galleria

Galleria is a term used in English and other languages with several related senses deriving from the Italian word galleria, meaning gallery or passage. In general usage, it can refer to a shopping mall or urban retail complex, an art gallery, or a covered architectural passage.

As a shopping mall, a galleria denotes a large, often enclosed or partially enclosed retail space that houses multiple stores, eateries, and pedestrian areas. These complexes are designed to provide a continuous shopping environment, sometimes with elaborate or historic architectural details. Notable examples include the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan, opened in the 19th century as a grand shopping arcade, and modern malls such as The Galleria in Houston or The Galleria in Dallas, which are large regional centers.

As a gallery, the term describes a space for displaying art or exhibitions. In museums and cultural venues, a galleria can be a long hall or a sequence of rooms used to showcase works, sometimes featuring architectural emphasis such as a glass roof or ornate detailing. In architecture, a galleria is also a covered or open-air passageway that connects buildings or runs through a complex, often housing shops or artworks.

Etymology and usage: galleria originates from Italian and is standard in Italian for shopping arcades and galleries. In English, the word is commonly encountered as part of proper names or in reference to European architecture, while “gallery” and “mall” are more typical generic terms in everyday usage.

See also: gallery, arcade, mall.