This huge square (one of the largest in Italy) was completed in 1873. From it you can take in the enormous mass of the cathedral that dominates the esplanade. With an equestrian statue of Vittorio Emanuele II (Ercole Rosa, 1896) at its centre, the square is fronted by buildings dating back to different periods, the most recent being the Palazzo dell'Arengario, home to the Museo del Novecento (1928). Opposite the Duomo, the palm trees planted in 2017 are considered by locals to be a little too exotic for Milan!