Pinacoteca di Brera

The Baroque Palace of Brera houses an extraordinary collection of art works from various churches and convents throughout the regions of Italy. Among the feast of paintings are some of the finest examples of Italian Renaissance and Baroque masterpieces, including major works by Piero della Francesca,  Mantegna, Bellini,  Raphael,  Tintoretto,  Veronese,  Caravaggio and Titian. The collection also includes artworks by some of Italy's most famous artists of the 20th century.

Cristo Morto by Andrea Mantegna (1500 - shown above)

Mantegna painted Christ from a dramatic perspective. The position of the body clearly shows the wounds on the hands and feet from being spiked upon the cross. It's considered one of his greatest masterpieces.

Marriage of the Virgin by Raphael (1504)

Raphael painted this magnificent altarpiece at the age of 21, depicting the Bride among the gathering of well wishers. The circular temple is signed with the artist's name.

The Pieta' by Giovanni Bellini (1465)

Bellini painted this dramatic work while under the influence of his brother-in-law Mantegna.

Inside the Accademia di Brera an arrow indicates "Osservatorio" (observatory): follow it. Along an incredible footbridge, which spans the roof of the building, you can enjoy an unusual view of 19th century Milan.

In this observatory, 124 years ago, the Italian astronomer Schiaparelli, was the first to discover the ice caps and canals of Mars. In the observatory everything has remained intact, from the furniture to the telescope.