Duomo de Milan

On our second day in Milan, we had booked for a guided tour of the Duomo. It is such a massive building with such a long history, I really wanted to get the most out of our visit.

But first we loaded up with some lunch, on the rooftop restaurant of the department store Rinascente just opposite the Duomo. I chose some osso bucco-inspired ravioli, with saffron and veal, om nom nom!

Then it was time to take on the Duomo. Entering inside gave an absolute wow-feeling. It is massive! The first thing that hits you is the height, the pillars are so tall. The Milan Duomo is the largest church in Italy, and it took nearly 600 years to complete.

Do you see the red dot up high in the center of this photo? That is where they keep one of the nails used in the Crucifixion of Jesus.

The marble floors were a geometric tapestry of white, pink and black, everything is made from Candoglia marble that was tranported here via a special system of canals made just to construct this cathedral.
Below you see the meridian line embedded in the floor, designed to track the position of the sun when it shines through the special aperture in the roof.

Conserving the cathedral is a never-ending job. Here you can clearly see the difference in colour between restored and non-cleaned pillars:

The organ:

This sculpture of St Bartholomew Flayed was unsettling and beautiful at the same time. An anatomical sculpture draped in his own skin, showcasing the Renaissance obsessions with anatomy and realism.

After the visit inside the Duomo, it was time to climb up onto the terraces. We got to take an elevator for one bit of the elevation, but then it was stairs. I don't know why I do this to myself every time... I think I can handle it... this time it will be different... but - I do not like heights!

It was amazing to see Milan stretch out in every direction, the views really make you understand why this cathedral is not just a building, it's a compass for the whole city.

There we were, wandering between the 3400 sculptures, each one unique. We could glance across to the Rinascente where we had had lunch earlier.

A bit of the modern Milan skyline in the distant, what a juxtaposition!

Crowning the tallest spire is the statue Madonnina, the golden Virgin Mary. It is hard to tell, but this sculpture is 4m tall. Gothic architecture at its finest! 

Getting to experience the scale of the construction of this building was fascinating as the Duomo is not a static monument. Restoration is ongoing, artisans are busy continuing the work begun centuries ago. This Duomo is a reminder that culture is not something we inherit, it is something we participate in.

What can you see Nathan?

 

We took another wonder through the galleria and through the shopping district, to pick up some souvenirs. I had spotted a nice ceramic Milan Christmas tree bauble, and some other things.

We finished our stay in Milan with dinner in another Osteria not far from the hotel. It looked a bit unassuming from the street, but completely surprised us by having this gorgeous garden hidden away in the back of the restaurant. Really nice meal too. Grazie Milan!