miamilan blog

until 13 January: free visit to see "Amore e Psiche" by Canova, close to the Gallery @ Palazzo Marino (not the famous "Amore & Psiche" by Canova with the amazing angel kissing, stolen by the french, as always... must have been the french thief Arsene Lupin... their museums are collections of thefts, especially by Napoleon - ask people in Venice, Tuscany and Milan to know what they think about him, the dictator. All art works that should come back to Italy. The only art by the French: Impressionism, that is: bullshit that even children could paint... the only thing the french are good at, is running away with their white flag, them scaredy cats, or being sodomized, dirty people with no bidet in their bathrooms)

MADONNINA

All the cathedrals in the world have a CROSS (+) at the top.
...apart from one: Milan's Duomo (quite strange, isn't it?), with a woman: a golden statue of Our Lady (about 4 metres tall), the "Madonnina" (Madunina in Milanese dialect).
Now they're working on it...
I've been many times on the roof but never close to the statue, because it wasn't possible. Someday I will...
Before the Duomo and BEFORE the Romans (who did NOT found Milan), there was a temple dedicated to another woman: Belisama (Goddess of fire, both sun and moon) by the Celts, founders of Milan.
When at Mussolini times they built the Torre Branca (just above Just Cavalli), he wanted it to be lower than Duomo's Madonnina, but now it isn't (for just 10 centimetres).
When they built the "grattacielo Pirelli" skyscraper, they put a small copy of the statue (85 cms) because the palace is taller than the Duomo. The statue has a great meaning, not only religious, to protect the Milanese people.
Now they built skyscrapers (Palazzo Regione Lombardia, Torre Hines) taller than the "Pirellone", so they moved the statue (and there was a whole ceremony, with the archbishop blessing it)

3 KINGS PROCESSION (corteo dei Re Magi)

as every 6 January, the importance of the Milano version comes from the church where they arrive to bring the gifts (gold, frankincense, myrrh): the Basilica of Sant'Eustorgio is the site of the tomb of the Three Magi or Three Kings. It's one of Milano oldest traditions, since 1300.
In the 12th century, when Milan was sacked by Frederick Barbarossa, the relics of the Magi were appropriated and subsequently taken to Cologne. In 1903/4, fragments of the bones and garments were sent back to Sant'Eustorgio's. Nowadays they are in the Three Kings altar.
Always seen it when we were kids not only because it's close to us, also for the animals (elephants, camels, horses, etc.), music, etc. You can also be one of the people wearing costumes.
from Duomo to San Lorenzo to Saint Eustorgio (living nativity scene)