The Arch of Peace (Arco della Pace in Italian) in Milan is a monument dedicated to European concord. It is one of the most representative symbols of this city and that today it has become one of the many tourist images that Italy has . It is a beautiful setting for visitors who enjoy Sempione Park and for architecture enthusiasts who come to admire its intricate designs.
Summary
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- 1 Story
- 2 Situation
- 3 Concept
- 4 Description
- 5 Materials
- 6 Image Gallery
- 7 Sources
History
Napoleon commissioned the architect Luiggi Cagnola to build a celebratory arch in 1806 , but when he was defeated in the Battle of Waterloo , the works were paralyzed until 1826 when Francesco I of Austria wanted to complete them and introduce certain modifications, since he wanted to dedicate said arch to the European Peace achieved in 1815 .
The commission was once again entrusted to Luiggi Cagnola until the date of his death in 1833 and was completed by Francesco Paverelli . It opened in September of 1838 by Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria.
Situation
The Arch of Peace is located in the Sempione Park, on one of the sides of the Sforza Castle , in Milan, Italy.
Concept
Luigi Cagnola was inspired by the typology of the “three fornici”, the arched openings found in classical buildings, such as the Colosseum in Rome , although in this case the inspiration was based on the triumphal arch of Settimio Severus , from the Roman Forum .
Description
The neoclassical arch is 25 meters high and is framed by four ribbed Corinthian columns at regular intervals, becoming a measure of the sides of the facade.
In the center is the highest arch, flanked laterally by the other two smaller ones. Both the sides and the superimposed blocks of the front capital are richly decorated with low reliefs that represent episodes from the entire Restoration period.
On the central cornice the four rivers of the then kingdom of Lombardy-Veneto are personified: the Po, the Ticino, the Adile and the Tagliamento. In the highest part, there is a bronze figure , very similar to that of the Goddess Irene located at the Brandenburg Gate , carried by 6 steeds and with a huge inscription in front of the “Sestina della Pace” (poem by the peace), in memory of the four victories.
Adorning its facade is a series of statues made of marble and bronze. Representations of important historical events, including the Battle of Leipzig and the Congress of Vienna . Statues of Apollo , Mars and Minerva can also be seen in the arch.
In this work the architectural values of the French Revolution and the new civic values that rescue the meaning of the ancient, classical forms, their grandeur, their balance of spaces and symmetry are highlighted . It is similar to the Arc de Triomphe (Paris) , also ordered to be built by Napoleon.
materials
The body of the arch is granite from Baveno Crevola and is framed by four ribbed Corinthian columns in Creola d’Ossola marble . The figures that adorn its upper part are made of bronze.