Milan Neighborhoods: Brera - Zampetti Immobili di pregio

Brera: the artistic soul of Milan

Today it is one of Milan’s iconic neighborhoods, but initially, when this city was not yet “great” Milan, it was an area of meadows and vegetable gardens. Its transformation into what it is now is owed to two figures: Maria Theresa of Austria and Napoleon Bonaparte, who promoted the construction of palaces and institutions and enriched them with works of art. The name Brera derives from bràida, a medieval Latin term of Lombard origin that indicated a field near inhabited centers cultivated as meadow.

Under the Austro-Hungarian Empire, partly through the will of Maria Theresa of Austria, there was a strong impetus for change and the creation of the foundations of what would become the artists’ quarter. Between 1706 and 1796, the Academy of Fine Arts, the Braidense National Library, the Palazzo di Brera with the Pinacoteca, the Botanical Garden, the Astronomical Observatory, the Institute of Applied General Physics, and the Lombard Institute of Sciences and Letters came to life. These are places that profoundly changed the image and life of this neighborhood nestled between La Scala, the Sforza Castle, the Piccolo Teatro, and Via Montenapoleone. The Pinacoteca, meanwhile, was enriched with material through the actions of Napoleon Bonaparte, who appropriated works throughout Italy and brought them to Brera. The French conqueror is honored by Antonio Canova’s bronze sculpture at the entrance to the Pinacoteca (a copy of the original marble work preserved at Apsley House in London). Napoleon is depicted here as Mars the Peacemaker, portrayed in a style inspired by classical Greek and Roman art.

Today, works by Mantegna, Raphael, Caravaggio, Piero della Francesca, Modigliani, Boccioni, and many others are preserved and displayed. It is Milan’s premier museum; only Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper attracts more visitors. Palazzo Brera, in addition to the Pinacoteca and the Academy of Fine Arts, houses the Astronomical Observatory: astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli discovered the canals of Mars here.

An interpretation of images of the red planet that envisioned erosive action on the surface by water, as occurs on Earth. This theory lasted from 1877 until 1971, a theory that nonetheless initiated the exploration of Mars in search of water. Around the Academy and the Pinacoteca, there is a vibrant creative atmosphere. It is, in fact, the Design District of Fuorisalone, an international reference point for promoting Italian design. During the Salone del Mobile, the neighborhood transforms, becoming a showcase of creativity, yet it maintains this connection with art and design throughout the rest of the year through shops, designers’ showrooms, and venues. A neighborhood alive at any hour, capable of offering gathering places as well as corners for meditation. The perfect example is the Botanical Garden located next to Palazzo Brera. Five thousand square meters of greenery in the heart of Milan, with a historic garden layout, a place to discover new plants but also to stroll immersed in nature, leaving the city’s frenzy behind. Commissioned by Maria Theresa, it is now managed by the University of Milan, which also organizes guided tours and educational programs within it. On the third Sunday of each month, except August, the traditional Brera market is held. No fruit and vegetables, but stalls with jewelry, vintage clothing, worked glass, antiques, and modern collectibles. A market with unique characteristics for lovers of art and decorative objects. In this neighborhood, one can find one of the city’s most beautiful Art Nouveau buildings: the Civic Aquarium, one of the oldest in the world. This structure was built for the first universal exposition hosted by Milan in 1906. It houses various tanks where Italian freshwater and saltwater environments are recreated, with particular attention to the Mediterranean. Brera is a neighborhood rich in corners that have a story to tell, such as the Antica Farmacia on Via Fiori Oscuri: it has over 100 years of history and is still furnished with old counters and wooden furniture; it was the pharmacy of Carlo Erba, a famous pharmacist who founded one of the first Italian pharmaceutical factories.

A coffee break at Jamaica, on Via Brera, is mandatory; the history of Milan and Italy—and beyond—has passed through here: from Mussolini to Craxi, to name two figures from the political world (the former never returned, leaving his bill unpaid), while the list of artists is far more substantial: Ernesto Treccani, Roberto Crippa, Giuseppe Ungaretti, Salvatore Quasimodo, Valerio Adami, Ugo Mulas, Allen Ginsberg, and many more. A curiosity: the first Italian sommelier school was founded here by Elio Mainini, the owner, in collaboration with Gualtiero Marchesi. This neighborhood is like a precious stone, a beautiful diamond, where each facet reflects a unique light, a story to listen to and be captivated by. Brera is the artistic soul of Milan, a place where past, present, and future converge to offer unique moments.