Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
Milan
Milan's elegant covered living room, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II links Piazza del Duomo to Piazza della Scala under a great dome of glass and iron. Historic boutiques, cafés and mosaics make it a 19th-century masterpiece. Follow the treasure map through elegance and curious traditions.
The history of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
The gallery was built between 1865 and 1878 to a design by the architect Giuseppe Mengoni and dedicated to the first King of Italy, Vittorio Emanuele II. It is considered one of the first and most imposing examples of a covered shopping arcade in Europe. Mengoni never saw it finished: he died falling from a scaffold of the gallery itself during an inspection.
What to see
The structure has a Latin-cross plan, with four arms covered by glass-and-iron vaults that meet beneath a wide central dome. The floor is decorated with mosaics showing the coats of arms of Turin, Florence and Rome, capitals of the Kingdom of Italy, next to that of Milan. Luxury boutiques, restaurants and historic cafés line the arms.
Curiosities and legends
A very popular tradition says that spinning three times on your heel on the bull's genitals in the mosaic of Turin's coat of arms brings good luck. The worn floor at that spot shows how many tourists repeat the ritual. The Milanese nickname the gallery "il salotto di Milano", Milan's living room, for its elegance.
Visiting the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
Entry is free and it lies in the very heart of the city, between the Duomo and the Teatro alla Scala. It's a must for anyone visiting Milan: you can admire the architecture, stop in a historic café or simply walk through it as generations of elegant Milanese have done.
