Milan's Duomo Highlights

The magnificent cathedral in the centre of Milan known as the Duomo is the world’s third largest church and it took almost 430 years to complete.The works on Milan’s Duomo begun in 1386 and the finishing touches were made in 1813 under Napoleon. The Duomo in Milan consists of more than 3,500 statues and 52 enormous columns inside. There is no better example of Milanese tenacity than the Duomo cathedral which is an unspoilt example of the Gothic style even though it took a total of 427 years to finish.

The many generations of builders somehow managed to ignore every new style which came along over the years from renaissance, baroque and then Neo-Classical. The phrase La Fabbrica del Duomo or the building of the Duomo, is still used today in Milanese dialect to describe anything which seems to be taking forever to complete.

The facade on this beautiful Gothic style cathedral witnessed various of the top 16th century architects submit their designs, however it was not until around 1805 that the Neo-Gothic facade along with it’s bronze doors and reliefs was actually completed. The central bronze door was designed and sculpted by the milanese sculptor Ludovico Pogliaghi.

The interior of Milan’s Duomo cathedral contains 52 columns which are lined with marvellous statues of saints. Paintings from the 16th century are also featured on the vaulting of the outer four naves. The stairway located near the entrance leads to Paleochritian excavations where traces of Roman baths dating back to the 1st century BC have been uncovered and which also contains a basilica dating back to the 4th century.

Numerous stained glass windows decorate the interior which create splashes of colour. Some of the Duomo’s stained glass windows have been made as recent as 1988 although the oldest down the right aisle date back to 1470. A visit to the Duomo in Milan simply has to include a climb or lift journey up to the magnificent roof where one can enjoy the marvellous views over the city of Milan and explore the Duomo’s stunning Gothic crown of spires, statues, tracery and gargoyles.

Another of the Duomo’s highlights to be found inside the cathedral is the funerary monument dedicated to Gian Giacomo Medici. The Michelangelo style tomb of a local mercenary general was in fact created by Leone Leoni and features a life sized bronze of the general dressed in the traditional Roman centurion armour.

The museum in the Duomo contains tapestries and stained glass windows which have been removed from the cathedral for safe keeping. Among other things, here visitors can view wooden model carvings of the Duomo and the infant christ among the doctors which is a masterpiece by Tintoretto.

The ambulatory is nowadays only open to worshippers but tourists can still see a magnificent example of a Lombard sacristy door dating back to the 14th century. The stairs located near to the ambulatory lead down to the crypt where the crystal coffin that holds the body of Saint Charles Borromeo is situated. The treasury which houses liturgical devices and elegant reliquaries can also be found here.

Tourists wishing to enter the cathedral in Milan’s city centre cannot do so if their shoulders are bare or their shorts or skirt rise above mid-thigh so it may be worthwhile considering bringing a shawl or two. If you are lucky enough to be on the roof of the cathedral on one of Milan’s rare smog free days then you will likely be able to enjoy views that stretch across the plains and as far as the Alps.

After an exhausting few hours of visiting the cathedral you may well be needing a well earned drink or something to eat, if that is the case then you really are spoilt for choice in this area of Milan. A campari at the historic Zucca located just inside the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele is highly recommended.

The city centre of Milan can be reached easily by flying into any of Milan's three airports which are Malpensa Airport, Bergamo Airport and Linate Airport.

The author of this article is Robert Blanco who specialises in writing airport guides including Malpensa Airport which also contains detailed information on Bergamo Airport and Malpensa Airport Car Hire