Galleria Umberto site features

Start at the centre. The octagonal crossing lets you read all four arms at once; the dome’s 16 ribs are easiest to understand from the mosaic compass below.

Follow the floor. The zodiac signs and wind rose are a replacement made in 1952 after wartime damage and wear. They are part of the gallery’s present fabric, not the original pavement.

Use the edges. The San Carlo-facing colonnade, upper balconies and decorated entrances show how the gallery was designed as a public room, while cafés and shops reveal its continuing everyday function.