Skywatch Friday: Duomo di Milan

In February we were in Milan for the 2026 Winter Olympics.  Most of our time was spent at the various events, but we did take one day to enjoy the city's culture.


The one landmark that can't be missed in Milan is the Duomo.  It's the largest Roman Catholic church in Italy.  (Before you tell me that St. Peter's Basilica is the largest, remember that it's located in the Vatican.)


Construction on the Duomo began in 1386 and it wasn't finished until 1965!  This is the Gold Madonna at the top of the tallest spire.


This church is so large that my camera couldn't capture its entirety.  It's the fifth largest Roman Catholic Church in the world. Can you tell the architecture style? Yep, definitely Gothic with those pointed arches.


The inside was just as beautiful as the outside.  All the marble came from one quarry--the Candoglia Quarry.  To this day, the Duomo has exclusive use of the marble from that quarry.  It's still needed for repairs and renovations.


The stained glass windows are phenomenal!


There are multiple sarcophagi  containing archbishops.


The floors are amazing!


There are 52 columns inside (one for each week).


At the top of each column are 7 statues (one to represent each day of the week).  The inside and outside of the Duomo has over 3,400 statues, 135 spires, 150 gargoyles, and 96 giants.  I could have spent the entire day discovering the inside, but our city tour kept us moving quickly.


The central cupola surrounded by statues of saints, prophets and other biblical figures.


A closer look.


I really tried to get photos without others in the way, but it was impossible.


Look at the size of these doors!


The roof was incredible too!  The structure sustained damage during WWII from the Allied bombings, but not as much as other structures in the city.


This meridian line is on the west side of the Duomo.  A hole was made in the roof near the south wall.  At noon a beam of light crosses that brass line and a canon was fired to announce it was solar noon. (People didn't have watches hundreds of years ago.)  It's said to be accurate within two seconds.  Amazing, don't you think?

A must see if you're ever in Milan!

Linking with Skywatch Friday












Comments

Spare Parts and Pics said…
Jaw-dropping architecture. Incredibly ornate and beautiful!
March 19, 2026 at 4:55 PM
Photo Cache said…
How gorgeous is this. I hope it stands for a long time so the next generations can enjoy it too.

Worth a Thousand Words
March 19, 2026 at 11:01 PM
Nanda kumar said…
Beautiful architecture. Thanks for taking through it
March 19, 2026 at 11:53 PM
Jim said…
It's beautiful.
March 20, 2026 at 3:35 AM
Yogi♪♪♪ said…
That's pretty cool. Such a huge ornate structure.
March 20, 2026 at 7:57 AM
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