The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is named after Vittorio Emanuele II, the first king of united Italy and was originally designed in 1861 and built by Giuseppe Mengoni between 1865 and 1877.

The floor is decorated with various motifs, one of them being a bull with large testicles.  Legend says that if you spin the heal of your foot on the bull's balls you will return to Milan.  Of course Mary had to make sure that I did that! (felt just a little foolish - but hey - we're strangers anyway - right?!)