Where is the Milan Cathedral located? Milan Cathedral: history, interesting facts and how to visit

One of the most famous monuments in Italy is Milan Cathedral. The majestic building, located in the very center of the city of the same name, amazes with its elegance of form and fundamental nature at the same time. There are many interesting facts associated with the history of the cathedral.

Place and timing of construction

Milan was built over 4 centuries; not every world architectural monument can boast of such a significant time investment. The official start date for work was the distant year 1386. In the first half of the 19th century, all major activities were completed, but some work continued to be carried out at a later time. So, in 1965 the latest innovations were implemented. Since that time, the construction of the cathedral has been fully completed.

A special place was chosen for the construction of the cathedral. Over the course of several centuries, various sanctuaries, temples and churches were built here. The very first local building is considered to be a Celtic building, and several centuries later the Romans erected a temple of Minerva on the same site.

Reason for the construction of the cathedral

The fourteenth century was a difficult time for Italy and Europe. drowned in wars, famines and The construction of such a large cathedral became in its own way a symbol confirming the strength, power and fortress of the city of Milan and its inhabitants, who were not afraid of even the most terrible world troubles. Basilica built in honor Holy Mother of God, allowed residents to tirelessly pray to their patroness and not lose hope for the best. It is believed that the city is not allowed to build buildings higher than the highest point of the cathedral. To this day, the townspeople sacredly revere the image of the Mother of God and often come to the Duomo to pray to her.

Milan Cathedral in faces

The order to begin construction of the city's largest cathedral was given by Duke Giangaleazzo Visconti. The initial project was developed by local architect Simone de Orsenigo, then European specialists from France and Germany became involved in the work, which was quite rare for the construction of those times. The Italians considered immigrants from them to be barbarians who knew nothing about art. More than 10 famous architects and the same number of assistants supervised the building during its entire construction. For the construction of the cathedral, not only a style that was rare at that time was chosen, but also an unusual material - white marble. True, initially they planned to use brick for the construction of the cathedral, but later it was decided to abandon this idea.

Napoleon had a great influence on the construction of the Milan Duomo; thanks to his efforts, construction work was significantly accelerated. Perhaps that is why a statue of the famous emperor also decorated one of the spiers.

Features of the external decoration

The Milan Cathedral harmoniously absorbed many different architectural styles, the main one being the Gothic style. The building is decorated with a huge number of details, there are carvings, sculptures, and sophisticated spiers rising into the Italian sky. One of the most notable statues is the beautiful Madonna, and it was in her honor that construction began. The figure, 4 meters high and weighing about a ton, is made of bronze and covered with gold. A recognizable element of the cathedral is the central roof with an endless number of spiers, built back in 1404 and perfectly preserved to this day.

From the roof of the Milan Cathedral there is an amazing view of the surrounding city. Having climbed to the upper platform of the building by stairs or elevator, you will be able to appreciate the gallery named after Victor Emmanuel II, the world-famous La Scala opera, and admire the amazing roofs of Milanese houses.

Features of the interior decoration

The Milan Cathedral is famous not only for its magnificent exterior, but also for its equally beautiful interior decoration. The basilica is significant in size and is considered to be the second largest in Italy. About 40 thousand people can be in the cathedral at the same time, the most high point reaches a mark of one hundred six and a half meters, the length of the building is 158 meters. The decoration of the cathedral is striking in its fundamentality and symbolism. There are 52 columns inside, corresponding to the number of weeks in the year. A special place among the objects of the basilica is occupied by one seemingly inconspicuous statue. in the Milan Cathedral is revered and loved by millions of Catholics. This great martyr suffered cruelly for his faith; his skin was torn off while still alive.

The Milan Cathedral in Italy has another world relic. Near the altar there is a nail, which, according to legend, was driven into the palm of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, the general public is given only one day a year to see it, September 14th. Tourists also quite often visit the Egyptian bathroom, where the baptism ceremony is carried out, numerous colorful choirs and the mausoleum-tomb of D. D. Medici.

The Duomo - Milan Cathedral - has one more feature. Near its central entrance they are located in the form of a metal strip.

What is unique about the Milan Cathedral?

The Milan Cathedral is unique in many ways, here are just a few facts by which one can judge its unusualness:

• the white marble from which the cathedral was built was not used for the construction of any other religious buildings in Europe;
• was the first to be planned and implemented in the unique architectural style of Flamboyant Gothic;
• is one of the largest in Italy and Europe;
• the construction was carried out not with the money of the church, but with donations from the nobility, which was quite unusual in those days;
• Architects from all over Europe took part in the design and construction;
• long construction period;
• Every year more than 700 thousand people come to Milan to admire the unusual beauty of the city's cathedral. The historical era forever left its mark on the majestic architecture of the Duomo, which absorbed the entire history of Italy and Milan.

