Milan Architecture City Guide: 15 Must-See Landmarks and 20 Contemporary Attractions in Italy's Fashion Capital

Milan Architecture City Guide: 15 Must-See Landmarks and 20 Contemporary Attractions in Italy's Fashion Capital - Image 1 of 61 — © Guido Maria Isolabella

Written by Hana Abdel
Published on April 05, 2024

A global and cosmopolitan city, Milan is an uncontested mainstream fashion and economic center, widely coveted by worldwide visitors. The second most populated city in Italy, it hosts some of the world's major fashion and design-related events. Milan also houses prestigious educational institutions, many of which are renowned for heritage and conservationist specialties. Its cultural and design relevance cannot be understated as more and more creators are relocating and setting up shop in this booming creative hub.

The city's most recognizable tourist attractions are the renowned gothic Duomo di Milano, Santa Maria delle Grazia, or the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, amongst other classical and baroque sites. Milan also houses some of the boldest and most experimental modern and contemporary buildings that highlight the marriage of the beautifully crafted and often ornamental heritage with the modern, post-modernist, and contemporary monuments that make up its unique style.

The following list showcases the historically sensitive architecture type seen in iconic modern and contemporary buildings and spaces, providing a good starting point for a riveting visit to Milan. It includes must-see landmarks and contemporary attractions from renowned local and international architects such as Aldo Rossi, Gio Ponti, Stefano Boeri, Mario Cucinella, Zaha Hadid, Grafton Architects, Herzog & de Meuron, and Foster and Partners, amongst others.

Must-See Iconic Buildings

Duomo Di Milano / Simone da Orsenigo

Milan Architecture City Guide: 15 Must-See Landmarks and 20 Contemporary Attractions in Italy's Fashion Capital - Image 5 of 61 — via Noppasin Wongchum / Shutterstock

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II / Guiseppe Mengoni

Milan Architecture City Guide: 15 Must-See Landmarks and 20 Contemporary Attractions in Italy's Fashion Capital - Image 6 of 61 — via Olgysha / Shutterstock

Torre Velasca / BBPR

Milan Architecture City Guide: 15 Must-See Landmarks and 20 Contemporary Attractions in Italy's Fashion Capital - Image 7 of 61 — via COLOMBO NICOLA / Shutterstock

Gallaratese Quarter / Aldo Rossi & Carlo Aymonino

Milan Architecture City Guide: 15 Must-See Landmarks and 20 Contemporary Attractions in Italy's Fashion Capital - Image 8 of 61 — © Gili Merin

IULM_Milan / 5+1AAAlfonsoFemiaGianlucaPeluffo

Milan Architecture City Guide: 15 Must-See Landmarks and 20 Contemporary Attractions in Italy's Fashion Capital - Image 10 of 61 — © Ernesta Caviola

Pirelli Tower / Gio Ponti, Pier Luigi Nervi

Milan Architecture City Guide: 15 Must-See Landmarks and 20 Contemporary Attractions in Italy's Fashion Capital - Image 11 of 61 — via MC MEDIASTUDIO / Shutterstock

RCS Building / Stefano Boeri Architetti

Milan Architecture City Guide: 15 Must-See Landmarks and 20 Contemporary Attractions in Italy's Fashion Capital - Image 13 of 61 — Courtesy of Boeri Studio

Universita Luigi Bocconi / Grafton Architects

Milan Architecture City Guide: 15 Must-See Landmarks and 20 Contemporary Attractions in Italy's Fashion Capital - Image 14 of 61 — © Frederico Brunetti

Bosco Verticale / Boeri Studio

Milan Architecture City Guide: 15 Must-See Landmarks and 20 Contemporary Attractions in Italy's Fashion Capital - Image 4 of 61 — © Paolo Rosselli

Feltrinelli Porta Volta / Herzog & de Meuron

Milan Architecture City Guide: 15 Must-See Landmarks and 20 Contemporary Attractions in Italy's Fashion Capital - Image 15 of 61 — © Filippo Romano

Gino Valle Square / Valle Architetti Associati

Milan Architecture City Guide: 15 Must-See Landmarks and 20 Contemporary Attractions in Italy's Fashion Capital - Image 17 of 61 — Courtesy of Valle Architetti Associati

Gucci Hub / Piuarch

Milan Architecture City Guide: 15 Must-See Landmarks and 20 Contemporary Attractions in Italy's Fashion Capital - Image 18 of 61 — © Andrea Martiradonna

Cascina Merlata Residential Development / Mario Cucinella Architects

Milan Architecture City Guide: 15 Must-See Landmarks and 20 Contemporary Attractions in Italy's Fashion Capital - Image 21 of 61 — © Guido Maria Isolabella

Fondazione Prada / OMA

Milan Architecture City Guide: 15 Must-See Landmarks and 20 Contemporary Attractions in Italy's Fashion Capital - Image 22 of 61 — © Bas Princen - Fondazione Prada

Generali Tower / Zaha Hadid Architects

Milan Architecture City Guide: 15 Must-See Landmarks and 20 Contemporary Attractions in Italy's Fashion Capital - Image 25 of 61 — © Hufton + Crow

