Eataly
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Walk through the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milano and you will see people stopping at a bull mosaic set into the floor. What is this bull, and why does it draw a crowd?
Built between 1865 and 1877, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is Italy's oldest active shopping mall. Its glass-vaulted arcades and intricate mosaic floors make a design that is as functional as it is beautiful. Inside you will find luxury stores, books and paintings, plus several restaurants, cafés, bars and even a hotel. It draws thousands of visitors per year and is a major tourist destination in the city.
Architect Giuseppe Mengoni designed the Galleria in 1861. Its floor holds four distinct mosaic designs: the coats of arms of the three capitals of the Kingdom of Italy (Roma, Firenze and Torino) and, of course, the symbol of Milano.
No one knows how the tradition started, but many people believe that touching the little torino mosaic brings good luck. Legend has it that if you spin around three times with your heel on a very particular part of the bull, between its two hind legs, fortune will follow. Today the mosaic attracts hundreds of curious and superstitious visitors every day.
Milano is no longer the only city with a bull mosaic. Eataly Las Vegas pays homage to the little toro, symbol of Torino, the city where Eataly was born, with a dancing bull mosaic of its own inside the store. Find it between Gran Caffè Milano, the upscale, full-service Italian café inspired by Milan, and the entrance to Park MGM casino.
Who knows? Spin on it a few times and it might bring you luck.
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