Italy Travel Part V(Final): Verona and Milan
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Italy Travel Part V(Final): Verona and Milan
Day 6: Tuesday, 7 November 2017
Map showing the location of Verona and Milan
Visiting Verona and Milan on Day 6: Tuesday, 7 November 2017
Visiting Verona
After breakfast at Hotel Da Porto near Venice, we headed west to Verona.
Verona has a population of about 260 000. It is a famous tourist destination due to its historical buildings, monuments and churches.
Arena
On arrival in Piazza Bra in Central Verona, we saw a circular Roman amphitheatre which is similar to the Colosseum in Rome. But its size is much smaller and is known as the Arena.
Arena, an amphitheatre for concerts and opera performances
Built in 30 A.D. for shows and gladiator games for 25 000 spectators, the Arena is now used for concerts and opera performances.
Palazzo Barbieri(Verona Town Hall)
Near the Arena is a yellow building known as Palazzo Barbieri. Built in neoclassical architectural style in the 1836-1848 period for staff associated with the occupying Austrian Army forces. it is now the city hall of Verona.
City Town Hall of Verona in the background
Shutterbugs Having a Field Day in Piazza Bra
Before we went to the next place we had some time off for taking photographs in the square, Piazza Bra.
Pretty ladies in a row
Gentlemen not to be outdone!
Juliet’s House
After that, we walked to a place which was a few hundred metres away. It was where a house that seemingly that belonged to Juliet was sited.
Juliet’s House in Verona
William Shakespeare’s Play, “Romeo and Juliet”
Romeo and Juliet were young lovers in William Shakespeare’s popular play, “Romeo and Juliet”. In the play, the families of Romeo and Juliet were enemies and therefore the lovers could not marry each other. Owing to unfortunate happenings, both drank poison and died. But their deaths made the two families end their feud.
Juliet’s Balcony
Juliet’s House
As Shakespeare had set the popular play in Verona and the owner of the house, Dal Cappello or Cappelletti, had the same name as Juliet’s family, people believed that the house was Juliet’s.
Writer’s wife with “Juliet”
Mr. and Mrs. Ho with “Juliet” in Verona
Mr. and Mrs. Tye with “Juliet”
Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Low with “Juliet” in Verona
Juliet’s Balcony
The house has a balcony where Romeo and Juliet met and Romeo promised Juliet eternal love according to Shakespeare’s play. Besides, there is a life-sized bronze statue of Juliet in the courtyard.
The statue was erected in the courtyard in 1972. It was created by a Veronese sculptor, Nereo Costatini.
Romantic visitors’ love notes and graffitis at the entrance
Inner walls of entrance to Juliet’s house are full of love notes, locks and graffitis left behind by romantic visitors
Entrance and Courtyard Walls
Young and old visitors like to rub the statue believing that they will get eternal happiness, youthfulness and love. Besides, they like to leave behind love notes, locks and graffitis on the entrance and courtyard walls.
Love notes and graffitis on wall of courtyard
Monument of Giuseppe Garibaldi(1807-1882)
While walking further away from Juliet’s house, I came across an equestrian monument of Giuseppe Garibaldi.
Garibaldi(1807-1882) who was a famous general played an important role in the unification of Italy.
The process of the unification began in 1815 and ended in 1871 when several different states united as the Kingdom of Italy.
Giuseppe Garibaldi(1807-1882), an Italian general who played an important role in the unification of Italy
Scaliger Tombs
Adjacent to Palazzo del Comune there is a small church, Santa Maria Antica Church. In 1200s the Scaliger family took it over and made it their private church. The Scaliger family is a group of lords ruling Verona. In 1300s they used the church compound as a burial ground for the Scaliger lords.
In front of the church within the iron-grilled enclosure, there are five tombs of Scaliger lords which are Gothic funerary monuments of the Scaliger family.
