Milan is one of the largest cities in Italy, located in the plains of Lombardy. The municipality (Comune di Milano) has a population of 1.3 million. Milan is renowned as one of the world capitals of design and fashion. The English word milliner is derived from the name of the city. The Lombard metropolis is famous for its fashion houses and shops (such as along via Montenapoleone) and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in the Piazza Duomo (reputed to be the world's oldest shopping mall).
Strategically placed at the gateway to the Italian peninsula, Milan and the surrounding region of Lombardy have been the subject of constant disputes over the centuries. Celts, Romans, Goths, Lombards, Spaniards and Austrians have all ruled the city at some stage of its history and for the most part, the city has capitalised on its position and has emerged today as the undisputed economic and cultural powerhouse of a united Italy, not without occasionally fighting back against foreign dominators. Milan’s origin goes back to 400 B.C., when Gauls settled and defeated the Etruscans against Celts who were about to overrun the city.
The climate of Milan is Mediterranean, but like any large urban metropolis, buildings and human activity affect the local micro-climate. In the case of Milan this makes the weather rather more extreme. Summers can be swelteringly hot and humid, with temperatures rising above 86°F (30°C) during August. The mountains behind the city protect Milan somewhat from the severity of winter, but the weather is very chilly with temperatures occasionally dropping below freezing. Winter also brings rain showers and heavy fog.
Milan's economy is characterized by its mixed structure. Some of the most important industrial groups at the national level have their headquarters in the city, and some of their biggest plants are in the metropolitan area, for example, Pirelli, Montedison , Falck and Breda. However, the main shift in the city's economy over the last few decades has been a reduction in the number of large industrial firms, coupled with the concentration of white collar functions in the city and the development of the service sector. Milan's leading economic sectors are the financial sector, trade, research and development, design, advertising, fashion, publishing and communications industry. The productive structure of Milan has always shown a strong projection towards foreign countries, both in terms of import/export and in the forms of productive and commercial internationalization. Milan is the centre of many financial businesses, and its so called hinterland is an avant-garde industrial area.
The high education system consists of 11 universities that allow students to choose within a broad variety of disciplines. The Milanese university system is comprised of seven distinct academies, with a total of 180 thousand students registered in over 100 disciplines. Among these the Universita degli Studi di Milano, founded in 1923, with its 60 thousand students is the biggest. The second in size is the Politecnico, a science and technology academy that offers innovative courses linked to innovative sectors such as Design. Founded in 1998 the Universita degli Studi di Milano Bicocca distinguishes itself for its research activity in strategic sectors (engineering, physics and mathematics). Among the private universities of note are the Universita Commerciale Luigi Bocconi, which from 1912 has formed the country’s managerial and entrepreneurial class, the Universita Vita San Raffaele, which in the medical field supports the hospital that bears the same name, and the Universita IULM dedicated to specialized training in language and communication.
Milan is the Italian city with the best national and international connections, thanks to its airport, railway and road network, the most efficient in Italy. Milan has the biggest Italian highway system. Milan has the major railway system in Northern Italy, at the center of important national and international lines. The main station is Milano Centrale, which is found very near to the center of the city. Milan has two airports: Malpensa (MXP) is the main airport and also has intercontinental flights, while the Linate (LIN) airport serves domestic flights and some European links. At 45 km from Milan you will find Orio al Serio (BGY) international airport. It is Italy's first low-cost airport with many flights for Italian and European destinations.
Culturally, Milan has a number of international attractions, including La Scala Opera House and the 'Last Supper', painted by Leonardo da Vinci. Alongside these, the city offers great variety of attractions and events.
The looming Duomo, the world's largest Gothic cathedral, presides over the Piazza that bears its name. Its construction began in 1386 and continued sporadically until Napoleon ordered its completion in 1809. Its lengthy creation bestowed on it 3,400 statues, 135 spires and 96 gargoyles.
Milan has a well-deserved reputation for being the haute couture fashion centre of Europe, and a stroll around the downtown 'fashion block' bounded by Via Manzoni, Via Monte Napoleone, Via della Spiga and Corso Venezia will have fashion fundis drooling over the collections of Italian and international designers concentrated here. The top designers' Autumn/Winter and Spring/Summer collections are showcased on the catwalk during Milan's famed Fashion Weeks, when the big names of fashion come to town. Celebrity spotting is a favourite occupation during the week, but the fashion shows themselves are reserved for invitation only. There are many peripheral events in which visitors can be involved during the week, when the entire city celebrates fashion in high style.
Monza is one of the first tracks ever built, but for more than sentimental reasons it remains one of the highlights on the Formula One calender as it is also the fastest. The track is 10 miles (16km) north east of Milan.
