Milan, Italy’s Cultural Capital and home of da Vinci’s “The Last Supper”

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Milan, located in picturesque Northern Italy, was established around 400 BC after the Gauls overcame the Etruscans and named it Mediolanum. The Romans conquered the area in 222 BC and in 15 BC it became the Western Roman Empire’s capital. It was in Milan that Emperor Constantine I proclaimed The Edict of Milan in 313 AD, announcing religious tolerance for the Christian religion in the Roman Empire.

The Goths displaced the Romans and christened the land Mailand, the land of spring. In 6^th-century AD the Lombards seized control leading to the name, Lombardy, to the region. During the Italian Renaissance, 1300-1499, the city became a cultural draw. In 1535 two-hundred years of Spanish rule began. When Italy became a kingdom in the 19^th-century Milan again became the cultural capital and has remained so. www.turismo.milano.it

          

Milan is definitely tourism ready and there are a variety of ways to stretch your Euros. My most important tip is to exchange a limited amount of dollars because 99% of the venues take credit cards. This will also help you keep track of your spending.

            

CitySightSeeing Milano, Milano Hop On Hop Off, has three routes that you can travel for two days. The routes are interconnected and themed to history, sports, and modern architecture. The double-decker bus takes you to within walking distance of more than 30 of the most significant sites and free WIFI is available on board. www.city-sightseeing.it/it/milano

            

The transit system in the city is expansive, clean, safe and convenient. A 24-hour pass costs 4.50 euros and is good for a short stay. The MilanPass is comprehensive and covers transportation, museums, attractions, sightseeing and restaurant discounts. The pass costs 69 euros with a 400 euro value. www.themilanpass.com

The red brick Sforzesco Castle, originally a fortress, was constructed in 1358-68. It has served many functions, including as a private residence, and now houses several museums. A highlight of the collection is Michelangelo’s final sculpture, the “Pietà Rondanini”.

Milan was an early religious center and some sites remain. The Lombard Romanesque Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio, St. Ambrose is the patron saint of Milan, was constructed in the 300s as was the Basilica of San Lorenzo Maggiore, the oldest church in the city. San Lorenzo is also the location of 16 marble Corinthian columns from the Roman Era. It was built in an octagonal shape atop a Roman amphitheater.

The Quadrilatero della Moda is the area with the iconic Duomo at its heart. This is the most historic section of the city. The Milan Cathedral , the Duomo, the world’s  5^th largest cathedral, dates from 1386 and was built over a 500-year period. This architectural marvel boasts 132 marble spires, more than 3,000 statues and the Madonnia atop the tallest spire covered in 3,900 pieces of gold leaf. It is one of the world’s largest Gothic churches at 514-ft. long and 301-ft. at its widest. Inside there are 52 pillars, one for each week of the year. The 4^th-century baptistery is also on view. Tours include the cathedral interior, museum, archeological area and rooftop terraces with a view of the Alps. This was the site of Versace’s funeral. Tickets should be purchased online prior to your visit. www.duomomilano.it/en

Adjacent to the Duomo is the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele ii, a pedestrian promenade beneath vaulted glass arcades designed in 1865 by Giuseppe Mengoni. Ironically Mengoni fell to his death from a scaffold just prior to the Galleria’s opening. Trendy restaurants and designer boutiques line the incredible mosaic flooring including Armani, Bulgari, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Ferragamo, Gucci, Prada, Valentino, Versace and Zegna. The floor is designed to replicate a Latin cross. The floor mosaics include the zodiac signs and it is said good luck is had by those who trod on Taurus the Bull’s genitals.

One block from the galleria is La Scala Opera House and Museum. Founded in 1778 it has presented performances by the world’s leading artists. Tours of the museum include a special exhibit on Maria Callas, memorabilia from past operas, costumes, portraits and  an opportunity to view the theater auditorium through a large window. Special note should be taken of the gilded galleries and awesome chandelier. This is Europe’s largest opera house and specialized tours are also offered. www.teatroallascala.org/en

The Navigli District and Brera are two of the city’s most exciting neighborhoods. Navigli is a canal district filled with dining and shopping options. The canals were made navigable in the 1300s to haul the marble to build the Duomo. Brera is a vibrant artisan district that features exciting nightlife, dining and entertainment. The major public art gallery in Milan is the Pinacoteca di Brera. Its collection of Italian artworks is formidable and includes Mantega’s “Dead Christ”. It is the main public gallery for paintings in Milan, Italy and contains one of the foremost collections of Italian paintings.

Leonardo da Vinci moved to Milan in 1482 under the patronage of Duke Ludovico Sforza. He would remain there until 1499, completing The Last Supper in 1498.Leonardo 3- The World of Leonardo da Vinci is an exhibition that includes interactive kiosks, reconstructions of his machines, codices, paintings and drawings.  Audio guided tours bring Leonardo to life.

Santa Maria delle Grazie showcases the original of “The Last Supper”.  It is on the wall of the monastery’s dining room. It was painted between 1496-98 and was restored over 20 years. On the opposite wall is Giovanni Donato da Montorfano’s, “The Crucifixion”, painted in 1495. Leonardo’s work is not a traditional fresco, he applied tempera directly onto the dry wall. Visitors should purchase tickets prior to visiting online. Admission is controlled and viewings last only 20-minutes. www.musement.com/us/milan/leonardo-s-last-supper

Fashion Week leaves no doubt that Milan is the European Fashion Capital. Shows take place throughout the city and historic sites are filled with trendsetters in cutting edge attire. www.fashionweekdates.com

                  

Milan is a total destination but the city is also ideally situated for excursions to the Alps, Verona, Florence, Rome, Lake Como and Turin. Turn your vacation into something extraordinary.

