Sporting 135 spires and 3200 statues, Milan’s Duomo takes pride in being the world’s largest Gothic cathedral. The roof of the cathedral offers spectacular view over Milan along with the exotic close up view of the spires and statues. Dedicated to Santa Maria Nascente (Saint Mary Nascent), the cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of Milan, currently Cardinal Angelo Scola.

The interior of the cathedral includes numerous monuments and artworks. These include:

• The Archbishop Alberto da Intimiano’s sarcophagus, which is overlooked by a Crucifix in copper laminae (a replica).
• The sarcophagi of the archbishops Ottone Visconti and Giovanni Visconti, created by a Campionese master in the 14th century.
• The sarcophagus of Marco Carelli, who donated 35,000 ducati to accelerate the construction of the cathedral.
• The three magnificent altars by Pellegrino Pellegrini.
• The monument to Gian Giacomo Medici di Marignano, called “Medeghino”, by Leone Leoni, and the adjacent Renaissance marble altar, decorated with gilt bronze statues.
• In front of the former mausoleum is the most renowned work of art of the cathedral, the St. Bartholomew statue by Marco D’Agrate.
• The transepts house the Trivulzio Candelabrum, which is in two pieces. The base (attributed to Nicolas of Verdun, 12th century), characterized by a fantastic ensemble of vines, vegetables and imaginary animals; and the stem, of the mid-16th century.
• A small red light bulb in the dome above the apse marks the spot where one of the nails reputedly from the Crucifixion of Christ has been placed. The Holy Nail is retrieved and exposed to the public every year, during a celebration known as the Rite of the Nivola.
• The 5-manual, 225-rank pipe-organ, built jointly by the Tamburini and Mascioni Italian organ building firms on Mussolini’s command, is currently the largest organ in all of Italy

The city of Milan abounds in greenery inspite of being a throbbing industrial region. Every region of the city has some green space for the city to take pride in, be it Parco Nord Milano in the North, or Parco Agricolo Sud in the South, the unique Parco delle Cave (Sand pit park) in the west and heading east, the Parco Forlanini with a beautiful lake and a few preserved shacks. Here are some of the best parks and gardens of Milan:

Parco Solari
This small public park stands in the south-western quarters of inner Milan and features a covered swimming pool, designed by the architect Arrigo Arrighetti in 1963. The park also has free Wi-Fi Internet access for the young and modern ones and a library for the old and traditional visitors. It abounds in a variety of trees like maple trees, cedars, magnolias, oaks and elm trees.

Parco delle Basiliche
Located in the southern inner city of Milan, the park has two prominent basilicas of Sant Eustorgio and San Lorenzo next to it. This is a comparatively new park which was used until 1840, for public hangings of condemned commoners.

Parco Ravizza
Standing in the South of Milan, the park was named after Alessandra Ravizza. This 35 square metres large Parco Ravizza was planned on the initially agricultural land. Where nowadays trees such as maples, elms, oaks and platens grow once the Camporicco shack stood.

Parco ex Trotter
Parco ex Trotter was once a horse racing ground and as such, it still holds the marks of the horse racing under the tree-lined alley and is also very comfortable for cycling, walking and jogging. A school for children with tuberculosis called Casa del Sole (House of the Sun) is also to be found on the park’s premises. Events and performances are held in the adjacent theatre Teatro nel Trotter (Theatre in Trotter).

The Public Gardens
The Public Gardens stands in the heart of Milan and takes pride in its well-manicured garden facilities. This was the first designated communal park in Milan and also has an old villa and museum on the gardens’ premises. The garden reflects Milanese art through the numerous magnificent sculptures, designed by many celebrity citizens of Milan.

Milan is considered to be the second largest city in Italy with a population of around 1.3 million. It was founded by the Insubres, a Celtic clan. It city is the most developed area of Italy and is well known for the attitude of the people residing there and their carefree lifestyle. The opera, nightclubs as well as the shopping plazas are out of the world. Tourists must not miss out on the Leonardo da Vinci’s, The Last Supper as well as the other fantastic modern artworks. Below are a few tips about the best time to visit this lovely place.

Summer
Summers are a time when Milan kind of sleeps. It is calm and calm. People do not really open their shops, they prefer relaxing. If you like traveling alone in an isolated place with few people around then this can be fun. Though a few shops maybe opened but chances are low. Summers here are extremely hot and humidity rate is quite high. The weather at this period of time is quite unexpected. You can even face a stormy rainfall. The summer months do not really attract tourists.

Winter
Winters can be really exciting for the tourists. The entire city is lit up with lights and people are fully geared up for the Christmas and New Year’s Eve. The spirits are high and everyone is overjoyed. Though the winters here are really cold and can be hard to bear to it. The city maybe overcrowded and you may face a difficulty in accommodation. So, it is advisable to book the hotels in advance before visiting Milan in winters.

Autumn
Autumn months are a perfect time to visit. The temperature is moderate and the shops are also opened.

Spring
Spring months are a beauty. Trees are covered with lovely flowers and would give you a pleasure to stroll on the streets. Carnival as well as Easter can be a new experience.