Information on Italy
Territory: 
The region occupies the main part of the Po Valley. Its northern borders are
formed by the Lepontine, Rhaetian and Orobic Alps. It includes a hilly district
with the major Italian lakes, from the Easter slope of Lago Maggiore to the Lakes
of Varese, lseo, Como, and to the northern part of Lake Garda. This region is
rich in water, thanks to the Po and its affluents.
Cities:
The regional capital is Milan. Other important cities are: Bergamo, Brescia, Como, Varese, Sondrio, Pavia,
Cremona, Mantua.
Art:
Lombardy is the cradle of the Romanesque architecture and has beautiful
examples in each major city. The most striking monument of the Gothic period is the
Cathedral of Milan. The Renaissance period has left splendid palaces and
sumptuous churches. The Lombard painting reached its greatest splendor during the
fifteenth century.
Museums:
Milan, in the Sforza Castle there are the Art Museums which comprise several
sections for painting, sculpture and applied arts; the Brera Gallery, which
houses some of the all-time masterpieces of painting; in the Poldi Pezzoli Museum,
a very rich private collection of paintings of great masters, fittings, art
objects and ancient jewelry can be admired; other masterpieces of painting can be
seen in the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana. The National Museum of Science and Technique
is devoted to railway and air transports. In Brescia the Roman Museum has an
interesting section devoted to the Christian Age. In Como, the Civic Museums have
large rooms for local history and art. In Cremona, the Civic Museum houses mosaics
and relics of the Romanesque period, while the Stradivariano Museum displays the
history of the famous ancient violin makers. Bergamo has the important Carrara
Academy Gallery. Mantua is known for the Ducal Palace with Gonzaga’s Palace
and the Museo del Risorgimento. In Pavia there are the Civic Museums for
archeology and painting.
To Be Visited: