The Pavilion of the Royal Monopolies is composed of a spacious vestibule in a circular layout (surmounted by a slender and elegant cupola) from which one enters to the left the rooms dedicated to the Exhibition of Salts and Quinine and to the right the big hall of machines in action for the manufacture of tobacco. In front of the pavilion is a small experimental field for the cultivation of tobacco. In the room of the Exhibition of Salts is a big demonstrative model a salt mill in action, which serves to illustrate the process of salt extraction from seawater.

Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. The historic centre of Florence attracts millions of tourists each year and was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1982. The city has a major impact in music, architecture, education, cuisine, fashion, philosophy, science and religion. The historic centre of Florence contains elegant squares (piazzas), Renaissance palaces (palazzi), academies, parks, gardens, churches, monasteries, museums, art galleries and ateliers.

Strategically placed at the gateway to the Italian peninsula, Milan and the surrounding region of Lombardy have been the subject of constant disputes over the centuries. Celts, Romans, Goths, Lombards, Spaniards and Austrians have all ruled the city at some stage of its history and for the most part, the city has capitalised on its position and has emerged today as the undisputed economic and cultural powerhouse of a united Italy. (from: http://www.aboutmilan.com/history-of-milan.html)