Italy for me From Italy with love
The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan, constructed between 1865 and 1877, became one of the world’s first shopping arcades. The arcade was designed by Giuseppe Mengoni, the architect also responsible for the design of Piazza del Duomo. Tragically, Mengoni did not live to see the opening of his masterpiece; just a day before the grand ceremony, he fell to his death from the construction scaffolding.
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Vittorio Emanuele II
The gallery was named after King Vittorio Emanuele II, even though the original project bore the name of Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria. For Italians, however, Vittorio Emanuele II was the man who unified Italy.
In the 1840s, Italy was divided into eight monarchies, with some territories controlled by France, Germany, and Austria, and the country lacked a unified army. Despite these challenges, King Vittorio succeeded in unifying the Italian lands under favorable terms while preserving the Constitution. Vittorio Emanuele II of the House of Savoy became the first king of a united Italy, and a statue of the ruler on horseback was erected in the cathedral square.
Two interesting stories are associated with the name of King Vittorio Emanuele.
The first involves legends about his origins. His behavior and appearance hardly resembled that of royal lineage. In the summer of 1822, a fire broke out in the bedroom of young Prince Vittorio Emanuele. The prince’s nanny perished, but the child survived. Rumors soon spread that the crown prince had actually died in the fire and had been replaced by the son of a butcher, Gaetano Tiburzi. Shortly after the fire, the butcher acquired a house near the royal residence, then another, and by 1888 Tiburzi owned 43 houses. The public wondered whether the butcher had received payments from the king in exchange for his son.
Another story relates to the creation of the famous Margherita pizza. In 1889, Vittorio Emanuele was vacationing near Naples with his son, now king, and his daughter-in-law, Queen Margherita of Savoy. The queen expressed a desire to try pizza, much to the shock of the royal chef, who did not know how to prepare food for commoners. Servants procured pizza from a local pizzeria, including one topped with tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil, which the queen favored above all others. The pizzeria owner seized the opportunity to promote the pizza, naming it “Margherita” in her honor.
Architecture
The gallery, shaped like a cross with an octagonal center, is crowned by a 154-foot (47-meter) dome—the first combination of glass and metal in Italy. Under the dome, arches depict the four continents: Europe, Asia, America, and Africa.
Raffaele Casnedi, a professor of design at the Brera Academy of Fine Arts (Accademia di belle arti di Brera), created the fresco representing America—depicting a feather-adorned figure seated between Native Americans and African-American slaves.
The image of Asia was painted by Casnedi’s student, Bartolomeo Giuliano, showing Asia languidly seated on a throne, receiving gifts from local inhabitants.
Angelo Pietrasanta worked on the depiction of Europe, presented as a woman with a solemn gaze, surrounded by scientific instruments and guarded by a winged genius holding laurel wreaths.
Artist Eleuterio Pagliano portrayed Africa as an Egyptian woman seated next to a lion and receiving rich gifts from the Nile.
The walls beneath the arches and along the corridors are adorned with plaster statues of 24 famous Italians sculpted by Pietro Magni. The arches at each entrance feature frescoes symbolizing Industry, Science, Art, and Agriculture. The enamel-covered floor is a masterpiece crafted by Venetian artisans. Beneath the dome, a mosaic features the coat of arms of the House of Savoy—a white cross on a red background—surrounded by the coats of arms of Milan, Rome, Florence, and Turin.
An interesting tradition is linked to the coat of arms of Turin—a bull on a blue background. It is believed that stepping on the bull’s genitals with your right heel and turning around brings good luck and prosperity.
Shopaholic’s Mecca
Today, the arcade houses more than 30 boutiques of world-renowned brands such as Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Louis Vuitton, and Prada. Visitors can dine at luxurious Michelin-starred restaurants and stay at the 5-star Townhouse Seven Stars Galleria, with windows overlooking the arcade. The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II also features a small McDonald’s and the Zucco café, whose owner created the famous bitter Campari liqueur.
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You can stroll through the gallery and admire this architectural masterpiece even after the boutiques close, when the arcade is nearly empty.
Address: Piazza del Duomo, Duomo metro station, Line 1. The arcade connects Piazza del Duomo and the La Scala theater.
Shops are open from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM, while the gallery itself is open 24 hours a day.
Official gallery website: www.ingalleria.com