adding to the excitement was the fact that this was the first trip by plane in three years—like many people, at the beginning of the pandemic I abandoned the air city breaks I had so loved before.

Cosmic Art showcase—Milan's signature aesthetic.

Airport, plane, landing in Bergamo. Meanwhile, I read about the city and the region—Lombardy is an economic dragon, generating as much as 25 percent of Italy's total GDP. This can be seen with the naked eye from the bus window—for dozens of kilometers uninterrupted along the road stretch factories, warehouses, company headquarters—businesses flourish to the horizon. This part of Italy completely does not resemble, for example, Calabria, but I am not discovering America, everyone knows about the rich north and poor south. So from the first moment here I see the „multicity” of Milan—between Bergamo and the center of the Lombard capital the city does not actually end, one passes seamlessly into the other. My task is to find out as much as I can about Milan—and to look for secrets in it as well, conclusions that you won't find in Wikipedia.

Art in Milan's public spaces is one of the best proxies for the quality of a city... here it is at every turn

Like Milan, it's a must see „The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci. A unique painting that will never come to visit you—you can't take it off the wall. Warned by a Milan expert, I book tickets much earlier. This has to be done well in advance, the limit of entries is very limited. I book them a month in advance and scrape the last entrances for the earliest morning hours of the second day of my stay.

Art in Milan's public spaces is one of the best proxies for the quality of a city... here it is at every turn

The first march out into the city is one of the coolest moments in the life of an urbanologist: we will explore the so-called first impression effect. We trot toward Piazza del Duomo. The city has scale, it has momentum, the two-hundred-year-old townhouses are huge, beautiful, majestic, creating a monumental setting. The first key to the Milan phenomenon is these houses, forming a very consistent Milanese style. It is a proud, opulent architecture, it reminds me a bit of Parisian architecture. But if it were the only thing here, I wouldn't love Milan.

These storefronts... from this perspective, Milan can be discovered as one big gallery of design

The second key is the alternatives to Milan's classic, grandiose and richly ornamented Art Nouveau townhouses, and they are the numerous surviving medieval buildings punctuating this space quite densely. The Middle Ages were different here than in Poland—Lombardy of the 10th or 11th century was the premier league, the first league. In the forests along the Vistula, people still lived in huts, while here people had long lived in marbled, magnificent spaces.

TheVictor Emanuel II Gallery—a year-round premium arcade and again the storefronts... "Marian, it's kind of luxurious here!"

As we reach the Duomo—the most important building in the city—my psyche receives an unexpected blow to the solar plexus.
It literally clobbers me. I didn't think I would ever again be brought to my knees by a temple. I remember a similar effect—it was given by a visit to the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. There it was all about genius loci. Here the reason is different: The Duomo is simply a colossal, lacy marble sculpture. The giant mass is deeply and highly decorated with improbable three-dimensional displays of human imagination, talent and skill. A true aesthetic shock.

"The Last Supper "—in my opinion, the first animated painting in history

Walking through the streets of Milan is simply pleasant, everything here is nice, the scale of the city, as well as the Duomo Cathedral or the Sforza Castle say a lot about the historical power of Lombardy as a region. Anyone who approaches the Duomo Cathedral will feel a sense of awe. I didn't go inside and on the roof—I didn't have a reservation—but from the reviews of others I conclude that it's worth it and next time I will definitely plan ahead.

"The Last Supper "—in my opinion, the first animated painting in history

In addition to the Duomo, be sure to visit the Galleria of Victor Emmanuel II. It is the oldest operating shopping mall in Italy, but I would rather call it a palace of luxury. It is essentially a crossroads of two streets—pedestrian streets lined with exclusive stone, covered at an impressive height with a glass roof. The world's most luxurious brands have their representative stores here. Although it's not my world, for stargazing and strolling this place is eminently suitable, even for me. It was designed in 1861 by architect Giuseppe Mengoni to impress. And it does.

