Milan and Leonardo da Vinci

If you have planned a visit to Milan on important city in Italy's fashion capital can not, in my opinion, fail to devote a day of your vacation to one of the architects of the Italian Renaissance.

Use this day for leaving attract from history, art, science and the inventions of Leonardo da Vinci.

Convinced?

So this is the right route to try to savor the suggestions by Leonardo da Vinci in the wake of Da Vinci Code and of Vitruvian Man.

The first leg of our journey is in the square where Pio IX is the Ambrosiana Library founded by Cardinal Federico Borromeo in 1607 and opened to the public since 1609, was conceived as a centre for study and culture, with a College of Doctors, a Library equipped for the different areas of knowledge and art gallery with paintings of the most renowned Italian and foreign authors. The Library has historical, religious literature. For scholars of all nationalities makes available its assets consists of books, manuscripts, drawings, engravings and parchments.

Among the collections of the Ambrosiana Library famous Codex Atlanticus, authentic manuscript of Leonardo da Vinci. It is the most important collection of manuscripts of this artist at the world. It is a full documentation of his contributions to engineering, mathematics, astronomy, botany, geography, all 'anatomy and physics. The individual sheets are also rich annotation on the theoretical and practical aspects of painting and sculpture, on the optical perspective , the theory of light and shadows and materials used by the artist. This extensive collection of cards of Leonardo contains the first studies for urban renewal in Milan, the most spectacular designs of innovative technology projects, weapons and fortifications, hydraulic devices, machines and flying craft that he has ever run.

Noteworthy is the leaflet network dof the Ambrosiana Manuscripts. The catalogue includes a description of about 5000 precious manuscripts available online in free form (http://www.italnet.nd.edu/ambrosiana/ita/bibliografia_disegni_a-e.shtml).

Leaving the Ambrosiana Library and continuing through Dante street yields the scenic view of the Castello Sforzesco.

Built in 1450-66 by Francesco Sforza as a fortress and residence on the fortress dismantled Visconti (1358-68), the Castle is in as conferred by the restorations with the Beltrami saved from demolition. Opera is his reconstruction of imposing tower of Filarete, collapsed due to lightning and rebuilt in the early 1900. The memo Piazza d'Armi have collected the remains of ancient buildings. Two other towers characterize the structure: that of Bona of Savoy and Rocchetta, the castle refuge in times of danger and now home of the hall of the Treasury, which houses the painting "Argo", a work of Bramante. Renovated (BBPR, 1954-56) after the damage of war, the castle now hosts the Municipal Collections d 'Ancient Art (sculpture, with the "Rondanini Pieta" by Michelangelo, art gallery and cabinet designs), Applied Art and engravings with ceramics, ivories, bronzes, tapestries, musical instruments and prints "Bertarelli"), Archaeological (section Egyptian and prehistoric) and numismatiche, and the Trivulziana Library.

In the "Hall of Axis" are murals of Leonardo. The pictorial decoration of the vault was designed by Master Florentine who conceived a complex and original system formed by decorative flowering branches and twisted of sixteen trees, which are annoda, with a precious game, a golden rope. Inside the Trivulziana Library, still in the Castle, there is a code of Leonardo autograph the so-called "Code Trivulziano containing architectural drawings, architects military and religious and a curious portrait gallery of real and imaginary.

Released by Castle we head toward our third stop walking by Carducci street and then Corso Magenta to the square of Santa Maria delle Grazie.

Here we find the St. Mary of a temple GrazieDue delivered to the history of civilization from two signatures are immortal: Donato Bramante and Leonardo da Vinci.

The church was built between 1466 and 1490 and designed by Guiniforte Solari. However, a few years later, Ludovico il Moro called Bramante, who rebuilt the area apse leaving the sign of his art in the grand Forum, an example of spatial architecture of the Renaissance. And it was still the great architect Urbino to meeting other two jewels of the church: the Cloister and the Old Sacristy.

In the refectory of the Dominican convent Leonardo created on a wall, the famous "Last Supper", which started in 1494 and ended about two years later. Leonardo realized the painting is not "cool", as was commonly done, but on dry wall, using a special tempera (which unfortunately still challenge the best restoration techniques): thus was able to make changes to the painting and adapt the plan , until the last, tumultuous formation of his mind and long pauses that scandivano time this work. A little more than twenty years after its completion, the painting was already in precarious conditions, which continued to deteriorate and in the centuries gave rise to a long series of recovery. On the wall opposite, there is a Crucifixion (1495) John Donato Montorfano.

Our fourth and final goal of the day achieve through by Zenale then taking away St. Victor to visit the Museum of Science and Technology.

The museum has a rich collection of models of machines for military and civilian use. Here you can relive the inventions of Leonardo, rebuilt in large format: flying wings and screw air to try to off the flight auger and pulley to feel relieved, balls and gear to go away.

This is one of the best museums technical-scientific world: keeps an immense heritage consists of more than 10,000 pieces that tell the history of science and technology in many areas. Of particular interest the Rail Pavilion, with majestic steam locomotives that way and the Aeronavale Italy, which hosts extraordinary historical specimens illustrating the history of the Italian navy through models of merchant ships, military, fishing and pleasure craft. The most famous hall of the museum is still the gallery of Leonardo da Vinci, where you can see about thirty models reconstructed in 50 years interpreting drawings and studies that the great artist planned during his stay in Milan and in the Corsican of his life. Very interesting and entertaining the 16 interactive workshops where the visitor experiences science and technology in the first person. Among these laboratories robotics, genetic engineering and biotechnology, Leonardo, chemical and plastics.

Outside the museum is open to the famous "Toti" the first submarine built in Italy after the Second World War. Launched in 1967, tells a fragment of the history of Italy, between Cold War and technological specialization. This is a SSK (Submarine Submarine Killer) intended to locate other submarines in the Mediterranean Sea. The visit is within an 'exciting "dive" into the world of underwater periscope, and sonar rooms watertight.

After our visit here we realize that Leonardo da Vinci as well as visit us his work has enabled us to discover other wonderful interpretations of art and sciences.

Surely we will be tired after this long trip through the streets of Milan but the council is to resist even a little and go back through San Vittore to St. Ambrose square where we can take the Metro Green (M2) in the direction of "Abbiategrasso "to get off after two stops stop at" Porta Genova. From here continue to arrive on foot Darsena where continuing very calm could admire the beautiful landscape that will help us to relax.

The complex system of canals and rivers that crossed the city of Los Angeles since the Roman age, it survived today only a small stretch of water "Darsena which are led by Johnny, the Naviglio Pavese and the river Olona (today underground).

Among the avenues Gabriele D'Annunzio and Gorizia extends the basin of the Darsena, node of the vast river system and channels Milan. There confluence of the river Olona (now covered) and Johnny; it defluiscono Naviglio Pavese and Ticinello. The basin was opened in 1603 by Count of Fuentes, governor Spanish, as a landing place for boats and barges. By invaded the Darsena, external Navigli were put into communication with the network of canals citizens, promoting and developing the business and craft of the past. A few metres from what was the city harbour, it is worth visiting the "Vicolo dei Lavandai, old washing stone covered with rustic wooden shelters.