Events: Bonaparte enters Milan, 15 May 1796; Josephine arrives in Milan, 13 July 1796; The French army’s art requisitions, 1796; Bonaparte’s court life, summer 1797; The establishment of the Cisalpine Republic, 29 June 1797

Stops: Milan

The trail: The capital of Lombardy and the most important city in Northern Italy, Milan was destined to play a central role during the campaign. That Bonaparte’s stepson Eugene Beauharnais was to rule in Milan from 1805 to 1814 cemented further Milan’s associations with Napoleon’s France. Starting with Bonaparte’s entry, the Milan trail tracks the French army’s art requisitions, Josephine’s arrival to join her husband, the republican fervour provoked by the French invasion and finally the installation of the Cisalpine Republic. The trail includes several of Milan’s most important tourist attractions such as the Ambrosiana, subject to the art commissioners’ raids, the Palazzo Reale, hosting Bonaparte’s welcoming party, La Scala, celebrating Josephine’s arrival, and the Brera, an art museum that would never have involved into the world class tourist attraction it is had it not been for Napoleon.

Sights:

Porta Romana. The final details having been sorted out by Massena, Bonaparte entered the city through Porta Romana on 15 May 1796, a gate that had originally been erected to celebrate the arrival of the Austrian Empress Maria Teresa half a century earlier.

Palazzo Reale. The celebrations on 15 May culminated in a large banquet held in the former palace of the Austrian governor, Ferdinand. Having only just undergone a sweeping remodelling in line with the fashionable neo-classical design, the palace composed a perfect frame for a grand celebration. As for Ferdinand, he had vacated Milan a few days previously. Tue-Sun 9am-5.30pm.

Castello Sforzesco. Apart from the garrison left behind by Ferdinand in the massive fortified castle, the French were free to take control of the city. Today the castle houses the Museo d’Arte Antica. Tue-Sun 9am-5.30pm.

Palazzo Serbelloni. Bonaparte was supposed to have stayed in Palazzo Reale, but swayed by the hospitality of a certain Gian Galeazzo Serbelloni he was accommodated in Palazzo Serbelloni, another building that had only just been refurbished. Not open to the public.

Cathedral square. Adjacent to the city’s governing bodies the cathedral square was a natural choice when the revolutionaries decided to erect the symbolic tree of liberty.

Bibliotheca Ambrosiana. The magnificent Ambrosiana collection didn’t escape the attention of the French art commissioners for long. Fortunately there was a natural limit to the amount of works of art the French were able to transport to Paris. The Ambrosiana is still one of the most magnificent museums in Milan. Tue-Sun 10am-5.30pm.

Santa Maria delle Grazie. Doubly unfortunate, the church lost a painting by Titian and was converted into a stable. Leonardo de Vinci’s The Last Supper was left untouched. Open to the public.

Pinacoteca di Brera. If it hadn’t been for the many years of Napoleonic rule following the invasion in 1796-97, the Brera collection of art might never have evolved into the truly splendid museum it is today. In spite of the blemished French legacy, tribute is still paid to Bonaparte in the museum’s courtyard. Tue-Sat 9am-5pm, Sun and holidays 9am-12.15pm.

Palazzo Arcivescovile. If anyone loathed the French revolutionary hordes it was the church. Many churches and convents were subject to the French requisitions. The Archbishop was spared in 1796, but a few years later his well-stocked collection fell victim to the commissioners too. Not open to the public.

La Scala. After much waiting Josephine finally joined her husband in July. Coinciding with the celebration of the Bastille Day, a large gala was held at La Scala, the city’s most important entertainment venue both then and now.

Museo del Risorgimento. Dedicated to the period in Italian history that led to the Italian peninsula’s unity, the museum contains several rooms, which focus on the French influence under Napoleon. Tue-Sun 9am-1pm & 2pm-6pm.

Museo di Milano. As testimony to the history of Milan in the 18^th and 19^th centuries, the museum covers the period from the Enlightenment to national unity, including the Napoleonic era. The museum is closed for restoration at the time of writing.

Mombello. Home to gossip and intrigue, the country estate of the Crivelli family, located outside of Milan, housed Bonaparte’s headquarters in the summer of 1797. Today it houses a school and is therefore only partially open to the public.

Palazzo Senato. Of all the revolutionary projects launched by the French in 1797, the Cisalpine Republic was the most important. The legislative bodies of the new republic were inaugurated in Palazzo Senato.

Lazaretto. On 9 July 1797 the declaration of the Cisalpine Republic was celebrated in the huge open square of Milan’s former lazaretto. At present only a church and a few other remainders are left.