.jpeg) | |
 | |
| Location | Milan, Italy |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 45°27′56″N9°11′24″E / 45.46556°N 9.19000°E /45.46556; 9.19000 |
| Opening date | 1877 |
| Owner | Comune of Milan |
| Architect | Giuseppe Mengoni |
| Public transit |    Duomo |
TheGalleria Vittorio Emanuele II (Italian:[ɡalleˈriːavitˈtɔːrjoemanuˈɛːleseˈkondo];Lombard:Galeria Vittori Emanuel) is Italy's oldest active shopping arcade and a major landmark ofMilan. Housed within a four-story doublearcade in the centre of town,[1] theGalleria is named afterVictor Emmanuel II, the first king of theKingdom of Italy. It was designed in 1861 and built by architectGiuseppe Mengoni between 1865 and 1877.
The structure consists of two glass-vaulted arcades intersecting in anoctagon covering the street connectingPiazza del Duomo toPiazza della Scala. The street is covered by an arching glass andcast iron roof, a popular design for 19th-century arcades, such as theBurlington Arcade inLondon, which was the prototype for larger glazedshopping arcades, beginning with theSaint-Hubert Gallery inBrussels (opened in 1847), thePassazh inSt Petersburg (opened in 1848), theGalleria Umberto I inNaples (opened in 1890), and the Budapest Galleria.
The central octagonal space is topped with a glassdome. The MilaneseGalleria was larger in scale than its predecessors and was an important step in the evolution of the modern glazed and enclosedshopping mall, of which it was the direct progenitor. It has inspired the use of the termgalleria for many other shopping arcades and malls.[2]
On the ground of the central octagonal, there are four mosaics portraying thecoat of arms of the three capitals of theKingdom of Italy (Turin,Florence andRome) plus Milan's. Tradition says that if a person spins around three times with a heel on the testicles of the bull fromTurincoat of arms this will bring good luck. This practice causes damage to the mosaic: a hole developed on the place of the bull's genitals.[3]
The Galleria connects two of Milan's most famous landmarks:The Duomo and theTeatro Alla Scala, but the Galleria is a landmark in its own right.
The Milan gallery and its roof have been acknowledged as an important reference on 19th-century iron-and-glass architecture by Pevsner[4] and Hitchcock.[5] As one can still observe today, the roof consists of four barrel vaults (approximately 14.5 m in width and 8.5 m in height) that are crowned with a huge dome (around 37.5 m as internal diameter and 17.10 m in height).[6] Jorini pointed out the accomplishments of this dome with special regard to the large dimensions.[7] Each of the roof parts is topped with a lantern.
According to Geist, the Milan gallery and the roof were unprecedented in dimensions by previously built shopping arcades.[8] Another difference with already existing passages, was the monumental character of the roof at Milan.[9] Jodice, for example, appreciated the monumental spatial effect of the dome.[10] In comparison to earlier emblematic arcades, such as Galerie d'Orléans (1828–1829) andGaleries Royales Saint-Hubert (1845–1847), the Milan arcade was also special because of the large spans of the vaults and the ethereal effect of the entire glass canopy.[11] The construction of the whole Gallery was the result of international collaboration.[12] This especially concerned the roof: the ironwork was produced, transported and installed by the French Atelier Henry Joret.[13] The glass plates were made of flat ribbed glass bySaint-Gobain.[14] The construction technology of the roof employs primary wrought-iron arches in order to support the glazing.[15] By contrast, arcades that were built earlier were smaller and had simpler roofs:[16] the same components were used for both load bearing and glazing purposes.[17] In addition, the roof at Milan was equipped with invisible reinforcements in the supporting walls.[18][19] This complicated roof is discussed as the unity of four systems that were skillfully combined through characteristic construction details.[20] This construction technology was creative for avoiding visible tie-rods in the spans of the vaults and the dome, for a special effect of the glass plates and for the glazing bars.[21]
The historical roof was heavily damaged during theaerial bombings ofWorld War II.[22][23] Before that the roof had undergone multiple maintenance interventions.[24] Serious problems in the roof were reported in the 1970s,[25] and some of them were solved in the 1980s.[26] The roof that we see today has gone through different historic modifications and represents complicated conservation issues.[27] In 2015, in preparation forExpo Milano 2015, the facades, statues, and mosaics underwent detailed cleaning and repair, using a giant moving crane scaffolding system.[28]
The Galleria is often nicknamedil salotto di Milano (Milan's drawing room), due to its numerous shops and importance as a common Milanese meeting and dining place.[29]
As of 2013, the arcade principally contains luxury retailers sellinghaute couture,jewelry, books and paintings, as well as restaurants,cafés, bars, and a hotel, theTown House Galleria. The Galleria is famous for being home to some of the oldest shops and restaurants in Milan, such as Biffi Caffè (founded in 1867 by Paolo Biffi, pastry chef to the monarch),[30][31][32] the Savini restaurant,Borsalino hat-shop (1883) and the Art Nouveau classic Camparino.
.jpg)
_-_n._4608_-_Milano_-_Ottagono_della_Galleria_Vittorio_Emanuele_ca._1880.jpg)
To the north is the entrance to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, Italy's oldest and most elegant shopping gallery. Its four-storey arcade has many boutiques, bookshops, bars and restaurants.
{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Geographic | |
| Other | |
