29 septiembre, 2019

Duomo of Milan, Milan Cathedral

The Duomo of Milan, the Gothic cathedral turned into the true symbol of the city, does not leave indifferent neither for its beauty nor for its dimensions, it is one of the largest Catholic temples in the world, with capacity for 40,000 people.

It has a spectacular neo-Gothic facade and numerous marble spiers that rise above the Milanese sky.

On the highest of them lies the Madonnina, a bronze sculpture that for decades was the highest point in the city. Its interior dazzles, with thousands of polychrome statues and stained glass.

General information about the Duomo

The oldest structure in the Duomo square is the Basilica of San Ambrose, which was built before the fifth century. Later, a basilica was built next to it, which, having been razed by a violent fire, was replaced by the current cathedral that Today we can visit. The first stone of the imposing Duomo was laid in 1386.

The construction of this building took many years (more than 400). During this time, there were periods in which work was stopped due to lack of money and ideas, and others in which work was intensively done.

Given the long time of work and the evolution of architectural styles over the years, in this cathedral we can find numerous styles that blend to form a beautiful building full of identity.

The light in the cathedral of Milan

The main windows of this church are said to be the largest in the whole world and, in fact, whether or not they are, they are impressive.

In the Duomo you can live an unparalleled experience. The way in which the windows have been designed allows the light to penetrate in a particular way, coloring the walls of diverse shades and giving this cold building a warm appearance; considering that its main raw material is marble, this is a bit strange.

The architectural mix of the Duomo

It enjoys a quite particular architecture, with some features typical of the French structures of Bourges. It is possible that this particularity is due to one of the architects that was most involved in the construction of the building was Nicolás de Bonaventure, a faithful passionate of the Gothic style, imprint found in all his creations.

The work was concluded only in 1805, thanks to the intercession of Napoleon Bonaparte, who assured that the French government would pay the cost. Although the money was never reimbursed, a statue of Napoleon was raised and, finally, the Duomo had the facade it deserved.

Some years later the arches and spiers were built and the final touch was given to the stained glass and statues. A remodeling work was also done, which concluded in 2008.

It is important to mention that the Duomo of Milan is a complex building architecturally speaking: with nuances of late Gothic, French Gothic and Renaissance, which makes it unique in the world and a mandatory visit for anyone who steps on the city.

Every day hundreds of tourists approach their doors to enjoy their artistic works and fill themselves with the light of their windows.

Ships and monuments to visit

This cathedral is formed by five naves, a central one and two lateral ones of each side. One of the most striking features of the main one is its height: more than 45 meters; which gives an imposing aspect to the whole enclosure. It is made of brick covered with pink marble and a solidly solid appearance.

An element that stands out from its dome is the Madonnina, a gilded copper statue designed by Carlo Pellicani and inaugurated in 1774.

Among the most outstanding monuments of the Duomo we can mention the Statue of Bartholomew the Apostle, the Sarcophagus of Archbishop Diego Hualde and that of Gian Giacomo Medici di Marignano.

In addition we can not fail to mention the marble altar that is decorated in the best Renaissance style, with golden bronze statues.

Milan cathedral guide, information

In addition, among the works of art found there we can mention the statue of Saint Bartholomew of Marco da Agrate and some frescoes of different aesthetic periods.