New Attractions

Apple Piazza Liberty / Foster + Partners

Milan Architecture City Guide: 15 Must-See Landmarks and 20 Contemporary Attractions in Italy's Fashion Capital - Image 27 of 61 — © Nigel Young

New Urban Campus for Bocconi University / SANAA

Milan Architecture City Guide: 15 Must-See Landmarks and 20 Contemporary Attractions in Italy's Fashion Capital - Image 2 of 61 — © Philippe Ruault

Collegio di Milano / Piuarch

Milan Architecture City Guide: 15 Must-See Landmarks and 20 Contemporary Attractions in Italy's Fashion Capital - Image 30 of 61 — © Marcello Mariana

Citylife Apartments / Zaha Hadid Architects

Milan Architecture City Guide: 15 Must-See Landmarks and 20 Contemporary Attractions in Italy's Fashion Capital - Image 32 of 61 — © Simón Garcia

Bun Milan Restaurant / Masquespacio

Milan Architecture City Guide: 15 Must-See Landmarks and 20 Contemporary Attractions in Italy's Fashion Capital - Image 34 of 61 — © Gregory Abbate

Marsotto Milan Showroom / nendo

Milan Architecture City Guide: 15 Must-See Landmarks and 20 Contemporary Attractions in Italy's Fashion Capital - Image 35 of 61 — © Hiroki Tagma

Residenze Carlo Erba / Eisenman Architects + Degli Esposti Architetti + AZstudio

Milan Architecture City Guide: 15 Must-See Landmarks and 20 Contemporary Attractions in Italy's Fashion Capital - Image 38 of 61 — © Marco de Bigontina ESPERIENZA-DRONE

MEET Digital Arts Center / Carlo Ratti Associati

Milan Architecture City Guide: 15 Must-See Landmarks and 20 Contemporary Attractions in Italy's Fashion Capital - Image 40 of 61 — © Michele Nastasi

Residential Building Canonica / deamicisarchitetti

Milan Architecture City Guide: 15 Must-See Landmarks and 20 Contemporary Attractions in Italy's Fashion Capital - Image 42 of 61 — © Alberto Strada

Bally Flagship Store Milan / Casper Mueller Kneer Architects

Milan Architecture City Guide: 15 Must-See Landmarks and 20 Contemporary Attractions in Italy's Fashion Capital - Image 45 of 61 — © Paul Riddle

Camparino in Galleria Bar / Lissoni Casal Ribeiro

Milan Architecture City Guide: 15 Must-See Landmarks and 20 Contemporary Attractions in Italy's Fashion Capital - Image 47 of 61 — © Santi Caleca

forte_forte milano / forte_forte

Milan Architecture City Guide: 15 Must-See Landmarks and 20 Contemporary Attractions in Italy's Fashion Capital - Image 49 of 61 — © Paola Pansini

Motta Milano 1928 / Collidanielarchitetto

Milan Architecture City Guide: 15 Must-See Landmarks and 20 Contemporary Attractions in Italy's Fashion Capital - Image 51 of 61 — © Matteo Piazza

M89 Hotel / Piuarch

Milan Architecture City Guide: 15 Must-See Landmarks and 20 Contemporary Attractions in Italy's Fashion Capital - Image 53 of 61 — © Andrea Martiradonna

Base - Center For Culture And Creativity / Onsite Studio

Milan Architecture City Guide: 15 Must-See Landmarks and 20 Contemporary Attractions in Italy's Fashion Capital - Image 55 of 61 — © Giovanna Silva

Bibilioteca degli Alberi Park / Inside Outside Architecture

Milan Architecture City Guide: 15 Must-See Landmarks and 20 Contemporary Attractions in Italy's Fashion Capital - Image 57 of 61 — © Andrea Cherchi

Fondazione Luigi Rovati / Mario Cucinella Architects

Milan Architecture City Guide: 15 Must-See Landmarks and 20 Contemporary Attractions in Italy's Fashion Capital - Image 58 of 61 — © Duccio Malagamba

PAN Bakery Milano / studio wok

Milan Architecture City Guide: 15 Must-See Landmarks and 20 Contemporary Attractions in Italy's Fashion Capital - Image 59 of 61 — © Simone Bossi

Pharo Office Building / Park Associati

Milan Architecture City Guide: 15 Must-See Landmarks and 20 Contemporary Attractions in Italy's Fashion Capital - Image 60 of 61 — © Nicola Colella - Park Associati

San Raffaele Hospital / Mario Cucinella Architects

Milan Architecture City Guide: 15 Must-See Landmarks and 20 Contemporary Attractions in Italy's Fashion Capital - Image 61 of 61 — © Duccio Malagamba

We invite you to visit our list of Architecture City Guides.

Editor's Note: This article was originally published on February 01, 2023.

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Cite: Hana Abdel. "Milan Architecture City Guide: 15 Must-See Landmarks and 20 Contemporary Attractions in Italy's Fashion Capital" 05 Apr 2024. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/979356/milan-city-guide-20-projects-to-see-in-italys-fashion-capital> ISSN 0719-8884