Milan marks the Five Days: exhibitions, guided tours and concerts at historic sites

Milan marks the Five Days: events at the city's monuments

Milan organizes a series of commemorative activities for the Five Days of 1848, hosted in museums, monuments and historic locations. The program includes documentary exhibitions, guided visits to restored monuments, talks, historical walks and contemporary music concerts.

Event period: March 14–22, with main activities concentrated between March 18 and 22. Most events are free, but advance booking is recommended.

Sites and highlights

• State Archives: a documentary exhibition recounting the events, repression and the construction of public memory, with guided tours led by archival staff.
• Monument to the Five Days (Piazza Cinque Giornate): guided visits and insights on the recent restoration of Giuseppe Grandi's sculptural group, a key symbol of Milan's Risorgimento memory.
• Museum of the Risorgimento and Palazzo Moriggia: thematic routes, book presentations and tours focused on 1848 protagonists, including items related to the First Tricolor flag.
• Monumental Cemetery: readings and commemorations in civic memory sites, including events dedicated to figures such as Carlo Cattaneo.
• Scuola Militare Teulié: display of the 1848 First Tricolour and historical briefings on the cadets' role during the uprising.
• San Celso Church / Bell tower: visits and talks on the bell tower's restoration; it served as an observation point during the 1848 clashes.
• 5 Giornate Festival: contemporary music program hosted at cultural venues including the Museo del Novecento, ADI Design Museum and Casa Museo Spazio Tadini.

Main appointments

• March 18, 11:00: official commemoration at the Monument to the Five Days with city authorities and symbolic handover of the First Tricolour to cadets.
• March 19: guided tours of sculptures and archives, opening of a historic crypt and interdisciplinary events combining research and performances.
• March 20: talks focused on the monument's conservation and the outcomes of recent restoration work.
• March 21–22: special openings for the public (including participation in FAI Spring Days) with visits to Scuola Militare Teulié and family workshops.

Practical information

Check each venue for booking procedures and schedules: while many initiatives are free, places can be limited. The program is suitable for history enthusiasts, families and visitors interested in heritage conservation: a chance to see restored monuments, consult archival documents and follow routes that connect Milan's principal sites of memory.