Giardino Teresa Pomodoro

Hidden within the bustling heart of Milan’s Città Studi district lies a tranquil oasis, the Giardino Teresa Pomodoro. This isn’t just any park. It’s a living tribute to the renowned actress, director, and playwright, Teresa Pomodoro. The garden opened about a year ago, in the spring of 2021, transforming the former Piazzale Piola. It was a gift to the city from Spazio Teatro No’hma, directed by Teresa’s twin sister, Livia. Livia envisioned a space for meditation and reflection, accessible to everyone. Students from nearby universities, workers hurrying across the piazza, anyone can find a moment of peace in Giardino Teresa Pomodoro. At the heart of the garden’s circular design is a unique Zen garden. A droplet-shaped path winds through twenty-one cherry trees, their pink blossoms creating a magical spectacle in spring. Eleven pink granite benches offer places to rest and contemplate. The path leads to five cylindrical steps of varying heights. Here, two bronze sculptures by Japanese artist Kengiro Azuma reside. “Colloquio” depicts two stylized toads in conversation. “MU – 765 Goccia” is a tribute to the friendship between Azuma and Teresa Pomodoro. The lighting, designed by Disano Illuminazione, enhances the sculptures’ forms. The Giardino Teresa Pomodoro is more than just a park. It’s an extension of Spazio Teatro No’hma, a free and independent theater founded by Teresa in 1994. The theater, housed in a repurposed waterworks building, reflects the garden’s droplet motif and its connection to water. Teresa, shaped by Milan’s cultural scene in the 1970s, collaborated with Giorgio Strehler and developed a passion for socially engaged theater. Her sister Livia, while from a different background, carries on Teresa’s legacy. The Giardino Teresa Pomodoro invites you to pause, reflect, and escape the city’s dynamism, even if just for a moment. It is a place where art, nature, and memory intertwine, a fitting tribute to Teresa Pomodoro’s enduring spirit.