Largo Antonio Ghiringhelli

Largo Antonio Ghiringhelli is the small public square that sits directly in front of Teatro alla Scala, one of the most celebrated opera houses in the world. Named after Antonio Ghiringhelli, the Milanese impresario who led La Scala through much of the twentieth century, the square serves as the formal forecourt to a building that has shaped operatic history since its inauguration in 1778. Designed by the neoclassical architect Giuseppe Piermarini, La Scala has hosted premieres by Verdi, Puccini, and Bellini, and its stage remains a benchmark for opera and ballet worldwide.

Visitors arriving at Largo Antonio Ghiringhelli today can take a skip-the-line guided tour of La Scala Theatre itself, moving through the gilded auditorium, the historic stage, and the adjoining Museo Teatrale alla Scala, which holds costumes, instruments, and portraits spanning three centuries of performance. The square offers one of Milan's most photographed views of the theatre's restrained neoclassical facade, a striking contrast to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II that stands just steps away.