Art & shopping in Milan downtown center: the Dome, Brera picture gallery and high-fashion showrooms

The Duomo – the gothic cathedral of Milan is one of the world’s largest and most solemn churches and was built in the late 14th century. A row of statues, pinnacles and spires spring high in the air and adorn the white marble façade, while the latin-cross interior is divided in 5 navels and preserves gold sacred vases, vestments and tapestries.
You can also ascend the roof of the Duomo, taking either the stairs or the elevator, and enjoy a breathtaking panorama of Milan downtown and the Alps.
 
Ambrosiana Picture Gallery – few steps from the Duomo, the Ambrosiana picture gallery houses art tresures ranging from the 15th to the 17th century. Works by Botticelli, Brueghel, Caravaggio and Raphael are among the most famous paintings. The Gallery also shows an unvaluable reproduction of Leonardo da Vinci’s Codex Atlanticus
The adjoining library, the “Biblioteca Ambrosiana” (considered the oldest Italian public library) preserves a vast collection of ancient Greeks, Latin and medieval codexes.
 
Brera Picture Gallery – founded in 1809 by Napoleon, the Brera Picture Gallery is home of one of the finest collections of Italian Renaissance art. The most noticeable masterpieces include Mantegna’s “Dead Christ”, Raphael's "Marriage of the Virgin" and artworks by Piero Della Francesca, Caravaggio and Tintoretto. A wing of the Brera Picture Gallery is also dedicated to modern art.

---

Via Montenapoleone is Milan’s most famous high-fashion street, lined with expensive boutiques where fashion and art melt to offer all the chichest shoes, clothes and accessories you can imagine. Luxury atelier-showrooms include Gucci, Versace, Valentino, Ferragamo and Prada’s boutiques.  Near via Montenapoleone, via Sant’Andrea and via della Spiga house Fendi, Armani, Moschino, Fendi, Ferré, Bottega Veneta and Bulgari showroom, while via Manzoni is home to Giorgio Armani multi-concept store, Spazio Armani.
 
More affordable prices can be found on Corso Buenos Aires and in the Brera district, an area full of cafés, shops and antiques stores