Starbucks Reserve Roastery Milano—at the „mother of all Starbucks” I felt like Charlie in the chocolate factory

From my perspective, one can only feel fulfilled in this wonderful city after deeply experiencing three less conspicuous attractions. The first is Leonardo's „Last Supper,” already announced. At dawn on the second day, my daughter and I set off to see the master's work. It is located in the former dining room of the Dominican monastery at the Basilica of Santa Maria della Grazie. The fresco was created over a period of three years, before 1498. The Italians are very protective of this work—the security checks are meticulous, the safeguards multi-layered. With an earphone in my ear, I made my way through the successive rooms leading to the „Supper,” absorbing carefully the words of the guide telling the story of the painting. When we entered the target room, she began speaking in a stage whisper, professionally building tension and creating a truly unforgettable atmosphere while contemplating this one-of-a-kind fresco.

Basilica of San Lorenzo Maggiore, whose history dates back to the 4th century—Lombardy, however, is a very different story from our Polish memories, the memory of a European junior

We stood before it as if stunned. I had to pinch myself. I glanced at seventeen-year-old Maria, who spends most of her time in front of the computer every day, curious if the old painting would make any impression on her. It did, and it made a huge one.

I focused on staring at the details of the painting. We only had fifteen minutes, so I listened carefully to the words of the Italian guide and stared intensely at the successive figures she described. At one point, the painting came to life. I felt as if it had become an animation, as if the apostles really started waving their hands at each other.

Basilica of San Lorenzo Maggiore, whose history dates back to the 4th century—Lombardy, however, is a very different story from our Polish memories, the memory of a European junior

I didn't know that Leonardo was the first in history to come up—while painting the „Supper"—to the idea of rendering in his work "what gesture is all about.” Previously, figurative painting dominated—in older paintings, people pose motionless, poised, standing or sitting in a studied version, for show.

Saturday night fever on Corso di Porta Ticinese; at the end one reaches Darsena, a favorite meeting place for young people

Leonardo endowed his characters with emotions revolutionarily! Take a look at „The Last Supper” again, paying attention to what the apostles are doing. The fresco really comes alive thanks to the gestures—properly lit and treated with the right attention. Judas with a purse retreating under pressure, Peter with a knife in his hand behind the back of a potential victim, the apostle on the right evidently being a girl—there is much to explore here, each character a separate story, and all together connected by one of the most significant interactions in human history.

Saturday night fever on Corso di Porta Ticinese; at the end one reaches Darsena, a favorite meeting place for young people

Leonardo used an experimental technique and paints that proved to be indelible, and although the fresco is badly damaged, it is incredibly impressive. The depth of perspective of the painted room is palpable. But it is the interactions between the figures that make one feel the touch of true genius here. He was the first ever to give still figures an authentic dynamic.

To sum up this stage of getting to know the city: whoever hasn't seen „The Last Supper” hasn't really been to Milan. No work of art has impressed me as much before.

wspa-nia-le!—here everything tastes best, especially the aperol spritz at a tiny table in a garden swamped by waves of passersby

This is how we met the first of my three advanced keys to the soul of this city. Milan has prepared two more for us. One of them may seem a bit eccentric—but I decided to delight in Milan's Starbucks. This is no ordinary coffee bar. This is Starbucks Reserve Roastery Milano—the mother of all Starbucks.

