Crossing the Vittorio Emanuele II Arcade from south to north, we come out in the famous Scala Square. On the far side of the square we see La Scala Theater and opposite us is Palazzo Marino, today Milan's City Hall. The monument in the center of the square portays Leonardo Da Vinci sourrounded by his pupils. Galeazzo Alessi was commissioned by the 16^th century Genovese merchant Tommaso Marino - a real tycoon in his day - to design the palace. One of its more striking features is the vast inner courtyard with an unusual decorative scheme of human and animal head sculptures surrounded by carved garlands and geometric patterns.