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OMF World |
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Milan |
| Before and After | |
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Thanks to the Internet - excellent archival site pastvu.com - and digital camera, the time machine is now possible. In July of 2016 I was on a business trip to Italy and managed to spend a day in Milan. Yes, one can say that one day, and not even the whole day (I had to drive south to Piacenza) is not enough to capture everything. True, I could only see what was on Hop-on Hop-off City Tour, but even that was a lot as seen up above and in the Public Transport section. Much to my astonishment, I found out that there's a lot of photos made by different authors at different times (some as far back as 1900s) from exact (of near exact) same spot as I took in my brief time there. And I didn't pick the spots to match - how could I, I'm not clairvoyant. Just great minds think alike :-). On my second trip in 2025, when I had a lot more time to explore, I made some updates to the 2016 photos to make the old and new photos closer alike. |
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| Let's start with Duomo and Piazza del Duomo | |
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Friguyes Schoch, 1909 |
More than a hundred years later - much less trams, much more cars. And people. 2016 |
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| Six decades later. There's no trams, but still cars are present. 1965 |
Now there's just people. 2016 |
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| Another twenty year past. Wintry plaza and Duomo. Everybody just passes through - no tourists. Virgilio Carnisio, 1985 |
In the summer there's totally different scene - no locals. 2016 |
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| Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. 1965 |
Different stores, different advertizing. 2016 |
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| Vittorio Emanuele II statue. 1974 |
Different clothes. And a lot less visual garbage, i.e. advertizing. 2016 |
| Now to the streets around Plaza Duomo | |
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| Piazza del Mercanti as seen in the early 50s. Transport is freely moving. Ancillotti & Martinotti, 1951 |
This one I couldn't capture in 2016, but there's a view from just the same spot from 2025. 2025 |
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| Piazza del Mercanti as seen in 1961 during construction of the Metro line. 1961 |
Now it is another pedestrial mall. 2016 |
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| Moving to the opposite side of the Plaza Duomo. Here's via Orefici. Michel Reps, 1986 |
Same view, just wide open. But here is the view with the tram. 2016 |
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| Peter Witt tram is turning from Via Torino to Via Orefici. 1967 |
Same view, a little newer tram. 2016 |
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| Back side of the Plaza Duomo - Via Larga and Plaza Fontana. Note the trolleybus route 84. Lindsay Bridge, 1970 |
Same view, just a little to the right with better view of the hotel and Larga Augusta. And here is the same route 84. Only a regular diesel bus. 2016 |
| Moving down Via Alessandro Manzoni (passed La Scala Theater) | |
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| At the entrance of the Piazza Cavour (behind photographer) stand Archi di Porta Nuova. Is traffic control really necessary? Looks like it was necessary after the WWII. 1936 |
Today it's necessary. 2016 |
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| Piazza Cavour. And a slightly different view here in 1895. 1922 |
Today not much had changed. Except traffic. And the corner building lost nice ornaments and gained one floor. 2016 |
| And now some shots around town | |
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| Stazione Centrale (Main Railroad Station). 1933 |
Today not much have changed. 2016 |
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| Via Vittor Pisani with Stazione Centrale at the background. Jean-Henri Manara, 1977 |
Today trams gave way to the central reservation for public transport, as if they were not (-:. 2016 |
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| Porta Garibaldi. 1920 |
Not much changed today 2016 |
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| Castello Sforzesco. Main Entrance. 1965 |
The modern view. The view was ugly in 2016 2025 |
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| Arco della Pace (Peace Arch). 1965 |
Nothing changed, just the trees are larger. 2016 |
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| Piazza della Repubblica. Lindsay Bridge, 1970 |
Not much changed, just the trams are only on a cross street. 2016 |
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| Santa Maria delle Grazie 1965 |
This church is a host to Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper. 2016 |
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| Corso Venezia. Aerial View 1954 |
Now from the ground level. No trams now. 2016 |
| The last two were not exactly from the same spot, but close enough | |
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| Largo Augusto 1931 |
This is a little bit to the right with a view of the opposite side of plaza. 2016 |
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| Piazza Cadorna Ancilloti & Martinotti, 1951 |
Everything has changed since Milan Fair of 1951. Not quite the same spot but close enough. 2025 |