Duomo (Italy) - description, history, location. Exact address, phone, website. Tourist reviews, photos and videos.

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It is probably difficult to meet a person who would be indifferent to the luxurious Gothic building of the Milan Cathedral. The Cathedral of Our Lady of Nascente (or simply Duomo) is the largest in the world, it can accommodate up to forty thousand people at a time, and it has no equal in the beauty of its external and internal decoration.

The cathedral is located on the main square of Milan, and if you look at the city from a bird's eye view, it is this building that first catches your eye; all the old Milanese streets lead to it.

A little history

The Duomo (translated from Italian as cathedral) began to be built at the dawn of the 14th century, and the grandiose construction was completed only in 1813. But the project for its construction has not changed, which is why the building is so harmonious. It represents the best example of the Gothic style, which cannot be surpassed.

Architecture of the Duomo

Absolutely everything in the external appearance of the cathedral is striking - more than a hundred spiers, the main one of which is crowned with the figure of the Madonna - the heavenly patroness of Milan, thousands sculptural compositions on the marble walls, illustrating biblical scenes, scenes from the lives of saints, and there are also images of angels and even fantastic, unprecedented animals. The beauty and grandeur of these creations simply cannot be expressed in words.

Cathedral interiors

But the Duomo is even more impressive for its interior decoration. Once inside the cathedral, you lose your sense of reality; it seems that the ceilings and arches cannot be so high, the columns so graceful and powerful at the same time, and the walls so skillfully decorated. Particular attention is paid to the extraordinary beauty of the stained glass windows; they create a special atmosphere of solemnity and at the same time mystery. Amazingly, the oldest of them is more than five centuries old.

Also inside the cathedral it is impossible not to notice the figure of St. Bartholomew, the patron saint of all fishermen, who died a martyr's death - he was skinned alive. The sculptor Marco d'Agrate was able to achieve maximum anatomical similarity in his work, and this sculpture looks simply unrealistically believable. It is also interesting to look at the tombstones of saints, decorated with wooden slabs on which pictures from the life of St. Ambrose are carved, to count the names of all the archbishops of Milan since the 1st century carved in stone, or to listen to one of the best organs in the world.

In conclusion, you should definitely climb onto the roof of the cathedral (this can be done either along the ancient stairs or via the elevator), the view from there is simply fantastic.

The cathedral is open daily from 9:00 to 18:00 with a break from 12:00 to 14:30, admission is free.

When a person comes to Milan as a tourist, on business or for shopping, he is inevitably destined to find himself on the main and central square city, Cathedral Square. This square is the heart of the city in all respects, because if you stick an imaginary compass into this point, it will outline a perfect circle, which will be the medieval center of the city. But all these considerations fade into the background when actually meeting this marble miracle hovering above the earth, which is already almost 7 centuries old. In 1386, the first stone was laid for this most important Gothic cathedral in Italy, the third largest church in the entire Catholic world. Only St. Cathedral is bigger than it. Peter's in the Vatican and the Seville Cathedral in Spain, 40 thousand people can be accommodated under its echoing marble arches.

We know that marble has been particularly valued as a material throughout human history. The reason for this will become clear even to a person far from art upon close contact with Milan Cathedral (Duomo di Milano). Under different lighting conditions, at different times of the day and at different times of the year, this building can miraculously create completely different moods and inspire different feelings. You might want to take the advice of the famous German poet Heine, who was sure that the Milan Cathedral looks best at midnight under the bright light of the moon. Then it seems that the numerous marble inhabitants of its terraces and spiers are about to come down from their pedestals and begin to tell amazing and slightly frightening stories. medieval stories. There are about 3,400 statues on the cathedral, and among them you can find not only biblical characters, but also 96 oriental chimeras, stand-up boxers, a statue that, according to the Milanese, became the prototype of the Statue of Liberty in New York, and even a small portrait of Mussolini. The latter, however, has now been altered beyond recognition and can only be found “by hint.” In the most honorable place stands the symbol of the city. This is a gilded figure of the Madonna, because the temple is dedicated to the Nativity of the Virgin Mary. The Milanese affectionately call their intercessor Madonna, although her size is 4.16 meters and she weighs about a ton.

