Welcome to the impressive Milan Cathedral, also known as Duomo di Milano.
A trip to Milan without seeing the Cathedral is no trip at all, so I'm glad you are here
to see it.
The cathedral is located in the center of ancient Milan, the Roman Mediolanum.
It is not only one of the very largest Gothic Cathedrals in the world, but also one of the
largest catholic cathedrals ever built.
The cathedral is not only famous for its sheer size, but also for its complexity, with decorations
in even the most hidden places.
The cathedral is ornate with more than 100 marble spires and well over 2000 marble statues.
It is also known for the extremely long time span of its construction, as the construction
lasted over several centuries.
The site of today's cathedral has been the location of religious buildings for a long
time.
A basilica dedicated to Saint Ambrose was built here already in the beginning of the
5th century.
The construction of this Cathedral began later, in year 1386, on order of Archbishop Antonio
da Saluzzo.
The first main architect was an Italian, but it didn't take long until foreign architects
were hired.
The cathedral was built during a time when the Gothic architectural style was popular
and the French and German architects were considered the best in this field.
More than 300 builders were constantly working on the cathedral and almost half of the structure
stood completed already in 1402.
However, after this point, construction stalled almost totally for 80 years.
This was partly due to lack of money and ideas.
Another setback was that while the many foreign influences were beneficial, they also caused
problems as they not always agreed on what they should actually build.
Work did eventually resume and in the 16th and 17th century, many of the internal decorations
were added, such as the main altar, the baptistery and wooden choir stalls.
The impressive front façade was also added during this time period.
In year 1805, the front works were all finished while the construction of the statues continued
through the 19th and century.
The last details of the cathedral were actually finished as late as in the 20th century.
The last gate was inaugurated on January 6, 1965 and with this, a project spanning over
600 years had finally been completed.
Due to the cathedrals long construction time, the Milanese have created a phrase "la fabbrica
del Duomo" for anything taking eternity to get done.
The Cathedral of Milan is considered one of the true Gothic masterpieces.
The cathedral's many different architects, together with the fact that the construction
lasted for several hundred years, shows in its architectural style.
However, only in its details does it reveal its Baroque and Neo-Classical influence.
From 1900 some of the less Gothic details of the facade were actually replaced to make
it fully in Gothic style.
While the outside of the cathedral is truly breathtaking, the same can be said about its
inside.
The interior of the cathedral includes a huge number of monuments and artworks.
You can for example find several sarcophagi of Archbishops who have served in the cathedral.
You can also see three beautiful altars and several amazing sculptures and paintings,
not to mention the amazing stained glass windows that adorn the apse.
There is also a crypt within the cathedral which holds the cathedral treasury.
If you have a historical interest, a visit to the treasury is a must.
Another thing not to miss is the cathedral roof.
A 200 stepped staircase or an elevator in the north side of the cathedral can take you
up there.
It will give you a great view over old Milan and on a clear day, you can even see the all
the way to the Alps.
The roof will not only provide you with a great view, in addition, you can study the
many spires and sculptures which covers the place.
You can also get a closer look at the massive golden statue that crowns the 109 meters tall
main spire.
Today, the Cathedral of Milan is considered the most important work of gothic architecture
in whole Italy.
Even though it took a few hundred years to complete it, it was certainly worth the wait.