Milan: The Cimitero Monumentale, 2

And now, the finale of the exciting conclusion to our visit to Milan...

Contemporary dolmen?

Still processing this one

Milan: The Cimitero Monumentale, 1

When we lived in Paris in 2014, we would sometimes take visitors to the Pere Lachaise cemetery, sometimes for the memorial monuments, sometimes for the very famous persons buried there; sometimes to help the visitors through jet-lag. In any case, from Pere Lachaise, from the Cimitero in the Field of Miracles in Pisa, from the Cementario de la Recoleta in Buenos Aires, we know that cemeteries can sometime be culturally significant repositories, museums of history, architecture, sculpture, and such. Vicki had read that there was art nouveau at Milan's Cimitero Monumentale, and so we resolved to spend an hour or two there. We were unprepared for what we saw. Yes, among all the weeping and wailing there is some art nouveau. It was, however, the monumentality of it all that struck us. Pere Lachaise could not hold a spark to it, much less a candle, in that respect. Every architectural style is present. Much of it super-sized. The sculptors of Milan evidently have been fully employed for more than a century now. So here, in two installments, without much commentary, is the exciting conclusion to our days in Milan.

A bit of the entrance pavilion, itself monumental

Weeping, etc.

At first I thought she'd had too much Campari

Of course you knew the Pasta family would have a nice one

My big fat Greek funeral

Guide to the most popular sites

Resurrection

Street scene

Milan: The Victor Emmanuel Galleria And Camparino

The Victor Emmanuel Galleria (1877) is one of Milan's architectural glories, the largest of the steel and glass shopping malls built in the later 19th century. Others have folded or languished, but this one has thrived. It threw out McDonald's some years ago to make room for a second Prada. (McDonald's is now down the street, on less hallowed ground). If your town has a "galleria" shopping center, it's knowingly or unknowingly named after this place. It is situated between two of Milan's other major cultural glories, the Duomo and La Scala. Milanos think of it as the city's living room.

Another cultural glory of Milan is Campari. Italy has cultural glories without number, and quite a few of them are potable. My favorite, currently, is Campari, the red bitter that comprises aperitifs world-wide. They also own Aperol, the sweeter, low-test orange version you see young people drinking, also world-wide. My favorite drink these days is the Negroni, invented in Florence, it is said, but its chief flavor is Campari (the red vermouth sweetens it a bit and the gin puts it right on the edge between an aperitif and a cocktail). But I digress. Camparino is the old family bar, situated right at the Duomo gateway to the Galleria, a place of honor. How could I not have a Negroni at Camparino, at the Galleria?

Galleria entrance from the Duomo steps

Assorted views in the Galleria

At the octagonal crossing

From our table at Camparino

"Hey, careful man, there's a beverage here!"