Harriet Tubman: Been in the Storm So Long

                

              In many ways Harriet Tubman remains as mythic and elusive as she was more than 150-years ago and the best way to understand any of her legendary status is to follow her path. It seems that she was everywhere and functioned in numerous capacities during her 90 odd years. In 1973 she was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in Humanities and she is honored at sites in several states, all within driving distance of Philadelphia.

Begin your tour at the waterfront Sailwinds Dorchester County Visitor Center. It is the first stop on the 36 site Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway and goes on for 125-miles to the Delaware State Line. www.visitdorchester.org

                   In the 1700s an Ashanti female captive disembarked, probably at what is now Long Wharf Park in Cambridge, Maryland, where a 600-ft. wharf allowed ships to land from Africa and the Caribbean. She was enslaved by Atthow Pattison who called her Modesty Green. Asante means “warrior” and “undefeated and the name proved to be her legacy. Her daughter “Rit” would become the mother of “Araminta,” “meaning the protector,” who would be called “Minty” but would be known as Harriet. HarrietTubmanbyway.com

                  Harriet was born to Rit and Ben Ross, the 5^th of 9 children, on Anthony Thompson’s farm at Peter’s Neck. Ben, a prime timberman, was enslaved by Thompson. Harriet and her mother were moved to the Brodess Farm when she was very young and he sold 3 of her sisters who then disappeared. 

The Bucktown Village Store still stands at the crossroads on Bucktown Road. Harriet was sent to the store to purchase goods in 1834. At the store she was confronted by a slave being chased by an overseer who asked her to help subdue him. She refused. The overseer threw a 2-lb iron weight at the man, hitting Harriet in her head. The severe blow caused her to have seizures, visions and headaches that she interpreted as  divine inspiration for the remainder of her life. The story is vividly related at the site with original items on view. www.bucktownstore.com

                  Cambridge’s Dorchester County Courthouse played a significant role twice in Harriet’s life. She hired a lawyer for $5.00 to check probate records for her freedom because her mother was to have been freed at the age of 45 only to find that the previous owner’s will had been ignored. After her escape, in 1850, her niece Kessiah Bowley and her 2 children were to be sold on the courthouse steps. Harriet arranged for her and the children to escape to Philadelphia with the assistance of Kessiah’s husband.

                  Harriet was hired out from the age of 6 to various owners. Her jobs allowed her to understand the terrain and interact with  both the free and enslaved. From 1810-32 black individuals, both slave and free, hand dug the 7-mile Joseph Stewart’s Canal to move timber and goods to neighboring areas. Harriet was known to leave messages with a free black living near the canal.

The Choptank River Heritage Center is situated in what was once known as Chesapeake Station where “Black Jacks,” African American seamen, would dock. Abolitionists of all races worked with mariners to facilitate UGRR escapes. The center does a great job of relating their story. www.dentonmaryland.com

Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge is the 28,000-mile “Everglades of the North.” It is a stop on the Atlantic Flyway and the 4-mile drive teems with wildlife. The area’s marshes were known to have been hiding places for freedom seekers and still looks the same. www.fws.gov/refuge/blackwater

Water-powered grist and sawmills operated at Linchester Mill from the 1680s-1979.  This would have been a place where people gathered and passed information. Tours of the mill are available and the original equipment is on view.  

In 1844 she wed John Tubman, a free black man who refused to escape with her. She made her escape to Philadelphia in 1849 fearing she might be sold. She returned for John in 1851 but found him remarried. By 1852 she had returned to free people several times and the state of Maryland issued a $12,000 bounty and the slave owners offered $40,000. One of her most daring rescues was that of her parents in 1857 when Ben’s arrest for UGRR involvement was imminent. She made her 19^th trip in 1860 after emancipating an estimated 300 individuals.

                  The Seaford Museum recounts the area’s history beginning with the Nanticoke Indians. There are excellent exhibits on Black Jacks and Harriet Tubman’s 1856 Tilly Rescue. The museum sponsors walking tours following the path of Tilly’s bold escape with Harriet. www.seafordhistoricalsociety.com

The $22 million, 10,000-sq. ft., Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park and Visitor Center is a 17-acre facility worthy of her legend. It recounts her life and concentrates on her years on the Eastern Shore, blending film, sculpture, dioramas, art and interpretive materials that place visitors at the scene. www.nps.gov/hatu/planyourvisit

                  During the Civil War Harriet served as a cook, nurse, scout and led a spy mission at the request of the governor of Massachusetts, in 1863. The information gained ultimately led to a successful raid and the manumission of even more slaves. At war’s end, after a long battle, she was awarded a monthly $20.00 pension based on her war service in 1889.

                  She continued to work for women’s and civil rights until her death. She established a home for the elderly and recent research indicates that she worked with abused women.

                  As she aged her brain injury caused unrelenting pain and she underwent surgery in Boston’s Massachusetts General Hospital, without anesthesia. In 1911 she was admitted to the home for the elderly she had established and on March 10, 1913 she died of pneumonia. She was interred, with military honors, in Fort Hill Cemetery in Albany, New York.