The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1884-09-27
IN FOREIGN LANDS.

Modern Milan and Its Chief Attractions
| Historic Battlefelds--Ascent Of Mount
Blanc-Magnificent Mountain Peaks and
Glaciers.
f. From our own Correspondent.
The city of Milansbears the impress of
the nineteenth century more than any
other spot in Italy except perhaps Turin,
and yet it is one of the oldest cities of this
historic land. It was founded 600 years
before Christ, but has been repeatedly
destroyed by the conquering armies which
| have 50 often swept over this part of Italy.
Its manufacturing interests are very large
| and its population of 100000 is second
only to that of Naples. For ladies in par
ticular, its history should be especially in
teresting, as early in the sixteenth century
it testablished and controlled the fashions of
Europe, a fact which we have preserved in
the derivation of our modern word, milliner.
The broad plain of Lombardy in which
| Milan IS sitnated has been in modern times
the arena where French, Austrians and
Italians have often fought. The battle
fields of Marengo and Lodi, famous in the
history of the great Napoleon, rs well as
Magenta, the glory of the last of the Bona
parties, are all near the city.
Of the many. churches of Italy, the
cathedral of Milan ranks next to st. Peters
at Rome in point of magnifcence and in
terest, with the added advantage of being
Gothic in its architecture. It was COM
menced nearly 500 years ago and is not yet
completed. The facade, although marred
by the severely classical doors, is one of the
finest in Europe. The entire structure
covers about two and one-half acres of
ground, it being nearly 500 feet i'll length
and about 200 feet wide. The vaulting of
the nave rises 1856 feet above the marble
mosaic of the pavement, and is supported
by massive pillars from eight to twelve feet
in diameter, surInounted by statues in
inches instead of capitals. But it is in the
wonderful decorations of its exterior rather
than in the beauty of its interior that the
principal interest of the Cathedral lies. Its
roof is composed of blocks of marble and
from it rises a perfect labyrinth of turrets
and pinnacles with thousands of statues
and elaborate ornaments of every kind
From the platform of the spire which sur
mounts the dome the view is the finest in
northern Italy. The Alps rising far away
on the north, with Mont Blanc and Monta
Rosa standing out in bold relief, circle
around to the east and west and from al
most a semicircle, while to the south, be-
yond the fertile plains, the Apennines, those
I" mighty mountains, dim and gray" fill
nearly half of the remaining horizon.
Near the cathedral is the Gallery of Vic
tor Emanuel, beautiful glass covered
arcade erected at cost of over 81 ,500, 900
and occupied with shops. The La Scala
theatre, one of the largest in world, is also
in this central part of the city. It's i'm
mense stage, 15O feet deep and over 100
wide, is alone as large as many theatres,
while its vast auditorium, with its seven
tiers Of boxes rising up to the roof, gives
accommodation to many thousands of
pleasure seekers.
The Italian Lakes Maggiore, Como aud
Lugano, lie nearly north of Milan and only
about thirty niles distant. AS as our time
was somewhat limited we did not make an
extended stay in this beautiful region, but
contented ourself with aview of Maggiore,
which we reached at Laveno by rail from
Milan, and passed thence by steamer to
Intra. This lake possesses some very love-
ly scenery, but is not to be compared to
Lake Lucerne in Switzerland, and is also
pronounced inferior to Lake Como by those
who have seen the latter. 1t is about 45
miles in length and has an average width
of three miles. The shore is studded with
dirty italian villages, in which as some
writer has said, 8. the charm of many an ex-
quisite bit of Italian village scenery is dis
PEELED as soon as you get within smelling
distance &of it. . The famous BORON can
Isles are ON the:southeast side of the lake.
near Pallanza, and are noted for their
picturesque beauty as well as for their hav-
ing been the residence of Cardinal Charles
Borromeo.
At Intra we took diligence" /" for ride
of about seventy miles over the great
Simplon route across the Alps from Italy
to Switzerland. The diligence is singular
type of mountain coach. Besides the
drivers seat it is divided into three parts:
the interior, which corresponds to the inside
of an ordinary stage coach. the coupe,