If you have come for a major sporting event in Milan, chances are you will be attending it at the Ippodromo del Galoppo di San Siro. Since the Ippodromo, or Hippodrome, is also near the convention center, there are numerous discount hotels in Milan near the Ippodromo del Galoppo di San Siro. Don’t be surprised to find yourself amidst Italians from other cities if you stay at a hotel in Milan near the Ippodromo del Galoppo di San Siro, because many business travelers stay in this area.
However, there is an interesting tourist attraction in the area. Just in front of the Ippodromo is ‘Leonardo’s Horse.’ Designed by Leonardo da Vinci, the horse actually wasn’t built until 1999. Although da Vinci had designed the statue, the bronze he had accumulated was diverted to make needed weapons. The plans were lost during the ensuing war, and the master never completed his horse. In 1977, a man named Charles Dent read about this story and decided to fulfill Da Vinci’s vision. He started a foundation to raise the needed funds to design and build the horse. More than 20 years later, the 15 ton solid bronze statue was created after art experts recreated the form by studying Da Vinci’s original sketches. Sadly, Mr. Dent died in 1994, never seeing the finished work in all its glory.