Built for Mussolini, a photo from Milan, Lombardia

Photographer's Note

A jump in my winter Milanese archive to propose an alternative photo of the fountain of the Castello Sforzesco, in the opposite direction to the one that everyone does and that you can see in the WS. This is the magnificent fountain, nicknamed the "wedding cake" and fully functional even with a few degrees below zero as it was on that day. In the background a side tower of the entrance to the courtyard. The history of this fountain is troubled. Built during the fascist era of the then electricity management company AEM, the original was made in 1936 on the occasion of the visit of Mussolini who was meeting with the veterans of the Abyssinian war.
It was so successful that, from provisional, it became permanent in 1939. Fountain illuminated at night during the war was darkened and was dismantled in 1959, during the construction of the subway, after having long been a symbolic element of the city. Closed in a warehouse for decades on a project by the Municipality of Milan, it was revived in 1999 and the new fountain was built in the image of the previous one.
Still both for its peculiarity and for its position it is a meeting point for many citizens and tourists, a pleasant stop before entering to visit the Castle and the adjacent gardens.

Un salto nel mio archivio milanese invernale per proporre una foto alternativa della fontana del Castello Sforzesco, in direzione opposta a quella che tutti fanno e che potete vedere nel WS. Questa è la magnifica fontana,sprannominata "torta degli sposi" e perfettamente funzionante anche con qualche grado sotto zero come era in quel giorno. Sullo sfondo una torre laterale dell'ingresso al cortile. Travagliata la storia di questa fontana. Costruita durante l’era fascista d’allora società di gestione dell’energia elettrica AEM l’originale fu realizzata nel 1936 in occasione della visita di Mussolini che si incontrava con i reduci della guerra d’Abissinia.
Ebbe un tale successo che, da provvisoria, divenne definitiva nel 1939. Fontana illuminata di notte durante la guerra venne oscurata e fu smontata nel 1959, durante i lavori di costruzione della metropolitana, dopo essere stata a lungo un elemento simbolico della città. Chiusa in un magazzino per decenni su progetto del Comune di Milano venne riproposta nel 1999 e fu realizzata la nuova fontana a immagine della precedente.
Tuttora sia per la peculiarità che per la posizione è un punto di raccolta di numerosi cittadini e turisti, sosta gradevole prima di entrare a visitare il Castello ed i giardini adiacenti.

pierrefonds, aliabazari, mcmtanyel, COSTANTINO, jemaflor, Fis2, holmertz, jhm, ikeharel, adramad, jean113, PaulVDV, Royaldevon, PiotrF, startacked heeft deze opmerking als nuttig gemarkeerd

Critiques | Translate

pierrefonds (115436) 2022-02-11 14:50

Bonsoir Luciano,

Tu as bien capturé les jets de la fontaine. La prise de vue permet de voir les détails de la fontaine du château Sforzesco. La qualité de la lumière embellit les couleurs de l'image. Bonne soirée.

Pierre

pajaran (116947) 2022-02-11 18:52

Pozdrav.

Lep pogled i trenutak, interesantan i dobar tekst ...
Lepa fontana i arhitektura u pozadini, dobro pokazano sa lepim bojama, kontrastom i uhvacenim trenutkom.
Dobar rad sa lepom fotografijom u radionici.
Fontane uvek privlace paznju svojim izgledom i mlazevima vode.
Lepo secanje.

Zelim vam sve najbolje za vikend.
Paja

ifege (49297) 2022-02-11 19:55

Hi Luciano
A good one of this large and spectacular fountain.
cheers
Ian

aliabazari (23143) 2022-02-11 20:54

Hello Luciano
Beautiful view of this waterfall. I like architecture in the background. Good sharpness and exposure. Thanks for sharing

mcmtanyel (69101) 2022-02-11 20:59

Hello Luciano,
Oh well, he is not here to enjoy it now, so we might as well...
Regards,
MT

COSTANTINO (117672) 2022-02-11 22:14

Hello my dearest friend
have a nice new week end
the weather in Greece smells
spring with high temperature...
now about your photo which is
really impressive presenting
this fountain of the Castello
Sforzesco....I agree with you that this
fountain is really magnificent with a troubled
history...
thanks for the sharing...
too impressive for my eyes
regards
Costantino

abmdsudi (95869) 2022-02-11 22:20

Hi Luciano
Nice urban capture of that cool water fountain, well spotted and featured of a simple subject - incidentally one of TE fav subs.
Best regards

Silvio1953 (222779) 2022-02-11 22:27

Ciao Luciano, bella e scenografica fontana, il capoccione sarà stato contesto di vederla, ottima l'esposizione, non mi piace l'effetto flou su questo tipo di foto, buon week end, ciao Silvio ciao Silvio

jemaflor (148124) 2022-02-11 22:46

Salut Luciano,
De belles fontaines bien cadrées, bonne netteté aussi avec cette parfaite luminosité, on a l'impression d'entendre le plaisant bruit de l'eau ... de nuit avec sans doute des illuminations le lieu doit être plaisant à voir et à photographier j'imagine, tfs.

emka (158680) 2022-02-11 23:43

Ciao Luciano, This fountain really looks like a wedding cake. The other POV is better known, but I have probably some photos of this fountain taken from various directions. Beautiful view. I didn't know the story of this fountain.

