Milan

1. Milan By: Emily Pizzirani 8-R

2. Milan, Italy • The Alps and Appernnines mountains form a natural barrier that protects the city from the major circulations coming from Europe. • Summers can be hot. Temperatures can reach up to 93 Farenhiet. • Located in the north-westerns section of Po Valley, in the Lombardy Region. Its located between the rivers of Adda and Ticino and the reliefs of the Alps. The territory is entirely flat with the highest point being 122 meters above sea level. • The climate is Mediterranean. During the winter average temperatures can fall below freezing, and significant amounts of snowfall can occur. • Most rainfall is seen in March, April, May, October and November. On average the hottest month is July, and the coldest month is December. May is the wettest month, and December is the driest month. • During the summer, Milan suffers from terrible heat waves. The month of August is so bad, it causes many locals to get out of town.

3. Language The official language is Italian, but other are spoken in different regions.

4. Government and Economy • Milan is a parliamentary, democratic republic with a multi-party system. The president of the Council of Ministers, known as the Prime Minister, exercises the executive power. The current Prime Minister is Mario Monti. • The Council of Ministers along with the two houses of Parliament (the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of the Republic) make up the Legislative branch. • Milan’spresident is elected by the parliament and is head of state. The roles of the president include, commander-in-chief, president of the judiciary, and the appointer of the executive. The current president Giorgio Napolitano. • Milan is the most important economic center of Italy. The economy is industrial that is driven mainly by the production of consumer goods. • Milan is mainly dominated by industry, and private company. • In 2009, Italy had the 7th largest economy in the world. Italy also had the 8th highest quality of life in 2008. • Tourism is an important part in Milan’s economy.

5. Tourist Attractions

6. Castello Sforza Castle Milan’s castle, is located near the center of Milan. Inside the castle are several museums, and it’s a good place to wander around at the courtyard. Michelangelo’s last sculpture, the Rondanini Pieter, is kept here. There is the Museum of Ancient Art, a collection of musical instruments and the Egyptian and prehistoric sections of the Archeology museum.

7. Milan’s Duomo Milan’s Duomo is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world. Construction started in 1386, but it took over 500 years to complete. 3,200 statues border the roof. You can take an elevator to the rooftop for a close-up view as well as the beautiful city views from below. The cathedral sits in the Piazza del Duomo.

8. Galleria VittorioEmanuele II The Galleria VittorioEmanuele II is the oldest shopping mall in Italy. Its housed with a four story double arcade. Located in central Milan. The Galleria is named after VittorioEmanuele II, the first King of Italy. It has books, paintings, restaurants and stores. Famous for being home to the most famous shops and restaurants in Milan.

9. PinacotecadiBrera The PinacotecadiBrera is an art collection in Milan. It contains one of the most famous collections of Italian paintings, many are from closed churches and convents in northern Italy. On the first floor is a former Jesuit monastery. The Jesuits founded a school, a library, and an observatory. Masterpieces can be seen in 38 rooms. These paintings are mostly from Italian artists and are arranged in chronological order.

10. Milan Fashion Week Milan is known for its Fashion Week which is an apparel trade show held there every year. Milan is a big part of the Big 4 fashion weeks internationally. The other three are Paris, London, and New York. Milan Fashion Week is owned by the Nations Chamber for Italian Fashion. Many designers show here. The summer and spring event is held around March and the winter event is held around September of each year.

11. Holidays • December 7- O Bej! O Bej!- is a street market festival, and is the mose popular one of the year. Conciding with the feast day of San Ambrogio, the patron saint of Milan. This holiday feautures food, wine, and craft vendors. • December 26- Saint Stephen’s Day- a public holiday after Christmas, when families go to veiw nativity scences in churches and visit Christmas Markets. • April 25- Liberation Day- this day commerates the end of World War 2 in Italy. Marked by cerimonies and historic re-enactments, and celebrations. • May 1- Labor Day- the day of the worker, is marked by festivals, parades and special events. • December 25- Christmas Day- this day is spent with family and big meals are prepared. Churches hold midnight masses on Christmas and the nativity scence is completed then. On Christmas, nearly everything is closed.

12. Fun Facts • Milan is the fashion capital of the world. • The major idustires that help in the economic growth of Milan are textile manufactering, chemical manufactering, food manufactering and torusim. • The most important religion celebrated is Catholic. • Milan is the second largest city in Italy. • The population is about 1.5 million. • Milan is the only city in Europe whose football teams won both the European Cup and the Intercontinental Cup.

13. Fun Facts Continued • Risotto is the main course in Milan. • After Milan was badly damaged during World War 2, it attracted many immigrants. About 15% of Milan’s population are immigrants. • Milan has a “Chinatown” located around Via Paola Sorpi. • High fashion headquarters in Milan include Valentino, Armani, Gucci, Prada, and Dolce and Gabbana.

14. Pictures

15. Sources http://www.addicted2italy.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=227:interesting-facts-milan&catid=3:blog http://www.eurolearn.org/destinations/italy/government_and_economy/ http://www.milan.world-guides.com/attractions.html http://goitaly.about.com/od/milanitalytravel/tp/milan-tourist-attractions.htm