If you see one thing in Milan this should be it. In our book it rivals Notre Dame in Paris, the Hagia Sofia in Istanbul, and the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. Truly impressive.
I’m sure you’ve at least seen a picture of the outside. The cathedral took nearly six centuries to complete. It is the largest church in Italy (the larger St. Peter’s Basilica is in the State of Vatican City), the third largest in Europe and the fifth largest in the world. It ranks.
The ornate outside is but a hint of the inside.
Tickets are strangely difficult to obtain and not the steps to get them aren’t that clear. You can’t just walk in, so as you’re looking at the front of the cathedral, walk around the cathedral to your right. Resist the temptation to get in the Fast Track line (unless that is what you bought), but keep walking. You’ll see red banners that say “Tickets”.
Go there, likely there will be a line. Get in it, although this is just a line to get a number that allows you to get in the actual line to buy tickets. Grab your number and go inside. It operates just like the DMV, except if you look to your left there are self-service machines. Use them. You can buy anything you want there that the DMV people can sell you and they are much, much faster. Tickets to the cathedral only will cost €3.
It will be the best €3 you’ll spend on your trip. Because when you step into the cathedral you will see this.
And this.
And this beautiful marble floor that looks like a carpet.
The space inside is absolutely incredible. A cathedral has occupied this space since the year 355, but the current incarnation was built starting in 1386. It wouldn’t be until 1965 that it would be considered “finished”. It went through 78 architects and engineers in those 600 years.
Many famous writers have panned the cathedral, although Henry James was more appreciative: “A structure not supremely interesting, not logical, not … commandingly beautiful, but grandly curious and superbly rich. … If it had no other distinction it would still have that of impressive, immeasurable achievement … a supreme embodiment of vigorous effort.” We loved it.
All throughout the space you will see enormous tapestries hung like curtains.
A small red light bulb in the dome above the apse marks the spot where one of the nails reputedly from the Crucifixion of Christ has been placed. The Holy Nail is retrieved and exposed to the public every year, during a celebration known as the Rite of the Nivola. You can see it below.
The most famous statue in the Duomo is Saint Bartholomew Flayed from 1562, by Marco d’Agrate. The saint shows his flayed skin thrown over his shoulders like a stole.
While we were there, the 245 pipe organ came to life. If you click on the link below you can hear what we heard.
It really was wonderful.
Make sure you come here if you’re in Milan, it made our stop worthwhile.
