Duomo di Milano
Milan
Milan's Duomo is a forest of spires and white marble towering over the city. One of the largest Gothic cathedrals in the world, it amazes with its panoramic terraces and the golden Madonnina. Follow the treasure map among statues, stained glass and pinnacles reaching for the sky.
The history of Milan's Duomo
Construction began in 1386, promoted by Archbishop Antonio da Saluzzo and immediately relaunched by the lord of the city, Gian Galeazzo Visconti. The work spanned centuries and generations of architects and craftsmen, in Candoglia marble carried along the Navigli. The façade was only completed in the early 19th century, partly at the wish of Napoleon, who was crowned King of Italy here. It is dedicated to Santa Maria Nascente.
What to see
The cathedral is famous for its thousands of statues and for the forest of spires that adorns its roof. Inside, the huge stained-glass windows and the five naves held up by towering pillars are breathtaking. On the highest spire shines the Madonnina, the golden statue that has become the symbol of Milan. From the terraces, reached on foot or by lift, you literally walk among the pinnacles with a view over the city.
Curiosities and legends
By long tradition no Milanese building was to rise higher than the Madonnina; when modern skyscrapers overtook her, copies of the statue were placed on the highest tops. Inside, a sundial on the floor marks the passage of the sun at noon. The Milanese saying "fabbrica del Duomo" (the Duomo works), used for a never-ending job, comes precisely from the centuries it took to finish it.
Visiting Milan's Duomo
There are separate tickets for the church, the terraces and the archaeological area below. It's well worth going up to the roof to admire the detail of the spires and the panorama. The square in front is the beating heart of the city, always lively and opening onto the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.
