Duomo di Milano
The Milan Cathedral or Duomo di Milano is a Gothic cathedral church situated in Milan, Lombardy, in northern Italy. It is the fourth largest church in the world. Also being the seat of the Archbishop of Milan, the cathedral took five centuries to complete.
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The construction of the church started late 14th century, in the urban site of a former 5th century basilica, having streets radiating from the building or circling it. The cathedral is designed in the so-called "rayonnant" Late Gothic style, a French current with German influences which, trough its flamboyancy, could be considered the rococo of Gothic.
The ground plan features a nave with 5 aisles, crossed by a transept and ending in choir and apses.
The first construction period included the noteworthy tombs of Marco Carelli and Pope Martin V, as well as the windows of the apse, portraying St. John the Evangelist, Saint Eligius and San John of Damascus. The layout of the cathedral consists of nave and aisles, an octagonal cupola decorated in the interior with 4 series of 15 statues of saints, sibyls, prophets and other biblical characters.
The spire, called "Amadeo's Little Spire" was added in the 16th century, being a Renaissance masterwork which, however, blended well into the Gothic appearance of the cathedral.
The main spire of the cathedral features the "Madonnina", a baroque artwork made from gilded bronze.
What renders this cathedral so awe-inspiring special and reflects the rayonnant style is the forest of openwork pinnacles and spires, an elaborate lacing on the delicate flying buttresses and on the roof. The verticality they create is of northern Gothic influence.
The north side of the choir is dominated by a grand organ and the altar is decorated with sixteen pales.
Further additions were the statue of St. Bartholomew by Marco d' Lopez and the famous Trivulzio candelabrum.
After Charles Borromeo's accession to the archbishop throne, in late 16th century, the presbytery was built, as well as new altars, a baptistery and wooden choir stalls for the main altar.
The 17th century brought further construction to the Candoglia marble facade, consisting of 5 portals and 2 middle windows with triforiums, in the original Gothic style of the church. While the facade also features Renaissance-style, Italian tympanum windows, the capitals of the pillars with niches are German. The massive Gothic pilasters and the two giant belfries received detailed Gothic ornamentation.
The interior features spectacular stone sculpture, for instance the Altar of the Madonna of the Tree, in the left transept, the St. Bartholomew statue, the Arcimboldi depicting the apostles in red marble and many other monuments.
Noteworthy are the sarcophagi, the three magnificent altars, the late Renaissance presbytery with giant copper and bronze covered telamones.
Grown from historical turmoil, conflict, unwillingness to compromise and jealousy, this gorgeous, monumental and awe-inspiring cathedral is a must see, as, architecturally, due to its mixture of influences exercised over centuries of construction, it is nothing like we know.
