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Arco della Pace (The Peace Arch), Northwest Milan
Peace Arch in the centre of Piazza Sempione
This grand monument, reaching 25 metres in height, was built at the beginning of the 19th century and sits in the centre of Sempione Square. Its marked Neo-Classical style features ornamental marble statues.
The arch was completed in 1838, taking 31 years to construct, and commemorates the European peace signed in 1815 at the Vienna Congress after the Napoleonic Wars. However, it was initially a monument to the Napoleonic victory over Italy.
Began in 1807 with a design by Luigi Cagnola, works stopped in 1814 when the French empire fell. Two-thirds of the structure had already been built, as well as statues dedicated to History and Poetry. Construction resumed in 1826 under Austrian emperor Francis I, who decided to dedicate it to the peace of Vienna.
On the top, there is a striking bronze “Sestiga” (a chariot drawn by six horses and lead by Minerva) which faces the centre of Milan. The statue was made by Abbondo Sangiorgio.