The amazing interior houses a living coffee roastery in a huge space. It looks like a set from the movie „Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” Coffee beans glide in transparent tubes from one link in the coffee production process to the next. One sits as if inside a very beautifully designed machinery. Every few minutes, another batch of freshly roasted beans spills out of the boiler; the smell is wonderful. The process is watched over by tastefully clad workers, all around you everything is spinning, sifting, smelling, whirling. Something fantastic. In Milan, even a coffee shop must be WOW!

wspa-nia-le!—here everything tastes best, especially the aperol spritz at a tiny table in a garden swept by waves of passersby

The last of the three keys to Milan's genius loci, in my opinion, is to tap into the atmosphere of the Corso di Porta Ticinese street. The medieval gate, the ancient Roman colonnades, the mighty basilica of San Lorenzo Maggiore, which dates back to... the 4th century! This is Milan in a nutshell, but beware—necessarily the whole street. It's great to sit here in pub gardens at a small table with an aperol spritz in your hand and an assortment of snacks—a bit like in Spanish tapas bars. I took a liking to the corner garden, right next to the gate, finding it the most representative of Milanese satay.

Roman colonnades and medieval walls—without them Art Nouveau Milan wouldn't be so great

The crowds of partying, chattering people here create a fantastically vital atmosphere—oh, Italians really know how to have la dolce vita. An old yellow streetcar squeezes through this crowd—a bit like in India, the train squeezes between stalls, by millimeters. The street continues to Darsena—there, by the water, young people meet, bimbling merrily from the quay with their feet. Whoever doesn't make it here, preferably on a sunny weekend, will not experience the real Milan. Between the pubs there are plenty of great stores, there are those with collectible figures, there are clothes for cosplayers, there is a store with the iconic Market Smiley Basketball balls. Of course, there are also stores with shoes, clothes everywhere, there is something for everyone. Shopping here is different from the usual, it gives a lot of fun, which should not be surprising—in a sense, Milan is also the capital of shoppings.

The train station is also a classic example of Milanese grandeur

I will keep coming back here, because the design capital has great class. I will be reminded of Milan by two new travel companions I met on Corsa di Porta Ticinese: a broad-smiling Cheshire cat who claims „We "re all mad here” (met in the aforementioned fancy figurine store) and his equally suggestively smiling yellow and jumping friend (met in a store... with smiling balls). I like this kind of design, so both Milanese friends will end up behind the windshield of my car, the ball will be my Wilson from „Cast Away”, I will talk to it in moments of solitude.

TheSforza castle doesn't fit through thelens—the depth of the shot through the subsequent gates may give some idea of scale

Corsa di Porta Ticinese is a magical street. My mission is to explain such phenomena, so I ask the locals what, in total, the popularity of this particular street is due to, when there are hundreds of others around that are treated quite differently, however, by the population, not crowded with masses of pedestrians, café gardens and super micro stores. Locals in general do not know. To the eye, it's a bit like our Floriańska or Grodzka streets in Krakow or Monciak in Sopot, only that here, however, the locals rule, not tourists. I read about this street, but I don't get much out of the descriptions. The Internet fumbles on the matter—deriving the name, for example, from the word cicca, linking it to some interpretation that the title gate is „not big” or „tiny,” kind of like a sympathetic one. Indeed, the 12th century gate is cramped, the streetcar can barely fit through it, after all, it was built on the scale of the time. But that's not the way, I quickly manage to solve the mystery. Well, the former capital of Lombardy, the city of Pavia, used to be called Ticinum (after the river on which it lies—Ticino). The gate and the street leading to it is a former artery connecting Milan with the historic capital of the region—mystery explained. Something like Krakowskie Przedmieście in Warsaw... People have been meeting on this street for hundreds of years because of its stature—today they have it encoded in their subconscious so deeply that they no longer remember what it is from.

TheSforza castle doesn't fit through thelens—the depth of the shot through the subsequent gates may give some idea of scale

