Milan

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Milan (Milano) City in nw Italy; capital of Lombardy region. It was conquered by Rome in 222 bc. It was a free commune by the 12th century, and was a powerful Italian state under the Sforza family from 1447 to 1535, when the Spanish seized control. Ruled by Napoleon from 1796 to 1814, he claimed the city as capital of his Italian kingdom. It then fell to the Austrian Habsburgs before becoming part of Italy in 1860. Milan is Italy's leading commercial, financial, and industrial centre. Sights include Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper (1495–98) in the Convent of Santa Maria della Grazie, a white-marble cathedral (1386–1813), and La Scala opera house. Industries: motor vehicles, machinery, electrical goods, textiles, clothing, publishing. Pop. (2001) 1,301,551.

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