The building of Duomo Cathedral begun in 1366 by the will of Archbishop Antonio da Palazzo and went on for five centuries, although most of the construction had been completed by the year 1485. The place where the cathedral was erected had been a sacred spot long before, as the site of the 9th-century Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. The gigantic Duomo was made of brick faced with marble from the quarries donated by Gian Galeazzo Visconti in perpetuity to the cathedral chapter.

From the outside, the roofline dissolves into openwork pinnacles which are punctuated by 135 magnificent spires, topped with marble statues that look down on the city. Of these, the most recognisable is the famous ‘Madonnina’, a Baroque gilded bronze artwork covered with 3,900 sheets of gold leaves. The statue has been placed on top of the cathedral’s main spire, rising to a height of 109 metres. It is a final tribute to all architects and construction workers who over five centuries took part in Duomo’s construction. One should not leave without taking a panoramic external lift to the roof, which is open to tourists for a fee. Once there, during an unforgettable walk among the spires, there is a chance to see the amazing architectural beauties from close up and to admire the wonderful views of Milan, the Po Valley as well as the Alps further away.

A tour of the interior is also a definite must. The cathedral consists of a nave that rises to some 45 metres. This is the highest Gothic vaults of a complete church, since the Beauvious Cathedral, though boasting the 48-metre vaults, was never completed. There are five aisles in the Duomo Cathedral, crossed by a transept and then followed by choir and apses. The oldest part of the cathedral is the apse. Its three immense bays of curving and counter-curved tracery, particularly the bay that decorates the exterior of the stained-glass windows, should not be overlooked. The cathedral houses the tomb of Gian Giacomo Medici, which is at the end of the southern transept down the right aisle. Although in part designed by Michelangelo, the tomb is ascribed to the 16th-century sculptor named Leone Leoni. Opposite the Medici tomb, there are the 12th-century candelabra by the goldsmith Nicholas of Verdun, widely believed to be the greatest masterpiece of the cathedral. Looking at the fabulous creatures adorning this work of art, one will be impressed by the meticulous attention to detail.

Particular mention should be made of the splendid and detailed ambulatory windows, one of the most superb examples of stained glass windows to be found anywhere in the world. They were executed in the 19th Century by the Bertini brothers. And then there are the stunning windows of the choir, which are considered the largest in the world. Most treasures in the Duomo’s interior, such as ivories, vestments and tapestries as well as sacred vases in gold and silver are gifts that have been donated by princes and noblemen during the centuries of the cathedral’s existence.