One of the most famous monuments in Italy is the Cathedral of Milan. The majestic building, located in the very center of the city of the same name, impresses with its graceful forms and fundamental nature at the same time. A lot of interesting facts are connected with the history of the cathedral.
Place and date of construction
The Milan Cathedral was built over 4 centuries; not every world architectural monument can boast such a substantial time cost. The distant 1386 became the official start date. In the first half of the 19th century, all the main events were completed, however, some works continued to be conducted at a later time. So, in 1965 the latest innovations were implemented. Since that time, the construction of the cathedral was fully completed.
A place for the construction of the cathedral was chosen special. For several centuries, various shrines, temples and churches were erected here. The Celtic structure is considered to be the very first local building, and a few centuries later the Romans erected the temple of Minerva in the same place.
The reason for the construction of the cathedral
The fourteenth century is a difficult time for Italy and Europe. The Apennine Peninsula drowned in wars, famines and deadly diseases. The construction of such a large cathedral became a symbol of its kind, confirming the strength, power and fortress of the city of Milan and its inhabitants, who were not afraid of even the most terrible troubles of the world. The basilica, built in honor of the Most Holy Theotokos, allowed residents to pray tirelessly to their patroness, not to lose hope for the best. It is believed that the city is not allowed to build buildings that exceed the highest point of the cathedral. To this day, the townspeople sacredly honor the image of the Mother of God and often come to the Duomo to pray to her.
Milan Cathedral in persons
The order to begin the construction of the largest city cathedral was given by the Duke of Giangaleazzo Visconti. The initial project was developed by local architect Simone de Orsenigo, then European specialists from France and Germany joined the work, which was quite rare for the construction of those times. The Italians considered immigrants from central Europe to be barbarians who knew nothing of art. More than 10 famous architects and the same number of assistants oversaw the building for the entire time of its construction. For the construction of the cathedral was chosen not only a rare style in those days, but also an unusual material - white marble. True, initially it was planned to use a brick for the construction of the cathedral, but later it was decided to abandon this idea.
Napoleon had a great influence on the construction of the Milan Duomo, thanks to his efforts, construction work was significantly accelerated. Perhaps that is why the statue of the famous emperor also adorned one of the spiers.
Features of the external decoration
Milan Cathedral harmoniously absorbed many diverse architectural trends, the main of which is the Gothic style. The building is decorated with a huge number of details, there are carvings, sculptures, and sophisticated spiers rising in the Italian sky. One of the most remarkable statues is the beautiful Madonna, and it was in her honor that construction began. A figure 4 meters high and weighing about a ton is made of bronze and covered with gilding. A recognizable element of the cathedral is the central roof with an infinite number of spiers, erected back in 1404 and perfectly preserved to this day.
From the roof of Milan Cathedral offers amazing views of the surroundings of the city. Climbing to the top of the structure by stairs or by elevator, you can appreciate the gallery named after Victor Emmanuel II, the world famous La Scala opera, and admire the amazing roofs of Milan's houses.
Features of the interior
Milan Cathedral is famous not only for its magnificent exterior, but also for its equally beautiful interior decoration. The basilica is notable for its considerable size, it is considered to be the second largest in Italy. At the same time, about 40 thousand people can be in the cathedral, the highest point reaches a mark of one hundred six and a half meters, while the length of the building is 158 meters. The decoration of the cathedral is striking in its fundamentality and symbolism. Inside are 52 columns, according to the number of weeks in a year. A special place among the objects of the basilica is occupied by one inconspicuous, it would seem, statue. St. Bartholomew in the Cathedral of Milan is revered and loved by millions of Catholics. This great martyr was severely injured for his faith, his skin was still stripped from him.
Milan Cathedral in Italy has another world relic. Near the altar is a nail, which, according to legend, was hammered into the palm of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, on his review the general public is given only one day a year, September 14th. Also, tourists often visit the Egyptian bathroom, which hosts the baptismal rite, numerous colorful mosaics, wooden choirs and the mausoleum-tomb of D. D. Medici.
The Duomo - Milan Cathedral - has another feature. Near its central entrance there is an astronomical clock in the form of a metal ribbon.
What is the uniqueness of the Cathedral of Milan?
Milan Cathedral is unique in many ways, here are just a few facts by which to judge its unusualness:
- the white marble from which the cathedral was built was not used for the construction of any other religious buildings in Europe;
- the first was planned and embodied in a unique architectural direction of flaming Gothic;
- It is one of the largest in Italy and Europe;
- the construction was carried out not with the money of the church, but with donations from the nobility, which was rather unusual in those days;
- architects from all over Europe took part in the development of the project and construction;
- long construction period;
- Every year, more than 700 thousand people come to Milan to admire the unusual beauty of the Cathedral of the city. The historical era forever left its mark on the majestic architecture of the Duomo, which absorbed the entire history of Italy and Milan.