Culture of Monza. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

One of the main historic symbols of Monza is a magnificent cathedral Duomo di Monza located in Piazza del Duomo. It impresses with its sophisticated architectural style and exquisite finishing. The cathedral was built of fine marble and decorative stone. The first basilica at the site of the modern cathedral was built in the late 6th century. It was dedicated to the patron of the city, John the Baptist. The basilica was first reconstructed in the 14th century. At that time, it was turned into a cathedral.

The facade was finished with black and white marble that has been partially survived until nowadays. In the years ahead, the cathedral was modernized and designed by talented architects and craftsmen. Now, interior rooms are decorated with sophisticated painting, colorful marble mosaics, and stone engraving. There are a lot of well-preserved medieval frescoes. The sophisticated design is supplemented with a thoughtful lighting system.

Under the cathedral, there is the main museum in Monza, Museo e Tesoro del Duomo di Monza. It is located in a big underground gallery. You can enter the museum through the bell tower of the cathedral. This museum is a real treasury that houses the collection of jewels and pieces of art of the 4th-19th centuries. Here, you can see masterpieces, some of which are aged over a thousand years. Precious relics that belonged to the representatives of the royal family are especially interesting. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Another precious architectural monument is the building of the old town hall Arengario di Monza located near the cathedral. The town hall was built in the main square in 1293. Originally, it served as the main residence for the local authorities. Nowadays, the town hall is an impressive example of the Gothic style. For over 700 years, it has preserved a lot of original architectural elements.

In the building, there is a well-preserved balcony, from which the municipal authorities provided the citizens with the most important news. In the 14th century, a bell tower was added to the town hall. It has survived to this day. The most interesting part of the historic construction is a spacious gallery with carved arched vaults. In the Middle Ages, fairs were held here. Now, the town hall is a culture center where art exhibitions and themed events often take place.

Another interesting city symbol is Villa Reale. It was built in the second half of the 18th century upon the order of the Empress Maria Theresia of Austria. The Empress presented this luxurious villa to her son Ferdinand who set out a wonderful garden around it in the early 19th century. He arranged a green area of 750 hectares for royal hunting. Later, a summer theater, several pavilions, a rosary, and greenhouses were built in the territory of the big park near the villa. The villa had belonged to the royal family until 1934 and passed to the city then. Today, the villa is open to visitors. Art exhibitions and literary evenings are often held here. The garden around it has turned into an outdoor culture center too. Summer performances, concerts, festivals, and fire shows take place here.

Not far from the villa, there is another significant city monument, Cappella Espiatoria. This chapel was built in the early 20th century in honor of the King of Italy Umberto I. The chapel is 35 m high. It is distinguished by a spectacular exterior and is still an important national monument. Inside it, there is a small crypt. Its walls are decorated with fine mosaics. On 29 July, the solemn holiday dedicated to the dead ruler is annually celebrated.

Besides the magnificent cathedral, there are several beautiful well-preserved churches in Monza. Not far from the cathedral square, there is Chiesa di Santa Maria in Strada. It was built in the 14th century. The exterior of the church combines Roman and Gothic features. The main feature of the church that makes it the most recognizable construction in the city is a terracotta facade. On the facade, you can see beautiful wheel windows and ancient sculptures. The church was fully reconstructed just once, in the middle of the 18th century. Its interior was changed significantly. A beautiful marble altar and bronze and gilded interior elements were added.