Situated at the northwestern edge of Parco Sempione is Napoleon's 25m-high triumphal arch. Designed by Luigi Cagnola in 1807, it echoes Paris' Arc de Triomphe and marks the start of Corso Sempione, the main road that connects Milan to Paris via the Simplon (Sempione) Pass. Ironically, thanks to Napoleon's fall in 1814, its neoclassical facade was finished in 1838 with bas-reliefs not of Napoleon's victories, as was intended, but with scenes from the Battle of Leipzig (1813), depicting his defeat.
©Stephanie Ong/Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
The Last Supper
0.66 MILES
Milan's most famous mural, Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper, is hidden away on a wall of the refectory adjoining the Basilica di Santa Maria delle…
Duomo
1.2 MILES
A vision in pink Candoglia marble, Milan's extravagant Gothic cathedral, 600 years in the making, aptly reflects the city's creativity and ambition. Its…
Cimitero Monumentale
0.76 MILES
Behind striking Renaissance-revival black-and-white walls, Milan’s wealthy have kept their dynastic ambitions alive long after death with grand sculptural…
Pinacoteca di Brera
0.82 MILES
Located upstairs from one of Italy’s most prestigious art schools, this gallery houses Milan’s collection of Old Masters, much of it ‘lifted’ from Venice…
Quadrilatero d'Oro
1.16 MILES
A stroll around the Quadrilatero d'Oro, the world's most famous shopping district, is a must even for those not sartorially inclined. The quaintly cobbled…
Castello Sforzesco
0.55 MILES
Originally a Visconti fortress, this iconic red-brick castle was later home to the mighty Sforza dynasty, who ruled Renaissance Milan. The castle's…
Museo del Novecento
1.21 MILES
Overlooking Piazza del Duomo, with fabulous views of the cathedral, is Mussolini's Arengario, from where he would harangue huge crowds in his heyday. Now…
Fondazione Prada
2.69 MILES
Conceived by designer Miuccia Prada and architect Rem Koolhaas, this museum is as innovative and creative as the minds that gave it shape. Seven renovated…