The Duomo di Milano is one of the most famous buildings in Europe. It is a particularly large and elaborate Gothic cathedral on the main square in the city center of Milan, Italy. Milan's Duomo is the 2nd largest Roman Catholic cathedral in the world: only the cathedral of Seville is larger (St. Peter's Basilica in Rome doesn't count because it's not a cathedral). It is 157 meters long— 40,000 people can fit comfortably within. The main spire is 109 meters high. The great windows of the choir were reputed to be the largest in the world.

The Duomo of Milan blurs the normal distinctions between Gothic and neo-Gothic, for the Gothic west front was begun in 1616 and completed 200 years later. Only in its details does it reveal its Baroque and Neo-Classical date. From 1900 some of the least Gothic details of the facade were replaced in a more Gothic style to designs of Giuseppe Brentano.

The Duomo was under remodeling when we visited so it's hard to tell but it is of brick construction, faced with marble from the quarries which Gian Galeazzo Visconti donated in perpetuity to the cathedral chapter. The cathedral's five wide naves are reflected in the hierarchic openings of the facade. Even the transepts have aisles. The roofline dissolves into openwork pinnacles that are punctuated by a grove of spires. The central one of its five great doors is bordered with a bas-relief of birds and fruits and beasts and insects.  The tallest spire, which has the famous “Madonnina” on top of it, is 108 meters high. The statue of the Virgin Mary, the “Madonnina”, is covered in 3900 pieces of gold leaf.


D at back of Duomo in Milan
D at back corner of Duomo
D at court house behind Duomo

D at side of Duomo at bookstore entrance
D in Piazza del Duomo
D & plenty of pigeons at center of Piazza del Duomo

D in front of Duomo in Milan
a Duomo door
Duomo door bas relief sculpture

DaVinci's elevator stored in sack above
Main altar area - DaVinci's elevator used to get to where red light is.
One of the popes afraid of heights would sooth himself with alcohol before performing the ritual elevator event each year.
Main altar

Marble statues
Skeletal sculpture shows great knowledge of human biology
a saint's crypt below altar of Duomo

Marble slab with religious symbols - P, alpha, omega...
Stained glass beside main altar
Candelabra, sculpture, & stained glass behind main altar

Closer look above main altar
stained glass window above main door
Spires outside

Spires & gargoyles
Guards, statues, & gothic windows
 
Gargoyles near top