The Bull is Back: Milan’s Iconic Mosaic in Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II Has Been Fully Restored

The restoration of the Rampant Bull mosaic in Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II has been completed, returning one of Milan’s most photographed rituals to the public.

Following our previous news about the restoration of the famous bull mosaic in Milan’s Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, the City of Milan has announced that the work is now complete.

The Rampant Bull, located at the center of the Galleria’s Octagon, has been stabilized, polished and returned to public use. Milanese residents and visitors can once again perform the city’s well-known good luck ritual: placing a heel on the bull and turning around three times, believed by many to bring fortune, prosperity or a future return to Milan.

The mosaic, part of the coat of arms of Turin, sits beneath the glass dome of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, one of Milan’s most elegant and historic landmarks. Designed by architect Giuseppe Mengoni in the 19th century, the Galleria connects Piazza del Duomo with Piazza della Scala and remains one of the city’s great social stages, where architecture, shopping, tourism and daily Milanese life meet.

Over the years, however, the good luck ritual had left its mark. Thousands of people repeat the heel-turning gesture every day, wearing away the small pink tiles and gradually creating a visible hollow in the mosaic. Restoration work began in late May, with expert craftspeople preparing and replacing the damaged section according to the original design.

According to the City of Milan, the completed work has returned the mosaic to visitors while preserving its role as part of the Galleria’s “living heritage.” It is an apt expression. The Galleria is not a museum piece sealed away from daily life. It is crossed, photographed, admired and, in this case, quite literally spun upon.

There was also a brief moment of Milanese debate. As often happens in Italy, where heritage is taken seriously and opinions are rarely in short supply, the restoration sparked comments about the appearance of the repaired tiles and the anatomy of the bull itself. But the updated result has now been completed and the ritual has resumed.

The bull’s return is a small but telling Milan story. It is about conservation, superstition, tourism and the delicate balance between protecting a historic landmark and allowing people to keep experiencing it. In a city where style and tradition often walk side by side, even the floor beneath your feet can become part of the narrative.

For now, the Rampant Bull is back in place, polished and ready for the next wave of visitors hoping for a little Milanese luck.

Practical information

The Bull mosaic is located in the Octagon of Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, between Piazza del Duomo and Piazza della Scala. The Galleria is open to the public and can be visited at any time, although individual shops and cafés follow their own opening hours.