Laudes Mediolanensis civitatis

[1][4] Later medieval descriptions include the anonymous De situ civitatis Mediolani (780–1000), and ones written by Bonvesin da la Riva (1288) and Benzo d'Alessandria (around 1316), all of which are in prose.

[1][4] The opening stanzas read: Alta urbs et spaciosa manet in Italia, firmiter edificata opere mirifico, que ab antiquitus vocatur Mediolanum civitas.

Bonam retinet decoris speciem et variis rutilat culture modis ornata perspicue: locus ita fructuosus constat in planicie.

Celsas habet opertasque turres in circuitu studio nitentes magnas scultantes forinsecus; que introrsus decorata manet edificiis.

[1] The poem opens with a brief description of Milan's city walls, towers and gates; its public buildings, including the forum; and its paved streets and water supply.

[1][2][4][7] For example, lines 16–18 praise the city's "forum, with very beautiful buildings, and all its roads are solidly paved with blocks; it draws water for its baths through an aqueduct".

[1][2][4] The bulk of the verses retell the spiritual history of Milan and discuss the characteristics of the Milanese church, including its unique Ambrosian rite.

[1][2][4][6] These virtues, together with their wealth and their close connection with the Lombard kings, are also cited in support of Milan's pre-eminence among the cities of northern Italy.

[7] The English historian J. K. Hyde considers that neither Laudes Mediolanensis civitatis nor the Verona poem was a significant influence on the later evolution of the genre of urban descriptions,[4] many of which were written in prose.

[1][4] Hyde notes the "originality" of the poem's subject matter and method of treatment but describes its execution as "technically competent, but no more than mediocre" and "cold and wooden".