REQUIEM FOR GIUSEPPE VERDI: A JOURNEY IN MILAN VISITING THE PLACES OF FAREWELL TO THE MAESTRO

Imagine walking alongside the now-consecrated Giuseppe Verdi through the streets of Milan, the city that welcomed him and saw him depart forever. The city, a silent witness to his last days, still echoes with the harmony of his footsteps: here, among the alleys, monuments, churches and theatres, you can still feel the last breath of a man who, until the end, communicated the universal language of opera.

Each place along this route tells a fragment of that final story. An itinerary designed for anyone who wants to relive Giuseppe Verdi’s last days, step by step, retracing his final notes in a Milan that becomes the scene of a solemn farewell to the Maestro himself.

The journey begins at the Monumental Cemetery, a famous place of remembrance where Verdi was temporarily buried, together with other great names in history, in a solemn burial. From here, the route leads to the Parish Church of St. Mark, where the Messa da Requiem was premiered in memory of Alessandro Manzoni. Not far away is the Grand Hotel et de Milan, which houses the room where the composer spent his last days. The walk continues towards La Scala Theatre, the beating heart of his career and the stage for immortal operas, before reaching Piazza Buonarroti, where the Monument to Giuseppe Verdi stands in all its grandeur. The ideal conclusion to the tour is Rest Home for Musicians, commissioned and donated by the Maestro himself, the place where the circle closes, becoming a moment of reflection at the crypt where he was buried alongside his beloved Giuseppina Strepponi.

Main themes: historical, architectural, religious
Mode: on foot / by bike
Duration: 2 h
Indications:
– Type of excursion: one way
– Difficulty: easy
– Lenght: 5,9 km
– Height difference: 6 m ascent, 8 m descent

Route stages
Start: Monumental Cemetery (Piazzale Cimitero Monumentale, Milano).
A well-known city cemetery, as well as the temporary resting place of Giuseppe Verdi’s body in the days following his death on 27 January 1901. The Maestro’s tomb remained here for about ten years, kept in the Famedio, a temple that houses the remains of illustrious figures who contributed to the greatness of the city and Italy, such as Arturo Toscanini, Alessandro Manzoni and Salvatore Quasimodo.

Stage 1: St.Mark’s Church (Piazza San Marco 2, Milano).
One of the places most closely linked to Verdi’s artistic maturity. Here he conducted the premiere of the Messa da Requiem in 1874 as part of Alessandro Manzoni’s funeral. In the 17th century, as a plaque recalls, a young Mozart stayed in the rectory for three months.

Stage 2: Grand Hotel et de Milan (Via Alessandro Manzoni 29, Milano).
This distinguished hotel, still in operation today, is where Giuseppe Verdi spent the last years of his life until 27 January 1901. His Suite No.105 is still preserved as it was then and can be visited upon request. Looking out of the windows, one can recall his final days of agony: Milan came to a standstill, awaiting news, and straw was laid on Via Manzoni to muffle any noise and respect his rest.

Stage 3: La Scala Theatre (Via Filodrammatici 2, Milano).
A global landmark for Italian opera and international music, as well as the place where Giuseppe Verdi presented some of his most famous masterpieces, such as Nabucco, Othello and Falstaff. Inside, the Theatre Museum preserves documents, costumes and objects related to his career.

Stage 4: Monument to Giuseppe Verdi (Piazza Michelangelo Buonarroti 30, Milano).
It was inaugurated in 1913, on the centenary of the composer’s birth. It is an imposing bronze statue depicting Verdi standing with his hands behind his back, captured in an attitude of contemplation and dignity. It is not a triumphant and exaggeratedly mythological icon, but the humble image of a man watching over the city that welcomed him in his final days.

Arrive: Rest Home for Musicians (Piazza Michelangelo Buonarroti 29, Milano).
The final stage, founded by Giuseppe Verdi himself between 1896 and 1899 and still in operation today. The tour ends with a final farewell to the Maestro, visiting the crypt where he is buried alongside his beloved Giuseppina Strepponi. The neo-Gothic complex welcomes elderly artists and musicians who are alone or in financial difficulty. Today, as then, it maintains the same charitable nature.


Useful tips: A bottle of water, packed lunch and layers of clothing. The route can also be covered by bicycle for those who wish to do so, covering a distance of 7.7 km: in this case, it is advisable to take a detour from the starting point towards Via Bramante, skirting Parco Sempione and arriving at the first stage, the St. Mark’s Church, through Via Ancona. It is advisable to wear appropriate clothing (especially with low temperatures) and comfortable shoes for cycling.