Cities: The regional capital is Milano. Other important cities are: Bergamo, Brescia, Como, Lecco, Lodi, Varese, Sondrio, Pavia, Cremona, Mantova.

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; inn 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 inn 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:
The peninsula of Sirmione on Lake Garda and the “Gardesana” coast; the Lomellina and the Valtellina districts.

Regional website: www.in-lombardia.it/en