Duomo

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Cathedral of Santa Maria Nascente, shortly Milan Cathedral or Duomo di Milan, is situated in Piazza del Duomo and it is the third largest church of Christianity (surpassed only by St. Peter in Rome and the Cathedral of Seville). The Duomo is no doubt a delight for the eyes of every tourist. Although most of the key elements of the Duomo were complete by 1391, the construction lasted almost 500 years to be carried out. Some maintenance and reconstruction work is currently taking place, but the unsettling beauty is now complete and can be admired by everyone.

Duomo di Milano was originally built from brick, then changed to marble because architects have understood the grandeur of the project. Over time, it was decorated with spirals and a lot of overwhelming Gothic statues. All the controversy about the best ways to carry out the project led to a huge great blend of styles.

Construction began in 1386 by order of Bishop Antonio da Saluzzo, on the land that served as a place of worship since the third century, when a temple of the goddess Minerva was raised here. From the order of Gian Galeazzo Visconti, the leader of Milan at that time, there were specially built a network of channels that would carry the necessary stone for such a grand project.

Although it was consecrated in 1418, the cathedral remained unfinished for several centuries. Politics, project size, lack of money and other reasons led to permanent stagnation of the project. Finally, in the early 19th century, the facade was completed by the order of Napoleon himself. He initiated the constrcution works of the cathedral just before he was crowned here as King of Italy in 1805.

An astounding total number of 3,500 statues adorne the Duomo, and two thirds of them are placed outside. The oldest of them were made between 1386 and 1447, others were added between the 15th and 18th century. The facade presents a Baroque style up to the first row of windows, after which neo-Gothic style follws. Each of the five bronze doors of the Duomo were carved by various artists, between 1840 and 1965 and have different themes.

To fully appreciate the 135 statues and towers, you must take the elevator (which is behind the Dome) to the roof, where on clear days, you can enjoy some great views of Alps. A visit to the roof will take you closer to one of Milan's symbols: Madonnina (1774), gilded copper figure of the Virgin Mary, the highest church steeple. This has also been for a long time the highest place in town until 1958, when the sky-scraper Pirelli surpassed it in this ranking.

The interior somewhat dark is contrasting with the bright exterior of the cathedral, but no less impressive. The 52 columns and stained glass nave which date back centuries ago, most from the 15th and 16th century, are the largest in the world and leave a strong impression on visitors.

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