Milan: Perfect past and present on its streets

Stevie Emilia, The Jakarta Post, Milan, Italy

After wrestling with environmental terms at a conference for two straight days and trying not to make them sound like gobbledygook, I decided I needed a break.

So, I made my way to downtown Milan, or "Milano" in the sing- song accent of most Milanese, at least when they are in a happy mood.

In no time, I found myself stepping into the pages of a glossy fashion magazine, with the sculpted faces of model lookalikes all around me, swirling by in designer clothes and wafting fragrant scents along with them.

The biting winter breeze was gone in an instant, and I was overcome by a wave of inspiration, ready to return to those hard terms all over again.

But they could wait. After all, I was in one of the world's most glamorous fashion capitals, home to the biggest names -- Armani, Valentino, D&G, Prada, Ferre -- to name just a few.

Yet it's more than just a global fashion center, also home to great food, architecture landmarks and world masterpieces.

And as I sat in a cafe savoring my piping-hot cappuccino, in the hope of finding enough time to use my journalistic instincts for something other than environmental issues, I found that right there at Piazza Duomo square there was much more to Milan than simply brand names.

For the square itself boasts a perfect blend of past and present.

The rectangular square -- called "the mirror of Milan and the Milanese" by my tourist guidebook -- is the place where one can find Il Duomo, the Cathedral. The monument to Victor Emmanuel II by Ercole Rosa is out front, while on its flanks modern shopping malls run busy businesses inside well-maintained old buildings.

The Cathedral -- the second largest church in Italy and the third in the world after St. Peter's in Rome and the Cathedral of Seville in Spain -- is probably the most gigantic and intricate Gothic building in the city.

Though the first architect's name is not known, it was said he was inspired by French Gothic cathedrals. The Cathedral's construction itself was started in 1386 and continued for centuries, even until today, with work and contributions from many, including Italians, French and German artists, adding variety but keeping architectural harmony.

Unfortunately, I could not see the entire facade since it was covered to make way for an ongoing preservation project.

But my disappointment was not overwhelming, since other parts of the building are still available for the public to admire.

The detailed works of the Cathedral's outer side -- with 2,245 statues adorning almost every part of the imposing building, from the panels on the central door to the walls -- immediately won my admiration. The years of construction have not been for nothing.

It's not only the outer part of the building which is inspiring; tourists can go inside the Cathedral for free to savor all its history.

Once inside, soft light filtering through multicolored stained-glass windows creates a mystical and serene atmosphere as people walk in silence to the center of the Cathedral to follow the mass. On the right and left aisles, some patiently wait for their turn in the confession chambers, while others light candles, deep in prayer.

A visit to the Cathedral's roof, by stair or elevator (not for free), is a must. Up on the roof is like walking around the spires as well as getting a closer look at the renowned gold statue of Madonnina by Giuseppe Bini (1774) that is located on the highest of the building's 135 spires.

On the day I visited, the square was full of people, enjoying the live entertainment for children, singing along with street musicians, watching pantomime artists or simply enjoying a cup of cappuccino latte.

"It seems like every Milanese is here at the square," said Kultida Samabudhi, a visiting Thai citizen.

Walking distance away (Milan is a great city for those who like to pound the pavement), one can pass through the Piazza della Scala that houses the world renowned La Scala theater, or visit the Castello Sforzesco castle. The latter is said to be one of the most extraordinary civic monuments of the Renaissance period, decorated by well-known artists like Bramante and Leonardo da Vinci, and now housing museums.

Again, that's not all Milan is about.

After a quick lunch at a pizzeria, the next thing on my plan was to pay da Vinci's renowned Last Supper a visit.

It turned out that one needs to book days ahead -- at least seven -- to get face-to-face with the world famous fresco. During the holiday season, many people reserve a month early to be included in a guided tour.

"As soon as you know when you are going to be in Milan, book a visit... at certain times of year, it is hard to find slots even a week ahead," Sophia, an information officer at the climate conference that I was attending, told me. "It's not possible to book direct at the Last Supper itself."

I tried anyway, but, as expected, failed to get a slot for the guided tour. Refusing to give up, I ended up queuing outside Piazza Santa Maria delle Grazie with many other tourists, hoping to be gifted a spot from other people's cancellations.

After waiting for an hour and a half, I finally got my chance to get in. The only thing was that this English and Indonesian- speaker found herself in an Italian-language tour.

Finally, I stood in front of the newly restored fresco. It covers all the wall at the end of the refectory of the ex- monastery of the Dominicans, located to the right of the Santa Maria church.

The latest restoration of the masterpiece was completed in 1999 after 20 years of work. According to my guide book, the heads were all smoky, blurred patches of color before the restoration, but now each character is depicted with precision.

Like me, every other tourist in my group was in awed silence, trying to record every detail of the fresco in our minds. No words could adequately represent our admiration at this masterpiece. It was worth the wait.