Inside the cathedral you will be greeted by twilight and the mystical glow of stained glass windows. Nowhere in Italy will you find so many stained glass windows in one church, and the chancel windows boast the largest stained glass windows in Europe. If you draw a line from the center of the altar up with your eyes, you can see a small red light just under the ceiling. The great shrine of Milan is kept there - a nail from the Holy Crucifixion. If you are lucky enough to visit Milan in September, on the Saturday closest to September 14 (the Day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross), you can attend the ceremony of the ceremonial removal of the nail by the Archbishop of Milan, which rises under the dome of the cathedral on an ancient lift. According to legend, this lift was invented by Leonardo da Vinci himself.

The most unusual thing you can see in the cathedral is the meridian, a sundial that has shown noon since the late 18th century. Along the entire entrance there is a metal strip on which the signs of the zodiac are marked. IN
At noon, the sun's ray unmistakably rises to the sign that corresponds to the current month. In the 60s of the last century, malfunctions in the operation of the meridian signaled a serious danger - the subsidence of the cathedral.

The Cathedral of Milan, which was lovingly built over 500 years by the people of one of the most prosperous cities in Europe, is rich in many other attractions and masterpieces.

My visit to the Duomo Cathedral in Milan during a transfer between flights in Italy, as well as where to buy tickets and their cost.

On my first trip to Milan, I only managed to see the main attractions of the city, which I wrote about in the article. This time we had only a couple of hours in the city and this time was dedicated to the Milan Cathedral.

Tickets to Milan Duomo Cathedral

On my first visit, I didn’t get into the cathedral because I didn’t have time to stand in line for tickets, and it can be very long. But that’s not all, after purchasing tickets there will be a second line to go through security, although it moves quickly, and the screening itself does not take much time.

But before writing about the Milan Cathedral, I’ll tell you about tickets and where to buy them.

Tickets at the Box Office

The longest option, since you will have to stand in line at the ticket office, which is located on the right side of the entrance to the cathedral. There is a paid toilet right next to the ticket office, so it can come in handy if there is a long line.

The only advantage of the cash register is that the most expensive ones are sold here. cheap tickets for 3€, which cannot be bought on the Internet. The price of this ticket includes a visit to the cathedral itself and the Duomo Museum, which is located in the building next door.

With a ticket for 3 €, access is only granted to the first floor of the cathedral and the mausoleum of Gian Giacomo de' Medici. You can get to the roof of the cathedral and the basement with more expensive tickets.

In addition to simple tickets for 3 €, the box office sells various combined tickets with additional visits to various places in Milan. But most of all it is worth paying attention to the tickets with which you can get to the roof of the cathedral and to the basement. They cost from 9 to 15 € depending on whether you take the elevator or walk up.

Tickets Online

All tickets sold on the Internet are more expensive, but they have one big advantage - the absence of queues. This is especially true in the summer, when you have to stand in the heat under the sun or in the cold in winter.

Tickets are not sold on the official website of the cathedral; I can suggest as an option a website where a ticket costs 14 €. The ticket price includes access to the cathedral, the roof and the basement where archaeological excavations are being carried out. Also a bonus to the ticket is access to the Church of St. Gottardo in Corte, which is located 10-15 minutes away by public transport.

Excursion to Milan Cathedral

The cathedral offers excursions in Russian several times a week, and if you want to learn the whole history and secrets of the cathedral, you can book one.

Duomo Cathedral

Milan Cathedral is the center of Milan, its symbol and main attraction. The official name is the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, but many call it the Duomo or simply the Milan Cathedral. It took five centuries to build it, with stops due to lack of budget. They were built from white marble and decorated with thousands of statues.

The cathedral is located on Duomo Square in the city center. If you face the cathedral, then on the left there will be the famous Gallery of Victor Emmanuel II, on the right royal palace, and in front of the cathedral (behind) there is a monument to Victor Emmanuel II.

Just seeing the cathedral from the outside won’t be enough; it’s worth looking inside. Inside the cathedral is a little gloomy, its space is filled with the same gloomy sounds of the organ. This is what the central nave looks like.

If you look closely at the previous photo, you can see a small red dot above the main altar, right near the ceiling. This is the main relic of the cathedral - one of the nails with which Jesus was crucified. This nail is lowered only once a year.

Some statues you can't walk past, this is the statue of St. Bartholomew. His body looks like this because he suffered martyrdom, his skin was removed. What hangs on the saint’s shoulders is not a cloak or anything else, it is his skin.

The central altar and one of several additional ones, as well as stained glass windows.

If you want to look at Milan from above, then you should go up to the terrace of the cathedral. But it will be more expensive, as I wrote above. I didn’t get to the roof, so I left this pleasure for the next time I’m in Milan again.

