Italy Travel Guide, About Italy Tourism & Tourist Information

Leading museum in Milan, Pinacoteca di Brera

Brera Picture Gallery is situated in 15 minutes walk from the center. You can arrive there also from the stop of the metro Montenapoleone in 5 min. on foot. It's on the street of Brera, where there are many traditional cafes loved by local people. Entering from the main gate, in the center of the courtyard, the statue of Napoleon welcomes you. The first floor of this building is the university of art, where lots of young students-artists in bizarre fashion are coming and going. The Brera Picture Gallery has its entrance on the second floor so please go up the stairs.

Paintings of the Lombard school and Venetian schools

Here in Milan, many nobles like Count Visconti became patrons of artists in the 14th century and art activities became very popular. This museum exhibits more than 500 paintings of the Venetian school and Lombard school from the 14th to the 19th century. Visitors can feel the scent of history. Inside is separated into more than 30 rooms and precious paintings are exhibited in the chronological order from the 14th century to the Renaissance period of such as Leonardo Da Vinci and Raphael. You can see progress of artistic techniques.

Please don't miss the main works

In this picture gallery many representative pieces of the Northern Renaissance are exhibited. "Pieta" of Giovanni Bellini and "Dead Christ" of Andrea Mantegna are especially famous. The depth of expression would be really impressive even for those who are not familiar with Christianity. Here you can see and feel the history of each era. It's a great art museum.

Then, inside there is a restoration laboratory. When I visit, they were doing the restoration of Raphael's "Mary's Wedding". This museum offers also some precious occasions to see such a valuable site.

There is also a modern art section with paintings of Modigliani and Picasso.