Piazza Cordusio (also informally referred to as Piazzale Cordusio)The terms "piazza" and "piazzale" both refer to city squares, the latter being used for "larger" squares. While Cordusio is a rather large square, its formal name is "Piazza Cordusio" (se

. An example of a formally defined "Piazzale" is

Piazzale Loreto Piazzale Loreto is a major city square in Milan, Italy. Origin The name ''Loreto'' is also used in a wider sense to refer to the district surrounding the square, which is part of the Zone 2 administrative division, in the northeastern part of ...

(which is in fact much larger than Cordusio). is a square in central

Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

. The ''piazza'' takes its name from the ''Cors Ducis'' (Ducal court) which was located on the square during Longobard times. It is well known for its several turn-of-the-19th-century Neoclassical, eclectic and

Art Nouveau Art Nouveau ( ; ; ), Jugendstil and Sezessionstil in German, is an international style of art, architecture, and applied art, especially the decorative arts. It was often inspired by natural forms such as the sinuous curves of plants and ...

buildings, banks and post offices. Even though many of these have now relocated elsewhere, it is still an important commercial square in the city and hosts the ''Palazzo delle

Assicurazioni Generali Assicurazioni Generali S.p.A. ( , ; meaning 'general insurances') or commonly known as Generali Group is an Italian insurance company based in Trieste. As of 2022, it is the largest insurance company in Italy and ranks among the world's largest i ...

'' (Palace of the Assicurazioni Generali), the ''Palazzo del Credito Italiano'' (Palace of the Credito Italiano) and the ''Palazzo delle Poste (Palace of the Post Office), former Borsa di Milano'' (former Milan Stock Exchange). Piazzale Cordusio hosts the Cordusio metro station and is the starting point of the elegant pedestrian Via Dante which leads to the imposing medieval

Castello Sforzesco The Sforza Castle ( ; ) is a medieval fortification located in Milan, northern Italy. It was built in the 15th century by Francesco Sforza, Duke of Milan, on the remnants of a 14th-century fortification. Later renovated and enlarged, in the 1 ...

, or Milan Castle. Opposite to Via Dante, Cordusio borders onto Piazza Mercanti, former city centre in the Middle Ages, which leads directly to Piazza del Duomo, today's city centre.

Notable buildings

* Palazzo delle Assicurazioni Generali (1897-1901): main building in the square, designed by

Luca Beltrami Luca Beltrami (November 13, 1854 – August 8, 1933) was an Italian architect and architectural historian, known particularly for restoration projects. Biography Early life and education Beltrami was born in Milan then part of the Austrian Em ...

. It housed the main headquarters of the mega-finance corporation

. It has a small tower with a dome. * Palazzo del Credito Italiano (1901): a semi-circular eclectic building, was designed by Luigi Broggi. *Palazzo delle Poste (1901): Another semi-circular building similar in style to that of the Credito Italiano, and also designed by Luigi Broggi and completed in 1901. It was the old stock exchange of Milan, until it was transferred to the more modern

Palazzo Mezzanotte Palazzo Mezzanotte, also known as Palazzo delle Borse ("Stock Exchange Palace") is a 20th-century building of Milan, Italy, and the seat of the Italian stock exchange. It is located in Piazza Affari ("Business Square"), the city square after whi ...

in Piazza Affari ("Business Square"). After having hosted the main post office in Milan, currently it hosts the first

Starbucks Reserve Starbucks Reserve is a program by the flagship international coffeehouse chain Starbucks. The program involves operation of worldwide roasteries; currently six are in operation. Also part of the program are 28 coffee bars preparing Starbucks Rese ...

Roastery in Europe. * Casa Broggi (1895): eclectic building at intersection of Via Dante and Meravigli, designed by Luigi Broggi and a young Giuseppe Sommaruga. While the base has a rusticated simplicity, upper levels become more decorative. File:Piazza Cordusio 2 002.jpg, Palazzo delle Assicurazioni Generali File:Palazzo del Credito Italiano in Milan.jpg, Palazzo del Credito Italiano File:Palazzo delle Poste Milano.jpg, Palazzo delle Poste

Monuments

Monumento a Giuseppe Parini

This is a metal and stone statue which stands in the middle of the piazzale and is meant to depict the great literary figure

Giuseppe Parini Giuseppe Parini (23 May 1729 – 15 August 1799) was an Italian satirist and Neoclassicism, Neoclassical poet. Biography Parini (originally spelled Parino) was born in Bosisio Parini, Bosisio (later renamed Bosisio Parini in his honour) in Brianz ...

(1729-1799). It was constructed by

(1854-1933).

Footnotes

{{Milan landmarks Cordusio Tourist attractions in Milan