And finally, a video with the atmosphere of the square in the spring, where the Milan Cathedral is located.

Duomo – cathedral Milan, named Santa Maria Nascente. This Gothic temple was built over almost six centuries and today is the fifth largest cathedral in the world and the largest in Italy. The Duomo is located on the site where the center of the ancient Roman Mediolanum was once located - confirmation of this is the fact that the modern streets of the city either diverge from the cathedral or surround it. Under the Duomo building you can see the early Christian baptistery, built back in 335 - this is one of the oldest Christian baptisteries in Europe.

History of the construction of the Duomo

In 1386, Archbishop Antonio da Saluzzo began construction of the cathedral, which coincided with the rise to power in Milan of Gian Galeazzo Visconti. The first architect of the project was Simone da Orsenigo, who planned to build the cathedral in the Lombard Gothic style. However, Visconti wanted to follow the fashionable trends of European architecture, and therefore invited the French engineer Nicolas de Bonaventure, who added the “radiant Gothic” style - a French style not typical of Italy. He also decided that the brick structure should be finished in marble. In 1402, Gian Galeazzo died - by this time the cathedral was only half completed, and construction was “frozen” almost until the end of the century.

At the beginning of the 16th century, during the reign of Ludovico Sforza, the dome of the temple was completed, and its interiors were decorated with 15 statues depicting saints, preachers, soothsayers and other characters from the Bible. The exterior of the cathedral remained for a long time without any decoration, with the exception of the Guglietto del Amadeo (“Little Spire of Amadeo”), a Renaissance element that harmonized well with the Gothic appearance of the church. Despite the fact that the cathedral was not completed, it was actively used for its intended purpose during Spanish rule in Milan. In 1552, Giacomo Antegnati was commissioned to build a large organ for church choirs, and Giuseppe Meda worked on decorating the altar of the cathedral. A little later, the famous Trivulzio candelabra of the 12th century appeared here.

After Carlo Borromeo became Archbishop of Milan, all non-ecclesiastical elements were removed from the Duomo, including the tombs of Giovanni, Barnabo and Filippo Maria Visconti, Francesco I and his wife, Ludovico Sforza and other former rulers of the city. Pellegrino Pellegrini was appointed chief architect - together with the archbishop, they wanted to give the cathedral a Renaissance look, which was supposed to strengthen its Italian origins, and “suppress” the Gothic architecture, which was then perceived as alien. Since the facade of the cathedral was still unfinished, Pellegrini designed it in the Romanesque style with columns, obelisks and a large tympanum. However, this project was never destined to come true.

At the end of the 16th century, the presbytery in the Duomo was rebuilt and new altars and a baptistery were added, and in 1614 Francesco Brambilla made a wooden choir for the altar.

At the beginning of the 17th century, the foundation of the new facade of the Duomo was laid, work continued until 1638: five portals and two central windows were erected, and ten years later a revolutionary decision was made to return the cathedral to its original Gothic appearance. In 1762, the Milan Cathedral acquired one of its outstanding features - the Madonnin spire, which rose to dizzying heights at 108.5 meters. Interestingly, today city residents use this spire to determine the weather - if it is clearly visible from a distance, it means the weather is good (given the damp climate of Milan, the spire is usually hidden in fog).

It was only at the beginning of the 19th century that the facade of the Duomo was finally completed - this happened thanks to Napoleon, who was to be crowned in the cathedral as the king of Italy. Architect Carlo Pellicani Jr. added several neo-Gothic details to the facade and a statue of Napoleon on top of one of the spiers. Subsequently, the missing arches and spiers were completed, statues were installed on the south wall, and in the mid-19th century the old windows were replaced with new ones. The final touches to the appearance of the Duomo were added already in the 20th century: on January 6, 1965, the last gates were opened - this date is considered the official date of completion of the cathedral.

Note

• Location: Piazza del Duomo, Milano
• Nearest metro station: "Duomo".
• Official website: http://www.duomomilano.it/en/
• Opening hours: roof - daily 7.00-19.00; crypt - daily 9.00-12.30 and 14.30-18.00; Baptistery - daily 10.00-12.30 and 15.00-17.00 (closed Monday); museum - daily 9.30-12.30 and 15.00-18.00 (Monday - closed); The cathedral is open daily 9.00-12.00 and 14.30-18.00.
• Tickets: climb to the roof - 5 euros, visit to the crypt - 1.55 euros, baptistery - 1.55 euros, museum - 3 euros, admission to the cathedral is free.