Step through these magnificent glass-vaulted arcades and enter what many consider to be the most beautiful shopping mall in the world — the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele the Second. When it opened in eighteen seventy-seven, it was something entirely new — a covered street where Milan’s fashionable society could stroll, shop, and be seen, all year round, regardless of the weather. The mastermind behind this architectural marvel was Giuseppe Mengoni. But his story ended in tragedy. Just days before the grand opening, Mengoni fell from the roof while inspecting the structure and died. Some say it was an accident; others whisper it was suicide, brought on by the immense pressure and criticism surrounding his design. Whatever the truth, he never lived to see his creation become one of Milan’s most iconic landmarks. Look up now at the breathtaking iron and glass dome above you — this was cutting-edge technology in the nineteenth century. The Galleria was one of the first buildings in Milan to be lit by electric lights, making it a bold symbol of progress and modernity. The design itself is cross-shaped — and that’s no coincidence. It was intentionally planned to link two of Milan’s most significant places: the Duomo, representing the sacred, and La Scala, the opera house, representing the secular. We’ll visit La Scala later in the tour. If you're standing directly under the glass dome, take a moment to look down at the mosaics beneath your feet. At the center lies the coat of arms of the House of Savoy — the royal family who played a key role in the unification of Italy. Their emblem here marks their influence over the country during that pivotal period in history. Surrounding it are mosaics representing the three major capital cities of Italy at the time, each shown through a historic symbol: the she-wolf for Rome, the lily for Florence, and the bull for Turin. The Italian word for Turin is Torino, which comes from toro, meaning bull — or “little bull.” Now, that bull has become the center of an unusual Milanese tradition. The mosaic originally showed the bull with prominent testicles, and over the years, a superstition emerged: spinning three times on your heel right on that spot would bring good luck. Men began doing this regularly, and women started touching the same spot, believing it would improve fertility. After years of this ritual, the bull’s testicles have been completely worn away, leaving a visible hole in the mosaic. But the tradition lives on — a charming example of how superstition and local custom can thrive, even in a place of such elegance and grandeur. Let’s make our way now to the next stop.