Milano, Arco della Pace

The construction of the Arco della Pace took place over long and laborious phases of time. Added to the municipality's financial problems, causing the suspension of work soon after commencement, were other political barriers resulting from the fall of the Kingdom of Italy, the beginning of the new Lombard-Venetian Kingdom and all the consequent political, administrative changes, as well as the "world vision" at that time: not least, the return of the preferential orientation of the city from the north-west to north-east, from Paris to Vienna.
Maximum expression of Milanese neoclassic art, the monument was created in 1807 by the architect L. Cagnola to celebrate the Napoleonic victories. It was, in fact, given the name of Arco delle Vittorie, and its completion engaged Cagnola right up to his death(1833). With the re-entry of the victorious Austrians to Milan (1815), the Arch underwent a number of comprehensible changes in the symbolism of its sculptures and of its bas-reliefs and was re-baptised the Arco della Pace. Inaugurated in 1838 by Ferdinand of Austria, it underwent further modifications to the inscriptions in 1859, when Napoleon III and Vittorio Emanuele II re-entered Milan after their victory in Magenta, but the name remained the same.
Built for the most part from Crevola marble, it emulates the lines of Roman triumphal arches. It is an arch with three fornices, flanked in front on both sides by monumental fluted Corinthian columns, and supported by high pedestals decorated with allegoric figures. Resting on the trabeation are half-recumbent statues symbolising the Four Rivers: the Po and the Ticino, the Adige and the Tagliamento, curved by B. Cacciatori (facing towards the city) and of P. Marchesi (facing towards the country). On the terminal attic stands out the bronze Sestiga della Pace, by the sculptor Abbondio Sangiorgio (1798-1879), flanked by the four Vittorie a cavallo by Giovanni Putti. The monument is also adorned with a magnificent neoclassic decoration, framing the main events which brought about the fall of Napoleon and following events. Also the work of Cagnola are the two toll houses situated at the sides of the Arch.
The triumphal arch was much admired by contemporary artists, both for its impressive size (25 metres high) as well as for its proportions. In fact it can be inserted into a rectangle bordering almost on a square, in addition to its precision, erudition, and the richness of its classic decorations.