In the center of Milan, in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, there is a gesture that has now become almost an obligatory step for anyone passing by: turning around, placing your heel on the “private parts” of the mosaic of the Rampant Bull. A superstitious tradition so deep-rooted that it involves tourists of all kinds, from occasional visitors to well-known international faces. The result is a scene that repeats itself every day with almost theatrical punctuality, between smiles, photos and a pinch of superstition.
Slow but constant wear in the heart of the Gallery
Time, however, has not spared the famous mosaic. With the continuous rotations of the visitors, the surfaces of the pink tiles that make up his testicles have worn away, creating a real lowering of the same with a sagging estimated at around 2.5 centimetres. A detail that is anything but negligible, which pushed the Municipality of Milan to intervene again. Presented by councilors Marco Granelli and Emmanuel Conte, the construction site was started with the aim of preserving a symbol which, despite being consumed, remains central in the city’s imagination.
The construction site and the work of the artisans
The intervention involves an accurate restoration: removal of the damaged parts, consolidation of the base, installation of new tiles and subsequent grouting and sanding. The works will continue for a few days, with the aim of returning the mosaic to its original appearance by the weekend. A delicate operation that takes place before the eyes of passers-by, as if to remember that even what seems eternal needs care.
A tradition that comes from afar
The gesture of the heel on the intimacies of Taurus is not a recent trend. Its roots date back to the 19th century, when it was already said that that symbol brought luck and a guaranteed return to Milan. The bull, included in the coat of arms of Turin, is an integral part of the project of the Gallery, inaugurated in 1865 and intended as a symbolic monument of united Italy. Since then, the legend has transformed into a collective ritual, passed down without interruption.
Between urban legend and lived heritage
Today the mosaic continues to be one of the most photographed points of the city, a small ritual that combines irony, tradition and mass tourism. Each turn on the testicles tells a piece of this shared history, where superstition mixes with everyday life. And while the restoration brings it back to its original form, one certainty remains: in Milan, the Galleria Bull never really stops being “in function”.
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