Milan is a rich cultural city, the Italian capital of the media, design and fashion sectors – not to mention the birthplace of Susanna! It plays host each year to one of the most important Fashion weeks in the world – Milan Fashion Week. It is also home to two of Europe’s leading football clubs, A.C. Milan and F.C. Internationale Milano.

The Milanese (the inhabitants of Milan) have known some tumultuous times, however. The city was founded in the 6^th Century and was originally a small Celtic village. It first rose to prominence as the capital of the Western Roman Empire. A few signs of the city’s Roman heritage remain, most prominently the Colonne Di San Lorenzo, which once formed part of a temple. They are now an integral part of the city’s landscape.

After the fall of the Roman Empire, during which Milan was sacked, it recovered to become one of the most important economic centres in Northern Italy. It gained autonomy from the German emperors of the 12^th Century and was governed by democratic laws – quite unique for the high middle ages.

The Visconti came to power in the 13^th Century to bring Milan into the international arena once again. They constructed the Castle and the Duomo marking the beginning of Milan’s reputation as a cultural centre. The Renaissance years saw some of the most important artists in history travel to the city to work, including Leonardo da Vinci. During this period, right up until Napoleonic rule, Milan was ruled by no less than four different families and empires, first the Visconti, then the Sforza, followed by the Spanish and then the Austrians.

The Napoleonic rule which followed the French revolution in 1789 only lasted until 1815, but huge changes and public works were undertaken by the occupiers. Just as Paris was transformed under Napoleon into his grand vision, so too Milan, as the capital of the ‘Kingdom of Italy’.

The Austrians returned to Milan after the defeat of Napoleon, but only until 1848 when the city rebelled, paving the way for the unification of Italy in 1861.

Following the tumultuous years of the Second World War, when Milan was once again occupied by invading forces, this time the Nazis, it was rebuilt and re-emerged as one of the leading cities of Europe.