Via Fiori Chiari

This street is considered to be one of the most elegant places in the city. Up until the second half of the last century, this narrow pedestrian street, together with its continuation "Via Fiori Oscuri", housed some of the most famed brothels in Milan. Still, it later became a haven for intellectuals and artists.

Today it is a lovely place where you can find out some interesting tidbits about its age-old story. Here is a sneak peak of one of them.

The romantic names "Fiori Chiari" and "Fiori Oscuri", which mean "Bright Flowers" and "Dark Flowers" respectively, come from the chromatic contrast between the banners of Porta Comasina (which is called Porta Garibaldi today), which was red and white, thus very bright, and those of Porta Volta, which was white and black, thus very dark.