ART AND CULTURE.
The five curiosities you didn't know about the Madonnina del Duomo in Milan
The city of Milan, the regional capital of Lombardy in Italy, has various symbols that make it world-famous. From La Scala Theatre to San Siro, from the Castello Sforzesco to Navigli, a famous place for youth nightlife.
But none of this represents Milan like its Duomo, the cathedral that stands in the city's main square. Inside the symbol, however, is another symbol, namely the Madonnina, a gilded copper statue atop the cathedral's highest spire, which for the Milanese now represents the city in every way. Expressions like 'in the shadow of the Madonnina' are now phrases that all Milanese feel are their own.
We certainly haven't told you anything new so far, but would you like to know these five little trivia facts about the symbol of the city of Milan? Discover them with us.
The five curiosities you didn't know about the Madonnina del Duomo in Milan
The city of Milan, the regional capital of Lombardy in Italy, has various symbols that make it world-famous. From La Scala Theatre to San Siro, from the Castello Sforzesco to Navigli, a famous place for youth nightlife. But none of this represents Milan like its Duomo, the cathedral that stands in the city's main square. Inside the symbol, however, is another symbol, namely the Madonnina, a gilded copper statue atop the cathedral's highest spire, which for the Milanese now represents the city in every way. Expressions like 'in the shadow of the Madonnina' are now phrases that all Milanese feel are their own.
Di Ulrich Mayring - photo taken by Ulrich Mayring, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/ind
What exactly does the Madonnina
All right, she is a Madonna, we all know that, but there are many Madonnas in the religious world. So, which episode in the life of Mary does the Madonnina del Duomo represent? Specifically, it is a representation of the Madonna Assunta (the Assumption), the moment when Mary, mother of Jesus, ascended to heaven at the moment of her death, body and soul.
NahidSultan - Wikipedia.org
A particular law of Milan
Tradition has it that no building in Milan can be taller than the Madonnina. A law, made official in the 1930s, prevented Gio Ponti's Branca Tower and Velasca Tower from exceeding the fateful 108.5 metres out of respect for the Madonnina. In reality this is just a legend. The Pirelli skyscraper, the seat of the Regional Council of Lombardy, is 127 metres high and is therefore taller than the Madonnina. To respect tradition, a copy of the Madonnina was made and placed on top of the skyscraper. In 2010, the copy was moved, placing it on top of the Palazzo Lombardia, the seat of the Lombardy Regional Council, at a height of 161 metres.
Dimitri Kamaras - Flirck.com
It was covered during the Second World War
The Madonnina did not witness the horrors of the Second World War, which saw Italy first sided with Germany and then with the Allies (British, French, American). In fact, in August 1939, on the eve of the Second World War, the Madonnina was covered with a grey-green cloth and remained so for five years, to avoid providing an easy target for fighter-bombers. The unveiling took place on 6 May 1945 with a solemn ceremony by Cardinal Schuster, then Archbishop of Milan.
Di Lalupa - Opera propria, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=68719370
The anthem of the Madonnina
Perhaps not many people outside Milan know that, for the Milanese, the Madonnina has a real anthem, composed by Giovanni D'Anzi in 1934. Of course, it is not a real official hymn, but in the hearts of the Milanese it is nothing less. Here's how it does it, written in Milanese dialect: 'O mia bella Madonnina, che te brillet de lontan, tutto d'ora e piscinina, ti te dòminet Milan; sòtt a ti se vivta la vitta, se sta mai coi mani in man, canten tucc "lontan de Napoli se moeur" ma poeu vegnen chi a Milan'. "Oh my beautiful Madonnina, shining from afar, all gold and tiny you dominate Milan; underneath you life is lived, you never stay with your hands in your hands, everyone sings "far from Naples you die" but then they come here to Milan".
Di © José Luiz Bernardes Ribeiro, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=32
In Milan there are four Madonnine
Since the Milanese like traditions, these are always respected. So, on Sunday 22 November 2015, a perfect copy of the Madonnina was placed on top of the Isozaki tower, 209.2 metres high, just as per Milanese tradition, on what has become the highest roof in the city of Milan.
Nature
22/04/2024
Bees play a vital role in the ecosystem, pollinating plants and ensuring food production. Bees provide us with valuable products that have been used for millennia in both cooking and body care such as honey, pollen, royal jelly, propolis, wax, and even poison.
However, bees are threatened from many sources, including habitat loss, pesticide use and climate change.
It is important that we all take steps to protect bees and their environment.
In this photo gallery, we offer eight practical tips to save bees.
science
18/04/2024
It may sound like a trivial question, but in fact it is not trivial at all; on the contrary, it holds within it very important physical and philosophical questions. The Washington Post noted that this question is stirring up some of the people on Twitter these days.
The debate was generated by a tweet from journalist Jacqui Deevoy, who wondered how it was possible that the sun had 'changed colour' from what she remembered as a child. The answer, however, is one that leaves one somewhat appalled, as there is no real unequivocal answer.
After all, children do not make a mistake by drawing the sun as a big yellow ball, but it is not a completely right answer. After all, light is just the perception of the wavelength of radiation emitted by the sun, and therein lies the whole secret.
Art galleries private collections
16/04/2024
Napoleon Bonaparte, often also referred to as Napoleon, was a French politician and general, founder of the First French Empire and protagonist of the first phase of contemporary European history, known as the 'Napoleonic Age'.
His conquests throughout Europe and beyond make him one of the finest military strategists ever, but his importance is not limited only to victories in the field. Also important were some campaigns, such as the one in Egypt, which returned priceless treasures to the world.
His life, studded with continual ups and downs, intrigues, murders and love affairs, ended in 1821 on the island of St Helena, in exile, due to stomach cancer. Although his life has filled the history books for over a century, some curiosities may still have escaped you.