Milan, Italy

Milan's history is full of wealth, intrigue and conflict. Throughout its existence, Milan has known failure and incredible success and has faced both with a spirit and verve that makes this city one of the most famous in the world.

The first known inhabitants of Milan date back to the Bronze Age; the Gauls settled here in the 4th Century BCE and may have given the area the name "place in the middle". The Romans conquered the area in 222 BCE and gave it a similar name, "Mediolanum", and it became an autonomous province (Municipium) under the control of Rome. Its importance grew considerably during the Imperial Age. Thanks to its geographical position at the center of the Padana Plain, merchants and travelers would stop here en-route to the north of the Italian Peninsula, and the city became an important military defense against the barbarians who attacked from northern Europe. By 286 CE, Milan was significant enough to be declared the capital of the Western Roman Empire by Emperor Diocletian, who remained in the Eastern Empire while his western counterpart, Maximianus, moved his residence to Milan. Halfway through the 4th Century it became the second city of the Roman Empire, after Rome. In 313 CE, the Emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Milan, which freedom of religion to Christians in the empire. Traces of the Roman Empire can be found in places such as Piazza Cordusio.

Although Milan became less important as the Roman Empire declined, and due to its northern position, suffered greatly from invasions by the Visigoths in 402 CE, Attila the Hun in 452 CE, and the Ostrogoths in 539 CE. In 569 CE, the city was conquered by the Longobards, from which the region of Lombardy gets its name. Milan's rebirth began when Charlemagne conquered the city in 774 CE and took the new title "King of the Lombards". Milan became an autonomous city in the 12th Century and trade prospered, due to its key position in the Po Valley and on the important routes from southern Italy to the Alps. As a result of Milan's wealth, importance and expansion, a new wall with six gateways was built and some of these gates are still visible today. The city built a system of canals (navigli) in the 12th and 13th Centuries, destined for defensive and agricultural purposes, which still defines the city's physiognomy today.

In the 15th century, power passed from the Visconti Signoria to the Sforza Signoria. The economy boomed, especially in terms of crafts, trade and agriculture. Architectural additions at this time include the Ospedale Maggiore (today the seat of the State University), the Lazzaretto (which holds the Rotonda della Besana and which is an open air cinema in the summer), and Castello Sforzesco, a listed building which exhibits works by Bramante and Filarete. Also of great historic importance is Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper (1498), a fresco at the Convent of Maria delle Grazie.

In 1499, the French King Louis XII took Milan, and for the next thirty-five years, the city found itself at the center of continuous battles between France and the Sforza family. When the incumbent duke of the Sforza family suddenly died in 1535, the city passed to Charles V Habsburg of the Holy Roman Empire. Charles V passed the duchy of Milan to his son Philip II, and Spanish rule continued until the beginning of the 18th Century. The architectural highlight of this century was the construction of the Spanish Walls, which today surround Milan's historical center. The city's power and prosperity declined under foreign rule, and in 1630, the Black Death struck the city and greatly reduced the population. Finally, after the War of the Spanish Succession, in 1706 the Savoys of Austria took possession of the city. 

Milan began a new phase of expansion, characterized by fiscal and ecclesiastic reform, which culminated in exceptionally rich cultural activity around 1770. Milan fell under Napoleon Bonaparte's control, and the population boomed. It became the capital of the Cisalpine Republic and reaffirmed its cultural and economic importance. As part of Napoleon's architectural and urbanization plans the cerchia dei bastoni ring road was built around the historic center. Other new roads were also built following Paris' system; these are still used today.

The Austrians again took control of Milan in the 19th Century. Neither the educated middle classes nor the lower classes were happy about Austrian rule and in 1848 there was a popular insurrection, which ended with much bloodshed. The Kingdom of Italy was proclaimed in 1861.

A great deal of the city center dates back to the beginning of the 20th Century, when many areas were redesigned and rebuilt. The city is filled with Fascist "minimalist" houses in impressive tree-lined avenues, workers' houses, and "dormitory districts" which were immense apartment blocks with no real shops or services nearby. Many of these estates soon fell into disrepair.

Fortunately, Milan is being transformed from an ugly duckling into a beautiful swan. Economic revival has made it a rich and interesting city. The "moral capital" of Italy is very different from all the artistic cities dotted around the country. It is the center of economic activity in Italy; the country's Stock Exchange is based here. Milan's fame is also boosted by its role in the world of fashion, by the presence of many industries, its high-tech service sector, and its cultural innovation. Most of Italy's press are situated here. One of the major TV networks - the largest private network in Italy - has its headquarters at the gates of Milan.