There are many different hypotheses regarding the origin of the name Milano. According to one of the most accredited, the city derived its name from the world Midland, land in the middle, indicating a particularly fortunate geographical position in the centre of Europe which made the city an important crossroads, a meeting point of different cultures and an emporium into which the products of the most fertile plains of the continent flowed. Another much supported theory is that the name comes from one of the most ancient symbols of Milan: a fleecy sow, which is still visible on many of the city's banners. In this case from an etymological point of view the name "Milano" would derive form the Latin phrase "di medio lanae" which refers to the fleece of the sow.

Municipality building (Palazzo del Comune)

Palazzo Marino, seat of the Town Hall and a masterpiece of residential architecture in Doric and Ionic style dating back to the sixteenth century, is considered the finest private palace of the city. The construction of the building was started in 1558, according to the plan of architect G. Alessi, but it was only three centuries later that it was completed under the guidance of architect L. Beltrami. Its interior is also very sumptuous, with two inner courtyards; the main one is the courtyard of honour, with a double row of loggias supporting the piano nobile. The building houses a number of halls, among which the 'Sala Alessi' where official events and receptions are held, the Council Room, where the sessions of the City Council are held and the 'Sala Giunta' where the city government is summoned every week.
Within the palace the offices of the Mayor, the President of the City Council, the Secretary General and the Chief Executive are located, besides a number of other offices which are strategic for the municipal activities.
Palazzo Marino is located in the very heart of the city, in Piazza Scala, just opposite the renowned theatre.

The city government

The head of the Municipality is the Mayor (Sindaco). He is elected directly by the citizens residing on the municipal territory and remains in office for a five year term after a campaign where he presents to the electorate the programme that himself and the Executive Board (Giunta) intend to implement. After his election, he appoints themembers which are to join him in the Executive Board.
The Mayor currently in office is Gabriele Albertini.
The Town Council is composed of the Mayor and sixty councillors elected by the citizens of Milan. It is the main representation body and it determines the basic political course of action to be taken by the Municipal Administration. The Council sessions are chaired by the President of the Town Council.
The Executive Board (Giunta) consists of the Mayor and the Chief Councillors appointed by the Mayor. Each one of the members (Chief Councillor) is competent for a specific sector: Urban Development, Social Services, Environment, Traffic and Mobility, Cultural Affairs and so on.

Offices

The administrative structure of Milan City Council consists of numerous offices; the ones most attended by citizens are:

The General Register Office
located in Via Larga, 12 , where also the offices belonging to the Department of Commerce are situated.
The Municipal Technical Office
situated in Via Pirelli, 39. It houses the offices in charge of technical services and territory management.
The Municipal Police Force
constituted by the city's "Vigili", is housed in the palace located in Piazza Beccaria, 19
The Foreigners' Bureau
located in Via Tadino, 12, comprises a number of offices providing services to foreign citizens.The number of Milan City Council telephone switchboard is: 02-88451


For further information on Milan: www.lonelyplanet.com