MILAN: THE LAST SUPPER IN SANTA MARIA DELLE GRAZIE

The Grandma into the Teatro alla Scala

Milan is the capital of the Lombardy region, and the most populous metropolitan area. 

The wider Milan metropolitan area, known as Greater Milan, is a polycentric metropolitan region that comprehends almost all the provinces of Lombardy and the Piedmont province of Novara and has a population of about 8,500,000 people. 

Milan is an Alpha leading global city with strengths in the arts, commerce, design, education, entertainment, fashion, finance, healthcare, media, services, research, and tourism. Its business district hosts Italy's Stock Exchange and the headquarters of the largest national and international banks and companies. 

More information: Comune di Milano, Lombardia

The city is a major world fashion and design capital, well known for several international events and fairs, including Milan Fashion Week and the Milan Furniture Fair. The city hosts numerous cultural institutions, academies and universities.

Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper

Milan's museums, theatres and landmarks, including the Duomo, Sforza Castle and Leonardo da Vinci paintings such as The Last Supper in Santa Maria delle Grazie, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, attract over 9 million visitors annually. 

Milan is home to two of Europe's major football teams, AC Milan and FC Internazionale.

The etymology of Milan is uncertain. One theory holds that Milan is a Latin name; another says that is a Celtic one. In fact, the foundation of Milan is credited to two Celtic peoples, the Bituriges and the Aedui.

More information: Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper

Around 400 BC, the Celtic Insubres settled Milan and the surrounding region. In 222 BC, the Romans conquered the settlement, renaming it Mediolanum. Milan was eventually declared the capital of the Western Roman Empire by Emperor Diocletian in 286 AD.

During the Middle Ages, Milan prospered as a centre of trade due to its position. The war of conquest by Frederick I Barbarossa brought the destruction of much of Milan in 1162. Milan took the lead role in the formation of the Lombard League, formed in 1167. 

The war between the German emperor and the Italian communes continued for years, ending with the Italian victory at the Battle of Legnano. As a result of the independence that the Lombard cities gained in the Peace of Constance in 1183, Milan became a duchy.

The Grandma in Stazione Centrale, Milan

From 12th century to 19th, Milan has been dominated by different empires, kingdoms and cultures until the unification of Italy (1815-1871) when Milan fixed its position as the great city of the north of Italy and the most important business centre of Italy.

In the early 21st century, Milan underwent a series of sweeping redevelopments. Its exhibition centre moved to a much larger site in Rho, New business districts such as Porta Nuova and CityLife were constructed. With the decline in manufacturing, the city has sought to develop on its other sources of revenue, including publishing, finance, banking, fashion design, information technology, logistics, transport and tourism.

Milanese, Milanes or Meneghin is the central dialect of the Western variety of the Lombard language spoken in Milan, the rest of its metropolitan city, and the northernmost part of the province of Pavia. Milanese, due to the importance of Milan, the largest city in Lombardy, is considered one of the most prestigious Lombard variants and the most prestigious one in the Western Lombard area.

More information: Museums of Milan

The Grandma is going to travel by train in The Orient Express. She's waiting it in Milan, in Stazione Centrale and she's travelling to Venice where she's going to meet old friends.

During this long travel across Europe and Asia, The Grandma is going to talk about literature, history and art. Today, she offers two new chapters about Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and later she will remember Mercè Rodoreda, the Catalan writer who was born 108 years ago in Barcelona, on a day like today, October, 10.

Milan, for me, is a city of discovery. 

You can find some amazing gardens behind some great houses; 

I also love finding beautiful galleries and incredible shops, 

but you have to explore and the food is amazing.
 

Francisco Costa