Overview

It took six centuries to finish this Cathedral, whose construction started in 1386 by Gian Galeazzo Visconti, Duke of Milan, involving various artists, sculptors and the Milanese themselves, as those who could not pay for the construction offered their labor. The most recent restoration was carried out by the Veneranda Fabbrica. The Cathedral is the largest and most complex Gothic construction in Italy, made of pinkish white marble from Candoglia, the quarry dedicated exclusively to the construction of the Milan Cathedral. On the highest spire stands the golden statue of the Madonnina.

Inside, admire the columns between the five naves: the Cathedral is the only church in the world with capitals decorated with statues; the stained glass windows show biblical scenes, including the Last Judgement; on the floor and behind the counter-façade there is a brass strip, it is the Solar Sundial, made in 1786 by the Brera Astronomical Observatory, and it serves as a clock and zodiac calendar, used to change the measurement of time, passing from the medieval day to the French one.

Taking the elevator, you can go up to the Terraces to look closely at the spires and the Madonnina and to enjoy panoramic views of the city. We invite you to visit the Museo del Duomo to learn more about the history of the Cathedral.