Italy by Rail - North to South (Part 3): Back in Milan, Seeing the World's 3rd Biggest Church, and da Vinci's Last Supper

- Dec. 22, 2017, Friday.

- Our first two days in Italy (click Part 1 here, Part 2 here) had been full of highs and lows, but overall, things just kept getting better. Our third day in Italy was our last day in Milan before moving to another leg of our trip, and what better way than exploring the most iconic landmarks of the city. As mentioned in Part 1, Milan is the capital city of the Lombadia region of northern Italy. Currently, is the second most populous city in Italy (after Rome, of course,) and is a very rich city due to it being one of the centers of commerce in Italy - it is the richest European non-capital city, and 4th richest among all cities in Europe.

- As a way to mark its power in Europe, it built one of the biggest churches in the world, starting in the 1300s, and was finally finished in 1965. Just like the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona (click here to see my trip to the Sagrada Familia), one main reason why it took such a long time to finish the church is all the details that required to make this church the charming one that it is today. Currently, it is the third largest church in the world, with the first two being the Vatican City's St. Peter's Basilica, and Brazil's Basilica of the National Shrined of Our Lady of Aparecida. Milan Cathedral is also the biggest Gothic church in the world.

- Back at the Duomo metro station, I dreaded encountering the people loitering outside the church and offering "free" bracelets of bird seeds. As early as 8am, a few of them were already there, ready to prey on innocent tourists. As I warned in Part 1 (click here), these people will come to you and offer these free things, but will extort money from you once you openly accept their stuff. If this happens, say a firm no, or in my case I'd suddenly speak Italian, to their surprise. They will go away. Sometimes there will be policemen who will do their rounds, but they aren't always there. Despite these people, I was still able to take photos in peace and appreciate the church more.

- Entering the Duomo di Milano can be quite challenging IF....you have not reserved or purchased your ticket in advance!! Because I have read about this earlier on, I bought tickets for my family around a month or two in advance. We booked for a 9am entrance. Now the print-out is just a proof of the online reservation and does not act as the ticket. To get your tickets, go to the visitor's center to the right of the church (if you are standing at the plaza facing the church.) You may also ask the nice policemen guarding the entrance of the church to show you the way. Once you're in the visitor's center, just show the staff your proof of reservation and they'll give you your tickets. We booked the "Duomo Pass A," which is the all access pass that includes visits to the archaeological site below the church, the Duomo Museum, and a round-trip pass to the roof of the church via elevator/lift. I am strongly advising to get the earliest ticket possible (I think it's 9am like ours,) so you may enjoy the church in peace, especially when it comes to visiting the roof of the church. (More on this later.) There are other passes that allow people to go up the roof by foot, or just an entrance to the church but no roof, and etc. Depends on your preference.

- When we were there, there was barely a line, and so we were able to go through security check really quickly, and so we were able to get in in no time.

See the church?? See me?? Compare the sizes!! (Also, my sister can't wait just a few seconds for some people to walk by, and therefore, less photobombers.)

I just stepped a bit closer.

Well-decorated doors.

Inside the church. It really is a giant one.

A lot of important religious paintings hang around in the church.

There were some renovations works going on.

I love the color and detail of this window.

At the archaeological area at that basement level.

Ancient paintings.

- The entrance to the roof of the church, via elevator/lift, is located at the rear of the church. You need to exit the church and go aground the corner. There is another security check before they let you enter. The lift that takes people to the roof is quite small, and the path going around the roof is not spacious, so as I advised above, go early (before 9-9:30am?) when there is less people, especially if you wish to go up the roof. By the time we got down from the roof, the line in front of the church seemed to reach Asia from Milan!!

Back side of the church.

At the roof!!

Gargoyles everywhere. Gargoyles are primarily used as waterspouts to draw rainwater away from the church. Symbolically, they're supposed to drive evil spirits away.

I am in awe with all the spires and other aesthetic details.

Overlooking Milan.

"Help me I'm stuck."

Side of the church.

Gargoyles and more gargoyles.

I would love to shoot a music video or sorts up here!!

- Right beside the church is the Royal Palace of Milan, or "Palazzo Reale (di Milano.)" The palace has its roots before the 15th century, but eventually served as the main residence of Milan's rulers after the Sforza Castle ("Castelo Sforzesco" (see in Part 1 here) was turned into more of a fortress than a residence after the Sforza Dynasty fell. Also, part of the palace, around three buildings, had to be demolished to give way to the giant Duomo di Milano next door!! Today, the palace has been repurposed as an exhibition hall. Tickets sold are based on what exhibition they have for that day. In my case, I just opted to check out the free exhibit on theater costumes in Milan - it was free, and it was "my thing" (because costume and theater are so me.)

Palazzo Reale.

Theater costumes.

I always love theater costumes because of all the details that the designers take into consideration.

