Top Rated Attractions in Milan

Housed within the historic Biblioteca Ambrosiana, the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana was formed in 1618 following Cardinal Federico Borromeo's generous donation of artworks. The collection included a total of 172 paintings that can be traced back to the 17th, 18th and early twentieth centuries, with significant artworks such as The Musician by Leonardo, The Basket of Fruit by Caravaggio and the Vases of Flowers by Jan Brueghel. There are also several paintings that can be sourced to Venetian, Flemish and Lombardian schools of art, besides a few bronze and marble sculptures as well.

Housed in the Palace of Ambrosiana, Biblioteca Ambrosiana is considered one of the most important institutions in the city. Founded by Federico Borromeo as a center for counter-reform culture, it gradually accumulated numerous collections of art, books and manuscripts. From the first nucleus, facing Piazza S. Sepolcro, the institution expanded to occupy the entire block. The vast collection of the library includes the Codice Atlantico by Leonardo da Vinci.

The sprawling expanse of the Piazza del Duomo forms the heart of the city of Milan, both geographically and in terms of its cultural significance. While the site has always been an important reference point for town planners, the origins of this public square can be traced back to the 14th Century. It was Azzone Visconti who demanded the removal of the taverns that surrounded the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore and the Basilica of Santa Tecla, thus creating one of Italy's most iconic squares. Although both churches were eventually demolished to make way for the ambitiously designed Duomo, their foundations are still visible to this day. Today, the vast open space is crowned by the Duomo on one side and the Royal Palace on the other. Alongside them are sweeping arcades designed by Giuseppe Mengoni. A space surrounded by some of Italy's most recognizable structures, the Piazza del Duomo has rightly been termed as the focal point of Milan.

Impressive pinnacles and countless marble statues surround visitors to the Terraces of the Cathedral. You take a lift to the approximately 8,000 m² size roof on one of the important Gothic buildings in Italy. From here you are afforded a spectacular view of all of Milan its surroundings - framed by Gothic decor. In winter it is even possible to watch dusk fall over the city.

Created by the incorporation of several preceding buildings, its present 16th-century appearance was commissioned by the Cusani family: ownership successively passed to the Erba Odescalchi family. The complex, in part incoherent, architecture is based on two successive courtyards with a garden. The decorative elements are particularly interesting, a fine balance between tradition and innovation.