Palazzo della Rinascente, Department store at Piazza del Duomo, Milan, Italy
Palazzo della Rinascente is a ten-story building at Milan's Piazza del Duomo with marble facades, terracotta window frames, and expansive display windows. The structure rises with carefully detailed surfaces across its floors, combining decorative architectural elements with its function as a major department store.
Architect Ferdinando Reggiori designed this building in 1950 to replace an earlier store that was destroyed in 1918. The new construction represented a key moment in Milan's reconstruction and the renewal of its commercial districts after wartime damage.
The building merges traditional Milanese craftsmanship with modern retail design, showing how local materials shaped post-war commercial architecture. The marble surfaces and terracotta frames reflect the city's approach to blending commerce with artistic identity.
The building connects directly to Duomo metro station on the red line M1, making it easily accessible by public transport. Visitors can step from the train into the store and reach surrounding areas without extra walking.
The top floor holds a food hall with a viewing terrace that offers direct sightlines to Milan Cathedral's spires and stonework. This hidden viewing spot remains little known among visitors and provides a quiet vantage point overlooking one of the city's most famous buildings.
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