This year celebrates the 500th anniversary of the great Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519). Leonardo from the small town near Vinci was an inventor, painter, mathematician, and much more! One of the leading artists during the Renaissance period (14th-17th century) was famous for the Last Supper, Mona Lisa, and Vitruvian Man, but did you know he also designed one of the great canal locks in the city of Milan? Discover more about this great man while walking in his footsteps around the city of Milan.
Navigli Milan At Sunset ©MDHarding
"Water is the driving force of all nature" - Leonardo Da Vinci
Walking In The Footsteps of Leonardo Da Vinci
The Last Supper
One of the most popular things to see while in Milan is of course The Last Supper. Today it commands a great price as part of a combined tour and can unfortunately be overbooked. To preserve and protect this world-known artwork, the entry has been restricted to only 25 people every 15 minutes! Located in the Santa Maria delle Grazie in its original place, on the wall of the dining room of the former Dominican convent in central Milan. Painted between 1494-1498 it represents the last dinner between Jesus and his disciples. Did you know the tickets are released months in advance and are free on the first Sunday of every month? There are currently tickets available for November and are only 10 euros + 2 euro booking fee. You can also add on either the guided tour at 3.50 euros or an audio guide.
Musee le Monde de Leonardo
One of the best exhibitions currently in Milan is The World of Leonardo da Vinci. Located at the entrance of Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II to the left of the Duomo.
If you never managed to pre-book tickets to see the Last Supper, don't worry there is an incredible display here at Musee le Monde de Leonardo detailing the history of the painting and how it has been restored over the 500 years!
La Vigna de Leonardo
One of the locations frequented by Leonardo Da Vinci was Casa Degli Atellani a short distance from the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie where Leonardo painted The Last Supper. The vineyard was gifted to Leonardo by Ludovico Sforza. In 2015 the plot where Leonardo's vineyard once stood was excavated, Italian expert oenologist Luca Maroni and the University of Agricultural Sciences in Milan have worked to recreate Leonardo's favourite wine, thanks to genetic testing - Malvasia di Candia Aromatica the original grape variety has been re-planted in the original pattern of the vines in the 15th century. Enjoy a glass or two in the cafe or take a bottle of Tasto Atellano home.
Have you heard about the Milan Pass? The entry is included in both Casa Degli Atellani and the beautiful gardens housing Leonardo's Vineyard.
Leonardo's Vineyard ©MDHarding
Other Places In Milan to Explore
As you walk around Milan (the city where Leonardo da Vinci stayed the longest) you can see the 1872 marble & granite statue Monument to Leonardo da Vinci the legendary Italian artist & Inventor with four disciples in Piazza della Scala, Church of the Holy Sepulchre that Leonardo was struck by the unusual configuration, produced several sketches detailing the layout of the church and the crypt. There is also a smaller exhibition at Museo Nazionale della Scienza e Tecnologia "Leonardo da Vinci". The largest science and technology museum in Italy is dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci.
You can view the Leonardo 500 complete program taking place from now until January 2020.
Leonardo with Four Disciples ©MDHarding
There are many celebrations taking place not only in Milan but around Italy and the world. If you are visiting or live in the U.K you might be interested in seeing -
Leonardo: A Life in the Drawing National tour exhibiting the works of Leonardo Da Vinci.
Another fun movie to watch is Ever After starring Drew Barrymore, Anjelica Huston, Dougray Scott, and Patrick Godfrey. An adaptation of the classic fairytale - Cinderella including a reference to Leonardo da Vinci.
I hope you enjoyed reading and are as inspired by this incredible man - Leonardo da Vinci, as I am. As always, I love receiving any comments/questions you may have. You can reach me via Email, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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