Dramatic.

Awesome!! It's a skirt AND a table!! (I'm kidding of course.)

This room shows a model of the whole palace.

For Mozart's "Idomeneo," by Nicoletti.

Again, music-video-worthy location.

- Within the compound of the palace is the Museo del Duomo (Duomo Museum.) Thankfully, we still had our Duomo tickets with us, which was also used to go inside the museum. Again, we took the Duomo Pass A, or the all-access pass. This museum shows the different statues and artworks featured in the Duomo. At the museum's courtyard, one can also see the Church of San Gottardo in Corte, a 14th-century chapel.

Illuminated cross.

Fabulous bird statues.

I've always had a fancy for gargoyle designs ever since I watched The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Incomplete painting.

Church of San Gottardo in Corte.

How best friends should roll.

Statues everywhere.

The wire frame of a Jesus statue.

A wooden scale model of the Duomo of Milano. This model is taller than I am, and I think the ration is 1:20.

- After visiting the cathedral, we had lunch at Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. It ha a cheaper-but-equally-delicious "food court" at the second floor. Since my mom and sister wanted to rest and take their time, I went ahead to La Scala Theater which is located just behind Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. La Scala Theater, or Teatro alla Scala, is an 18th-century opera house that is still being used today. Apart from that, they have a small theater museum where visitors can see costumes, posters, musical instruments, and other things used by thespians of days past.

La Scala Theater.

Museum.

Old instruments.

In front of the entrance to the main theater.

WOW. If only I could perform in something as big as this.

Moreeee instruments.

The man in the middle is Giuseppe Verdi, one of Italy's celebrity-level composers.

More colorful costumes.

Posters of past productions (from way way back when.)

- From the theater, we rode the metro from Duomo metro station to Cadorna metro station, and walked several blocks to Chiesa di Santa Maria delle Grazie (Church of the Holy Mary of Grace.) There are arrows just outside the metro station that will guide you all the way to the church. It was around a 5- to 10-minute walk. This late 15th-century gothic-and-renaissance-style church. It is a Dominican church and convent still used today, and nearly got destroyed during World War II. The most important treasure that it holds is the Leonardo Da Vinci's mural of "The Last Supper." The mural is located in the refectory, or dining hall of the convent. (Thankfully, the painting did not get destroyed during World War II!!)

Church from the back.

Front of Santa Maria delle Grazie.

Planes keep coming to Milan.

Church interior.

European church details are always worth looking at.

- Here is a very important tip when visiting "The Last Supper." The church is fine to visit, and it is free. However, to see the painting, one must go to a separate entrance that requires a ticket. Now, the ticket for the "Cenacolo" (where the mural is) needs to be reserved beforehand - maybe months in advance, through the website (click here.) There are alternate English and Italian-language mandatory guided tours, and all the slots were already taken on the date I had scheduled to visit the painting, except for the 3pm Italian-language tour. I had no choice but to book it, just for the sake of watching the tour (I can....somehow understand Italian anyway.) Apparently other foreigners also do that, whether they understand Italian or not (again, just for the sake of seeing the painting.) Once you print out your ticket confirmation beforehand, go to the visitor's center a few steps from the church and get your tickets. Be there at leat 30 minutes before your scheduled tour. If you miss your tour, you can't transfer to another tour. When we were there, there were a lot of walk-in visitors who wish to see the painting, but because they are strict about slots (to preserve the painting) and all the slots in the tours for the day were filled up, all the walk-in visitors were not able to buy a ticket on site. So again, planning is essential when travelling, and it pays to be "OC" with the schedule and itinerary!!

- The whole tour lasted only 15 minutes, and all the visitors of the tour will be hastily ushered out of the refectory. Da Vinci's "The Last Supper" was a huge mural that had a complex but not-overwhelming mix of colors. Typical of Da Vinci's works. Controversies surrounding the painting include the position of the bread rolls that turned out to be musical notes, or that the person to Jesus' right hand is actually Mary Magdalene and not John.

There it is!!

Bread on the table....probably musical notes.

Photo with the painting.

- After our last stop in Milan, we went back to our hotel, took a rest, had dinner, and packed our bags well. I had a roller coaster if experiences in Milan (and Venice too!) but I couldn't be gladder to leave Milan and leave my traumas behind. Milan was, to be honest, a nice place, and I would have loved it more had my my experience been smooth-sailing. However, for now, we leave the freezing north as we journey to the slightly-freezing center of Italy - Tuscany's capital, Florence!!

- Please don't forget to ready about my other Eurotrip adventures during the holidays here:

France: Part 1 here, Part 2 here, Part 3 here Part 4 here!!

Italy: Part 1 here, Part 2 here, Part 4 here, Part 5 here, Part 6 here, Part 7 here, Part 8 here, and Part 9 here!!