A1. APPROACHING THE CATHEDRAL GSV
MIlan Cathedral (Duomo) is located centrally in the city of Milan. The Duomo Transport Hub with bus and subway access brings us out on this plaza to the West of the Cathedral. Even from a distance, the Cathedral towers above us, and we can gauge its immense size by the tourists crowding around its base. It is the second largest Catholic cathedral in the world, after Seville. [Photo Credit: ]Granieri Bruno] INDEX
A2. FAÇADE Wiki
The Cathedral is built in Gothic style, but the façade is unusual. On May 20, 1805, Napoleon Bonaparte, about to be crowned King of Italy, ordered the façade to be finished by Pellicani. Within seven years, the Cathedral had its façade completed. As a form of thanksgiving, a statue of Napoleon was placed at the top of one of the spires. Napoleon was crowned King of Italy at the Duomo. [Photo Credit:Jakob Halun ]
A3. AROUND TO THE NORTH SIDE TA
In our exploration of this Cathedral, we begin by walking around to the North side. [Photo Credit: Vitruvio95]
A4. CORNER DETAIL TA
In this cathedral website, my normal goal is ‘to photograph everything’. However, with this Cathedral, this is an impossible task: it has over 3,400 exterior statues! Shown here is some of the decoration of the Northwest corner. [Photo Credit: 水豚覓食日記]
A5. NORTH NAVE Wiki
The nave walls are also highly decorated. There are eight windows along each side, corresponding, as we shall see, to eight interior bays in the nave vaulting. The windows are made up of many colourful squares depicting Biblical actions and events. [Photo1 Credit: MarkusMark] [Photo2 Credit:Eduardo Manchon ]
A6. TOWER AND SPIRES Wiki
The Cathedral has 135 spires, or pinnacles, each with a standing figure at the top. The central tower is capped with a much more substantial spire, with a golden Madonna at the top. [Photo Credit: Paola da Reggio]
A7. NORTH TRANSEPT Wiki
We come to the North transept – very shallow, but also wide as we saw on the plan. The more recent ‘wall’ at the base is the entry to the rooftop tour. [Photo Credit: me My PC]
A8. NORTHEAST APSE Wiki
We pass the North transept and its adjoining sacristy, coming to the three very large apse windows. A great deal more decoration is evident here! [Photo Credit: Ambra75]
A9. IS THAT A BEAR? TA Wiki
There is probably some story about most of the decorating sculptures on these walls, but my eye is drawn to a jolly corner figure with an alphorn horn and a bear – a visitor from Bavaria? [Photo1 Credit: Pergasios] [Photo2 Credit: Miguel Hermosa Cuesta]
A10. APSE CORNER ... AND REPAIRS!
Stepping back into the Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, we gain this wider view of the apse. We also become aware of the extensive rebuilding work which is being carried out – a hazard for visitors and photographers visiting any cathedral! [Photo Credit: Ahmad F Abdul]
A11. SOUTH SIDE OF APSE GSV
The apse windows have wonderful rose decoration at their tops. The South transept has now come into view. Here the later fence work at the base shields an exit for the elevator down from the rooftop.
A12. TO THE SOUTH TRANSEPT TA
The walls of the South transept are covered with sculptures. Did we mention the great size of this Cathedral?! For the record, the Cathedral has length 158.6 metres (520 feet), width 92 metres (302 feet) and height 108 metres (354 feet). (For comparison, the height of St Paul’s Cathedral in London is 111 metres (365 feet).) [Photo Credit: Tourist 603479]
A13. SOUTH TRANSEPT GSV
For a different view of the South transept, we can step back into the Via Palazzo Reale.
A14. LOOKING UP GSV
In this closer view of the South transept, we notice quite a number of little triangular cappings: one might think of them giving protection to the the sculptures from the weather, except that their placement is rather distant and random. We also see many gargoyles extending near the top of the wall, providing water outlets from the roof.
A15. SOUTH NAVE GSV
As we return to the West face, the Plaza widens out, giving us a good view of the South nave with its eight windows.
A16. SOUTH NAVE DETAIL Wiki
Looking closer at the nave, we appreciate the extensive detailing of the angled flying buttresses, and the horizontal bounding ‘fences’ along the roof lines. [Photo Credit: Yair Haklai]
A17. WINDOW DETAIL Wiki
Looking closely at theis nave window, we see some details of the figures down the sides, and also a little of the structure of the glass panes. [Photo Credit: Yair Haklai]
A18. SOUTHWEST CORNER TA
We reach the Southwest corner as we return to the West façade. [Photo Credit: Edelweiss46]
A19. BACK TO THE WEST FAÇADE TA
Any English tourist would consider the design of this façade unusual, lacking towers, spires or large West window. However there are similarities with some other European cathedrals. [Photo Credit: Edelweiss46]
A20. TOURIST CROWDS! TA
Milan Cathedral is obviously a very popular destination for tourists! A noticeable feature of this façade is the roof line which shows different levels. There is a high central level, and two steps down on either side. We shall notice this when we visit the rooftop shortly. [Photo Credit: Mirkoo1997]