My brother-in-law Bert just got back from a deployment, and he kindly insisted that his wife go on a mini-vacation - she deserved it! I was lucky enough to get to go with her, and she chose Milan. Milan was never really on my radar, as far as places I wanted to go, but I'm so glad I did! It was amazing.....and even more amazing without kids ;)
I'm using half of my pictures and half of hers. I did not take my nicer camera, and there are scratches on the camera lens of my phone, so it only focuses well about 75% of the time :( Can someone please invent a phone that has a retractable lens cover. I haven't even patented that idea, so go for it, and you're welcome.
The first place we went to was actually an accident really. We were walking towards the cathedral and just stumbled across it - the Castello Sforzesco (Sforza Castle). Built in the 15th century, it is now home to several of the cities museums and art collections. It didn't cost much to go in, so we decided to stop.
The first museum houses the Rondanini Pieta, by Michelangelo - his final sculpture, left unfinished, though he worked on it for about a decade during his final years.
It is very different from his usual idealized figures. From some angles it looks like Mary is holding up Jesus, but from other angles it looks as if Jesus is holding Mary up with his back. It is said that Michelangelo carefully crafted it this way to represent how Jesus's spirit might actually have been comforting Mary in her loss. Looking at it made me long to see what it would have looked like if he had finished it.
Also in the castle was the Museo d'Arte Antica (Museum of Ancient Art) which includes the armory, the tapestry room and some funerary monuments.
(below) a monument to Bernabo Visconti, 14th century. As Lord of Milan, he has quite a colorful history, the best of which was that he was excommunicated three times - the last time, when the papal delegates came to serve him papers, he was so mad he put them under arrest and wouldn't let them go until they had eaten said papers, plus the seal. For someone who was in trouble with the church so much, he sure had a lot of Christian scenes put on his funerary monument.
I would love to have this nativity set (below).
Lots of cool ceiling art.
Another funerary monument. I can't for the life of me remember who's it was, but it was really interesting because of the double stacked sarcophagus, and because of the combination of Christian and Pagan symbols all over it (like Medusa's head and skulls, see below).
The Portale del Banco Mediceo, a portal to a former palace in Milan.
And finally, this amazing, and very large tapestry, which was double sided AND portable (to be carried in processions). Again, I can't remember who it's for.
One of the rooms in the museum was designed and frescoed by Leonardo da Vinci, but unfortunately it was closed for renovations.
I'm going to go a little out of order, as far was what we saw next, but we also went to the Dominican convent Santa Maria delle Grazie (Holy Mary of Grace), built in the 1400's.
Of course, the most important thing about this church, and the reason why it is a UNESCO World Heritage site, is that the refectory houses Leonardo da Vinci's mural of "The Last Supper".
This was really cool to see in person. A LOT larger than I had imagined. Because of the unique method used to paint it, environmental factors, and intentional damage, very little of the original painting remains. There were many restoration attempts, the last of which was in 1999 (you can see the differences in the dark and light paint), but now they won't do any more restoration - the focus now is on preservation, and the room is protected by a double seal of doors, and each group of visitors can only stay for 15 minutes.
Our guide explained many interesting things about this painting - her accent was STRONG, but I was able to understand everything, and really enjoyed our 15 minutes :)
The opposite wall of the refectory is covered by the Crucifixion fresco by Giovanni Donato da Montorfano, to which Leonardo added figures of the Sforza family.
Outside in the courtyard we saw this pigeon we named "stumpy". Just thought I'd throw him in here, hahaha ;)
I originally thought I'd put my whole trip on one post, but I think I'll break it up into 2 posts. But I'll just add one more thing on here that we saw. The San Bernadino alle Ossa (1269-1776)
This church is best known for it's ossuary, or bone chapel.
Kind of creepy, and exceedingly cool. We stayed just long enough to get pictures - we had other stuff to see and do! The rest of it will be in part 2.
