There is no better example of Milanese tenacity than the fact that their cathedral is a completely unspoiled example of Gothic style, despite taking a full 427 years to build. Generations of builders resisted every new style that came along, from Renaissance, to baroque, and then to neoclassical. The phrase la fabricca del Duomo in Milanese dialect is still used to refer to anything that seems to take forever to complete.
Began in 1386, the neo-Gothic finishings were only added to its façade in 1813 under Napoleon. From the 16th century, top architects submitted designs for the façade, but it wasn’t until 1805 to 1813 that the bronze doors and reliefs were finally built. In 2002, the Duomo’s exterior underwent scaffolding for a major cleaning set to last a few years.
The world's largest Gothic cathedral, the second biggest in Italy and the third largest in the world, has more than 3,500 exterior statues. The interior is a thicket of 52 pilasters ringed with statues of saints in niches. The Gothic tracery is actually ingenious trompe l’oeil paintings dating from the 16th century. The dimness helps the illusion.
Battistero Paleocristiano is to the left of the entrance, where excavations uncovered traces of Roman baths from the 1st century, a baptistery from AD 287, and a 4th-century basilica. To the right, you will see stained-glass windows, which create splashes of coloured light in the otherwise gloomy interior. The oldest, on the right aisle, date from 1470; the newest from 1988.
The funerary monument to Gian Giacomo Medici, on the right transept, was created by Leone Leoni from 1560 1563. It is a life-size bronze statue of the man dressed in Roman armour. Just beyond the monument is Marco d’Agrate’s gruesome carving of 1562, which depicts the flaying of Saint Bartholomew with his muscles and veins exposed and his flayed skin thrown over one shoulder.
The ambulatory towards the back is open only to worshippers, but you can see a lovely example of a 14th-century Lombard sacristy door. Stairs nearby lead down into the crypt, where the body of Saint Charles Borromeo rests in a crystal coffin.
The roof is accessible by stairs (or lift) and worth the climb, as it gives you an unfettered panoramic view of the Piazza below. The roof boasts a Gothic crown of spires, gargoyles, statues, and tracery. Perched on top of the Duomo’s central spire, standing 108m above ground, is the gilded copper "Little Madonna." It has been watching over Milan since 1774 and, for centuries, was the highest point until the Pirelli Tower stole that title.
Free to enter between 7am and 7pm daily. Access to roof is daily, 9am to 5:45pm (except February 16 to November 14, when it closes at 4:15pm). The cost is 5€ by lift and 3€ by stairs. You cannot enter the cathedral with bare shoulders or shorts and skirt that are above mid-thigh.