Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Giuseppe Mengoni

Florentina was established in Roman times as a settlement for veteran soldiers. The name had changed already when young Charlemagne conquered the town in 774. It became part of the Duchy of Tuscany, with Lucca as the capital. Around 1000 Margrave Hugo chose Florence as residency instead of Lucca. After the death of Matilda of Tuscany (1115), the Florentines formed a republic ruled by a council. The town prospered, despite a constant fight between the different factions and noble families. In the 15th century, Florence was among the largest and wealthiest cities in Europe. This was when the Medici family entered the political scene. As a dynasty of art-loving, power-hungry bankers, they made Florence the birthplace of the Renaissance. Architect Giuseppe Mengoni was commissioned to build the structure of the market, taking inspiration from the Parisian halls. The result was remarkable, with the integration of the most modern materials (iron, glass, cast iron) with the appearance of the pre-existing buildings. The inauguration took place in 1874. "Bronzin Alimentari" has a nice stand in the hall. Here you can buy cold cuts, cheese, cured meats, truffles, wine and oil.

Florentina was established in Roman times as a settlement for veteran soldiers. The name had changed already when young Charlemagne conquered the town in 774. It became part of the Duchy of Tuscany, with Lucca as the capital. Around 1000 Margrave Hugo chose Florence as residency instead of Lucca. After the death of Matilda of Tuscany (1115), the Florentines formed a republic ruled by a council. The town prospered, despite a constant fight between the different factions and noble families. In the 15th century, Florence was among the largest and wealthiest cities in Europe. This was when the Medici family entered the political scene. As a dynasty of art-loving, power-hungry bankers, they made Florence the birthplace of the Renaissance. Architect Giuseppe Mengoni was commissioned to build the structure of the market, taking inspiration from the Parisian halls. The result was remarkable, with the integration of the most modern materials (iron, glass, cast iron) with the appearance of the pre-existing buildings. The inauguration took place in 1874. In 1979 the works for the construction of the new slab on the first floor were completed to make room for restaurants.

Milan is the city capital of the Lombardy and the second most populous city in Italy after Rome. Known during Roman times as "Mediolanum" it was the place, where in 313 Constantine I and Licinius met and "signed" the "Edict of Milan", giving Christianity a legal status within the Roman empire. At the end of the Roman empire Milan was besieged by the Visigoths in 402, looted by the Huns in 452, and taken by the Ostrogoths in 539. Only 30 years later is belonged to the Kingdom of the Lombards, until in 774 Charlemagne defeated the Langobards and added Milan to the Carolingian empire. During Barbarossa´s (Frederik I) "Italian Campaigns" Milan was taken and destroyed to a great extent. Milan came back and flourished, when in 1386 the construction of the cathedral began. It took centuries to complete. In 1805, Napoleon Bonaparte, about to be crowned King of Italy here, ordered the façade to be finished in 1813. The "Duomo di Milano" is surrounded by the "Piazza del Duomo". The most prominent building (next to the Duomo) is the "Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II" with its triumphal arch. It is the world´s oldest shopping mall, named after Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of the Kingdom of Italy, and built by Giuseppe Mengoni 1865 - 1877. The structure consists of two glass-vaulted arcades intersecting in an octagonal space, that is topped with a glass dome.