Guided tour of Milan Cathedral

Your guided tour starts in Piazza del Duomo, at the meeting point under the portico. After meeting with your guide, you’ll have the opportunity to enter the cathedral and discover the countless hidden treasures it contains. You’ll also take the lift up to the cathedral’s roof terraces, where you can enjoy breathtaking views of the city. Along the way, you’ll learn some fascinating anecdotes and fun facts that seldom appear in the guidebooks.

Milan Cathedral has an extremely long history: construction began in 1386 at the behest of Gian Galeazzo Visconti, the first duke of Milan, who wanted an immense cathedral for his city. The site chosen for its construction was the place where the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore and the Basilica of Santa Tecla once stood. Building work continued for more than five centuries; in fact, the last door was installed in 1965.

The style of the building takes inspiration from a variety of different traditions, from Baroque to Gothic and Neo-Gothic. The main material used is pinkish-white Candoglia marble from quarries in the Ossola Valley. The cathedral is 157 metres long, and has a 108.5-metre main spire topped by the golden statue of the Madonnina (4.16 metres tall), the symbol of the city and protector of its people.

The French writer Stendhal was fascinated by the building:
“All these evenings I have been going, around 1 a.m., to see Milan Cathedral again. Lit by the beautiful moon, the church offers a spectacle of extraordinary beauty that is unique in the world. Never before has architecture inspired in me such emotions.”
(Stendhal, 5 November 1816)

Here we only have room for a few pointers; it’s up to you to continue your journey of discovery of this architectural masterpiece.

Please note: Access to the Cathedral complex involves strict security checks.
Moreover, the ascent to the Terraces is made by elevator, and the descent via stairs (250 steps). Please also be advised that it is forbidden to enter the Cathedral with helmets, glass objects and luggage. We strongly advise you not to bring large bags.
Please wear appropriate clothing to enter religious sites (note that knees and shoulders must be covered). Sports shirts are not acceptable.
The visit to the Terraces is not accessible for wheelchair users or those with mobility problems, as it involves climbing stairs to reach the second terrace (80 steps).

What to expect:

The Cathedral

Inside the cathedral, wonder turns into emotion. You’ll be awed by the vast space, punctuated by slender pillars that seem to go on forever. At first you attempt to take it all in and then, with the help of our guide, linger on numerous fascinating details.
Inside, your eyes will be drawn to the stained glass windows which, along with the statues, mosaics and artworks, make this cathedral unique. There are a total of 55 stained glass windows that tell the story of art, culture, faith and the city of Milan itself. Just think, 2 glass furnaces were even installed on the cathedral’s construction site to make the windows.
Equally impressive is the floor, made of multi-coloured marble.

The meridian line

As soon as you enter the cathedral, look at the floor and you’ll notice a brass strip running the entire width of the building. This is Lombardy’s most important sundial, and it was built in 1786 by astronomers from the Brera Astronomical Observatory. At regular intervals along the line, you’ll see tiles with the signs of the zodiac. At noon each day, these are illuminated by a beam of light that shines through a hole in the ceiling, indicating the current zodiac sign.

The Terraces

A visit to the rooftop of the cathedral is not to be missed: you’ll take the lift up to the terraces, from where you can admire spectacular views of the city and the distant arc of the Alps, as well as getting a close-up look at the cathedral’s many spires. You’ll be amazed by the beauty at every step. The Duomo of Milan is the only cathedral in the world where you can walk on the roof.

The statues

There are more than 3,000 statues adorning Milan Cathedral. Inestimably beautiful sculptures ranging from the 16th century to the 20th century. These are exclusively religious figures: saints, martyrs and characters from the holy scriptures. As you explore the interior of the Cathedral, you’ll find countless examples of such items. One is the statue of Saint Bartholomeo Flayed, by a pupil of Leonardo da Vinci, which depicts the saint skinless after torture, wearing his skin on his shoulders.

The Holy Nail

One of the most important relics preserved in Milan Cathedral, high up and attached to a keystone, is a nail. You can find it by raising your eyes towards the ceiling and looking for a small red light. Legend has it that this nail belonged to the Holy Cross.

A record-breaking cathedral

Milan Cathedral is Europe’s largest Gothic church and the largest in Italy, the fifth largest church in the world; it is also the building with the highest number of statues in the world. A few figures: there are 52 columns in the cathedral, one for every week in the year. The cathedral is 157 metres long and has 164 windows and 135 spires, most of which are 17 metres high; they are adorned with 3440 statues of all sizes, as well as 135 gargoyles, niches and openwork.

A special feature: Milan’s Statue of Liberty.

On the left-hand side above the main door of the cathedral, you’ll notice a very special statue: it’s called La Legge Nuova and it was sculpted by Camillo Pacetti in 1810. The statue is thought to be Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi’s inspiration for the Statue of Liberty we all know.