To me, savoring this street with this knowledge seems even more appealing. Once I'm done investigating the case, I can relax with an aperol spritz in my hand... and immediately another investigation begins. This time I'm going to figure out the so-called flavor of the vacation... Because something about the aperol spritz here tastes too good to me, which awakens the automatic vigilance of an investigator of the components of the urban atmosphere. I remember figuring out the atmosphere of Paris while sitting in a Parisian bistro. The restaurant had „that something” about it, and it turned out that „bistro” is one of the key ingredients of the Parisian soul, for as a phenomenon (a quick-service establishment) it originated in the city. As legend has it, when Russian guardsmen entered the French capital after Napoleon's defeat, they chased waiters in the pubs, shouting „bystro!” to them. And so the idea of a simple pub with a short but quick menu was born. I like the story. And tasting a spritz, I sense a similar story in Milan. I check it out... and bingo! Spritz as an idea originated in this part of the world! When Austrian soldiers entered northern Italy during the Napoleonic wars, they longed for beer in the heat. Local wines were too strong for the role of a cooling drink, so they started adding water to them—the German „spritzen” meant „to splash.” Later, carbonated water was used for this, and finally aperol, invented in Padua, appeared. Today's refreshing and dry aperol spritz, therefore, comes from these parts, which is why it becomes a taste of vacation when sipped in Milan.

trying to capture the scale of a Milanese street

Now I can focus on observing the locals—another of my favorite activities in the process of analyzing the identity of cities.

Milan is a classy city. People know how to dress here, but it doesn't come off snobbish or pretentious—they just look very good, which is a local specialty and comes off naturally. There is no cheap spoof here, there is a well-understood elegance. Interestingly, there are also no new fashions, trends and subcultures, which are numerous in Poland—why change something perfect—so no hipsters or image-obsessed fans of the 1980s are conspicuous here, and I don't notice an excess of tattoos and piercings. My daughter, who is emo, draws enough attention to herself that people ask her if they can take her picture, and a young painter secretly draws her portrait, which he then hands to her (shrug). The Milanese street is populated with elegant Italian women and Italians in such a way that I begin to miss the diversity. Interesting impression.

Trying to capture the scale of a Milanese street

In Milan you can feel the power of the so-called old money—here wealth has resided for centuries and it is absolutely felt to this day. The important thing is that the effect is stunning.

Here even the train station is so gutted that it can be visited like a high-class tourist attraction.

Likewise monumental is the Sforza castle, whose extensive park you can relax in. At the castle itself, my attention is caught by the Alfa Romeo automotive brand logo on the wall—something's not right here, after all, it's a monument. Research quickly explains the mystery: it turns out that the Alfa Romeo logo wasn't designed just like that, it's partly inspired by the coat of arms of the Visconti family, predecessors of the Sforzas, who ruled Milan from the 13th to 15th centuries. And here comes the link between the history of Italy and Poland, Milan and Krakow—in the form of Queen Bona, of course. Our fates are intertwined in the 16th century, which is worth mentioning while walking through the fortress's grand courtyards.

This scale of construction is perhaps the most impressive: it's similar to Paris, only there such monuments are missing to diversify the aesthetic experience. Milan combines many styles and eras to very good effect. The marble sculpture of the Duomo remains the number one attraction and gives cause for some reflection: when I stand in the Main Square on my return to Cracow, looking at St. Mary's Church, I have the impression as if I were looking at... a chicken coop.

Bosco Verticale was designed by Boeri Studio (Stefano Boeri, Gianandrea Barreca, Giovanni La Varra)—an insane structure

Photo: Mattia Spotti | source: Unsplash

Architecture in Milan, however, does not consist solely of monuments. For lovers of modern architecture, Milan has another hit: it is, of course, the Bosco Verticale skyscrapers, perhaps the world's most famous vertical residential forests. The 111-meter-tall (Torre E) and 76-meter-tall (Torre D) buildings are covered by more than nine hundred trees. I don't know about you, but I—I would live.
Bosco Verticale was designed by Boeri Studio: Stefano Boeri, Gianandrea Barreca, Giovanni La Varra. For me, this is how entire cities should look.

I leave the rest of Milan's attractions for you to discover on your own—and there are many more, Via Dante for example, after all it is Italy's largest historical city after Rome. Universities, headquarters of big companies, AC Milan, EXPO 2015—it's all Milan. No wonder some 9 million tourists come here every year.