Best regards Malgo

mkamionka (75015) 2022-02-12 0:39

Ciao Luciano,
Interesting title: I think if you wrote "dedicated to Mussolini" it would sound as if you were dedicationg this photo to him, so you have well used the subtly different variation of the title...
I think I have visited this castle in the past but I was not taking photos at that time so I have no proof for it at all.
I guess I have to revisit :)
M

CMJC (5115) 2022-02-12 1:29 [Comment]

Show Comment

Fis2 (171823) 2022-02-12 1:34

Witaj Luciano!
Nice photos.
Amazing views.
Interesting building and fountain.
I like water effect.
excellent framing, colors and sharpness.
Have a nice weekend my friend!
Krzysztof

holmertz (103540) 2022-02-12 3:42

Hello Luciano,
The WS has a nicer background but the wedding cake design is more obvious in the main photo. I always appreciate when photos are taken in a new and different way, and in this case this was a clear advantage. This is technically excellent, as usual.
Best regards,
Gert

jhm (211738) 2022-02-12 5:30

Hello Luciano,

IL Duce leader of the PNF during the thirties
I am a little bit older, know very much of the WAR II.
A wonderful fountain.
Sharpness and clarity are perfect.
Excellent picture, very well done, TFS.

Have a nice weekend,
John.

ikeharel (114477) 2022-02-12 9:34

Buona sera Luciano,
Funny, but I remember this fontana because our tour bus was waiting to take us back to the hotel from this circle across from the mighty Castello edifice.
You managed to "freeze" the water-jets on the scene.
Have a nice weekend,
Ike

Tue (93328) 2022-02-12 9:35

Hello Luciano,
A great photo of this large fountain with so many jets of water everywhere, which look great in this winter sunlight. Great clarity and sharpness.
Lars

adramad (73410) 2022-02-12 10:34

Hi Luciano.
A great composition with this beautiful fountain, I like these fountains with many jets, here it looks great with the magnificent construction of the castle behind, the WS photo is spectacular with the fountain and the most famous facade of this impressive monument.
A fantastic photo, with beautiful natural colors, very good lighting and excellent sharpness.
Very well done. I love it.
Enjoy the weekend.
Very best regards.
Luis.

jmdias (116341) 2022-02-12 11:32

luciano

it is a beautiful fountain in the art deco style. I guess I didn't pay so much attention on it, I was ever running in italy and my eyes were hunting each corner of the castle. nice note.

take care

jorge

jean113 (28249) 2022-02-12 12:14

Hello Luciano, it does indeed look like a wedding cake; a very beautiful fountain. I wonder if Mussolini appreciated it?
You have caught the action of the rising and falling water so well, absolutely frozen in time!
I like the w/s shot, but for me this is the winner. The sunlight catching the light of the droplets of water.
Kind regards, Jean.

GyurMaster (25000) 2022-02-12 12:44

Hello Luciano,

An appealing postcard taken from a really good angle. No matter for who the building was built.

Best Wishes,
Gy.

foxy (3523) 2022-02-14 2:39

Hello Luciano,
This is one heck of 'wedding cake' , built for Mussolini alone.
Now, it's for 'You' ( citizens ) and 'TE' ( tourists ).
I see that this fountain has a 'creamy white delicious chocolate' over it and plenty of 'shimmering frozen white candles' a round it. This is pure indulgence.
I must admit, this is fantastic shot of this wonderful fountain. Beautiful blue sky and the shooting water displays. I notice b/g a Garden Rooftop. Truly amazing.
The WS, is equally beautiful with the view of the Sforzesco castle.
Thanks for sharing this 'wedding cake' without a Bride.
Loong

PaulVDV (63440) 2022-02-15 10:46

Hello Luciano,
I've never seen this wedding cake as I've only been to Milan a few times before 1999.
You could also propose the fountain as a birthday cake and then ask how many years
the birthday person has :)
I like the view with the beautiful Sforzesco castle in the background a bit more.
Do people sometimes jump in the fountain in the summer?
Best regards, Paul

Royaldevon (86364) 2022-02-18 4:43

Hello Luciano,

For me, you definitely chose the right viewpoint! Here, it takes on the appearance of a wedding cake, but also, full of inferred movement! The b/g architecture is subtle, creating a useful backcloth without taking any attention from the fountain.
In the w/s, though a fine photograph, the castle fights with the fountain for attention!

My warm regards,
Bev :-)

everlasting (19978) 2022-02-19 7:55

a spectacular foundation captured in good light and a well framed composition

PiotrF (55862) 2022-07-05 15:48

Hello Luciano,
Nice view of beautiful fountain.
I like good composition, fine details, nice colours and good sharpness.
Fine presentation.
Regards
Piotr