What Kind of City is Milan?

The city of Milan serves as the regional and provincial capital of northern Italy's Lombardy (Lombardia) region. It is Italy's most prosperous manufacturing and commercial metropolis as well as its top financial hub.

Like many other great cities around the world, Milan's future continues to be somewhat of a historical contradiction. Although the unification of Italy actually started in Turin, not Milan, in 1870, there are many compelling arguments why Milan should have served as the nation's capital. Many Milanese also hold this opinion. However, Milan is the most active and important city to have grown since ancient times.