My Trip In Italy (Part 1E): Milan - Parco Sempione & Arco della Pace

In the previous article, I talked about my experiences of the Duomo di Milan and Sforza Castle, two prominent landmarks definitely worth visiting.

Today, I want to highlight why Parco Sempione and Arco della Pace, though less famous, offer experiences just as captivating as Milan’s better-known sites.

Parco Sempione (Sempione Park)

Getting to the city park is pretty straightforward, as it sits directly behind Sforza Castle. Unlike many other landmarks in Italy, it doesn’t charge an admission fee.

As I walked in Sempione Park, I couldn’t help but marvel at the size of it. All around me were countless trees of all varieties, stretching as far as the eye can see. Normally, a city’s central region would be sold to developers to turn into a bustling downtown district (which can turn substantial profits). However, Milan opted for a completely different approach and decided to maintain this huge area of greenery instead. Although it’s definitely a break from the city life I’m used to, it’s actually something I really like about Italy: it preserves its heritage, making you feel as if you were transported to another timeline, a dimension where modernity ceases to exist and instead is replaced by culture and nature.

Speaking about the size, I was genuinely taken aback by the overwhelming humaneness of Italian design. Every few steps I walked, I found long benches on the side of the footpath, as if inviting me to sit down and take a rest (an urge I eventually gave in to). And this philosophy applies not only to Sempione Park; as I mentioned before, there are lots of seating both outside and inside Sforza Castle; museums that I went to all across Italy had seats in virtually every exhibition hall; everywhere I went, there was more than enough seating.

Inside the park is another landmark, the Torre Branca (Branca Tower). A steel-framed panoramic tower that was built in 1933 for the 5th Milan Triennale, Branca Tower got its inspiration from the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. Built during the period of dictator Benito Mussolini, it was intended as a showcase of modernized Italian architecture and innovation as well as a symbol of fascist power. On a good day, it is possible to see the entirety of Milan as well as the Alps in the distance from the tower’s observation deck.

However, I’m personally not very enthusiastic about the tower, as I find it somewhat disruptive of the Milanese skyline. Although I understand and acknowledge it as a marvelous piece of engineering, its placement in the city center of Milan, along with other traditional architecture, just makes the tower seem like it was recklessly designed.

Arco della Pace (Arch of Peace)

This triumphal arch marks an old city gate of Milan known as Porta Sempione. The structure that still stands today dates back to the 19th century, though its origin can be traced all the way back to the era of Milan’s Roman walls. In addition to the arch, you can also see two square buildings to either side, which were once the toll houses for Porta Sempione.

Getting to the Arch of Peace is pretty simple, though it does require quite a bit of walking. All you have to do is walk through Sempione Park in the opposite direction from Sforza Castle. On the other side, you’ll find a moderately-sized city square, where the arch stands.

The arch itself looks very similar to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France. Made up of one central arch and two smaller ones to each side, the Arch of Peace is best known for the bas-relief sculptures that decorate the inside. Personally, I think that the sculpting found on the arch is similar to that found on the Duomo, though slightly sharper in detail as it was comparably closer. Like with the other landmarks, I find it best to take photos during sunset (or sunrise if you’re an early riser).

Here’s a fun fact about the arch that you probably didn’t know. If you open Google Earth right now, search for Milan, and find the arch, you’ll see a blue strip laid out before it. That is a fencing piste, and this particular image was taken by satellites on July 28th, 2023, which just so happened to be when the 2023 Fencing World Championships (July 22nd to July 30th) were taking place in Milan. The fact that such an elegant sport had this triumphal arch as its backdrop, and that this was coincidentally captured by Google Earth, is an unbelievable miracle in and of itself.

In addition, the rounded square that surrounds the arch is designed to have a semi-circle of seats, which must have undeniably enhanced the viewing experience of the events held there.

Conclusion

In this article, I talked about my thoughts from my visits to Sempione Park and the Arch of Peace. Next week, I’m going to focus on the Santa Maria delle Grazie (the church where Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper is held) as well as other landmarks I visited.

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