Culture of Milan nevertheless it retained a sort of central position in cultural debates. New ideas and movements from other countries of Europe were accepted and discussed: thus Realism and Naturalism gave birth to an Italian movement, "Verismo". The greatest "verista" novelist, Giovanni Verga, was born in Sicily but wrote his most important books in Milan. Milan is a major nationwide and international centre of the performing arts, most notably opera. Milan is the location of "La Scala" opera house, one of the most prestigious opera houses in the world, and throughout history has hosted the premieres of numerous operas, such as "Nabucco"
Railway stations in Milan Monza" to the "Holzhammer" company of Bolzano. The privilege authorized the construction of a railway project developed by the Milanese engineer Giulio Sarti. The Milan–Monza railway, opened in 1840, was the first railway line in Lombardy, and the second in Italy after the Naples–Portici railway. Milan's first railway station, Porta Nuova, formed part of the new railway. It was placed outside the circle of ramparts, near the Porta Nuova city gate, from which it took its name. In February 1846 came the second Milanese railway station, "Porta Tosa-Vittoria", near the city gate of the same name, and outside the circle