Duomo di Milano

The Milan Cathedral is a majestic sight and one of the first thing you will notice in Milans city center. Having the capacity for 40.000 people it is one of the biggest churches in the world and certainly the biggest one in Italy.

The history of this gothic cathedral is a long one. It’s construction initially started in 1386 it wasn’t until more than half a millennium later that it was finished. This can be seen in the abundance of rich details in it’s architecture. Generations of work have gone into its unmatched amount of 3400 statues, 700 figures, 135 gargoyles and 55 beautifully stained glasses that visitors can admire.

If you climb the stairs or take the elevator to the rooftop of the cathedral you will have a panoramic view of the city center. And you will be surrounded by beautiful statues with the most notable being the golden Madonnina, which is a golden virgin Mary statue at the top of the cathedral.

Near the entrance of the cathedral you will a ray of light following a path on the floor. This is a historical sundial from 1768 placed here by the astronomers from Accademia di Brera, which is used to accurately set the clocks from all over the city. Another ray of light shows the summer and winter solstice, which is the day with the most hours of daylight of the year.

A notable object which can be found in the cathedral is one of the nails with which Jesus was crucified. This nail is on display once a year during the Rito della Nivola.

The Duomo di Milano is one of the landmark locations in Milan. And it’s certainly one of the best places to go sightseeing in Milan as its central location allows you to combine a visit with many other nearby attractions.