Santa Maria Church and Scaliger Tombs in the front court in Verona
Scaliger Tombs which are Gothic funerary monuments of the Scaliger Family in Verona
Visiting Milan, the last Destination
Later, we left Verona and moved on. We headed north-east to our final destination of the tour, i.e. Milan.
Victor Emmanuel II Gallery(Galleria Vittoria Emanuele II)
Soon we arrived in Milan and visited the oldest shopping mall in the world. Known as Victor Emmanuel II Gallery(Galleria Vittoria Emanuele II), it was built in the 1865-1877 period. The large building is covered with iron-glass roofs and a large glass dome in the centre.
An entrance to Victor Emmanuel II Gallery, Milan
Oldest shopping mall in the world
Brightly-lit interior of the Gallery
Coats of Arms
It houses shops, restaurants and hotels. There are four mosaics on the floor in the centre of the Gallery portraying the coats of arms of the three capitals of the Kingdom of Italy, namely, Turin, Florence and Rome plus Milan.
Mosaic on the floor of Victor Emmanuel II Gallery portraying the Turin’s coat of arms
The Three Spins
It is interesting to learn that if a person spins around three times on one of his/her heels on the testicles of the bull in the mosaic of the coat of arms of Turin, he/she will get good luck. I saw a few visitors trying their luck, but they all failed. I failed too when I tried.
A visitor trying the three spins on a bull’s testicles in mosaic on the floor
Milan Cathedral Square(Piazza Duomo)
Adjacent to the Gallery is a large open space known as Milan Cathedral Square(Piazza Duomo).
Milan Cathedral Square(Piazza Duomo)
Equestrian Statue of the First King of Italy
In the middle of the square there is a bronze equestrian statue of the first King of Italy Kingdom, Victor Emmanuel II(1820=1878) on a high pedestal.
Equestrian statue of Victor Emmanuel II, the first King of the Kingdom of Italy
Milan Cathedral(Duomo di Milan)
On one side of the square near the Gallery stands a beautiful, majestic, Gothic cathedral, Milan Cathedral. The builders took over 600 years from 1386 to 1965 to complete constructing the Cathedral. With seating capacity of 40 000, it is the largest Roman Catholic church in Italy and the 3rd. in the world. The church is dedicated to St. Mary of the Nativity.
Beautiful, majestic Roman Catholic church, Milan Cathedral
Writer and wife in Milan Cathedral Square
Bronze Door
A large closed bronze door in the middle has 3-D figures depicting the life story of Jesus Christ. Some of them are shown below.
Birth of Jesus Christ
Mother and Child
Walk to Calvary Hill
Crucifixion
“Pieta”: Virgin Mary holding Jesus Christ’s dead body after his crucifixion
Ascension
Marble Sculptures
The exterior walls of the church and facade are full of marble sculptures. The figurines of the sculptures look like dolls from a distance. Here are some of them.
Small figures on and around window
Marble statues on wall of Milan Cathedral
Marble figures on column of Milan Cathedral
Sforza Castle
In the evening we left Milan Cathedral and Victor Emmanuel II Gallery for dinner. After dinner we walked to a historical castle known as Sforza Castle.
The original castle was built in the 14th. Century as a residence for lords. When it was destroyed in 1447, Francesco Sforza, the Duke of Milan, rebuilt it in 1450 and made it as his residence. Later, it became a fort used by Spanish invaders and then Austrians.
Sforza Castle in Milan
After World War II(1939-1945), the badly damaged castle was reconstructed. It has been used for housing some museums since then.
Departure for Malaysia
For the last night in Italy, we stayed at Mercure Hotel. The following morning we left Milan and flew back to Malaysia, our home, via Hong Kong.
Addio, goodbye to Italy!
That was an enjoyable, educational and unforgettable trip in Italy.
Italy Travel Part I: Rome and Vatican City
Italy Travel Part II : Rome(continued)
Italy Travel Part III: Pisa and Florence
Italy Travel Part V(Final): Verona and Milan
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