Milan Cathedral: what to see by participating in an organized tour?
The architectural glimpse you get when you arrive in Milan’s Piazza del Duomo is truly incredible: the fourth largest Catholic church in Europe, the undisputed emblem of the Gothic style in the Italian peninsula, stands proudly and majestically gleaming in the elegant pinkish-white marble in the center of the wide square.
In Milan of routes to follow to visit the city from top to bottom there are many, but a visit inside its star monument, the splendid cathedral, the Duomo of Milan. Taking part in an organized tour is a great way to enjoy even better the visit to its interior, which is full of treasures and details to pay attention to that otherwise might not immediately jump out at you.
Ladies and gentlemen, here is what to see on a tour of Milan Cathedral!
Organized tour of Milan Cathedral: what to see? Let’s start from the outside
The first approach to the Duomo is from the outside: the marble used in its construction, that of Candoglia, is precious and has an unparalleled luster. One immediately realizes how tall and imposing the church is, and as one looks up, one cannot help but notice the famous Madunina, now a Milanese icon: it is a gold-clad statue, a full four meters tall and placed on the highest spire of the Duomo.
But taking a closer look at the rich exterior decorations, one quickly realizes that carved into the marble is the surprising encounter between the sacred and the profane: in addition to statues of saints, there are other “inventive” ones-such as that of St. Napoleon-that share space with fanciful figures, such as demons and gargoyles.
The sundial and the sack of the Last Judgment inside the Cathedral of Milan
At this point we can also answer another question, “Milan Cathedral: what to see inside?” Let’s start with the sundial and the sack of the Last Judgment.
It was at the behest of Joseph II of Austria that, in 1776, the two astronomers from the Brera Astronomical Observatory , Guido Francesco Reggio and Giovanni Angelo De Cesaris, made the Duomo’s famous sundial in order to know exactly the date of Holy Easter. The mechanism still works today: at noon on the dot, a ray of sunlight filters in from outside and is projected along the brass line on the floor of the cathedral, indicating the time of year you are in, which can be identified with the help of the zodiac signs represented in the floor inlays.
As you look up above the right aisle, you will notice a strange sack hanging from the ceiling-no one knows its real contents, but legend has it that the sack will fall as soon as the day of the Last Judgment has arrived.
Archbishop Visconti’s sarcophagus and other statues.
Ottone Visconti was the first among the members of his illustrious family to hold power over the Ambrosian city. Archbishop Visconti’s sarcophagus is located in the far right aisle, framed by two mighty columns of fine Verona marble, and along with his remains are those of his successor, Giovanni Visconti.
There are other historical memories you can admire inside the church, such as the Michelangelo-style bronze statue dedicated to Gian Giacomo Medici, flanked by allegorical ones of the Militia and Peace, on a Carrara marble altar. Just beyond, how can we also fail to notice the so-called “Flayed St. Bartholomew,” a very fine work by Marco d’Agrate from 1564.
An organized tour to discover the Cathedral’s beautiful carved altars and organ
The high altar is indeed majestic, but also precious: in fact, the tabernacle is said to hold one of the nails with which Jesus Christ was crucified, the so-called Nail of the Cross. To the left of the high altar, however, is the splendid gilded organ: embellished with beautiful paintings depicting the lives of Mary and other saints, it is equipped with four instruments.
Another altar not to be missed during your organized tour inside the Milan Cathedral is that of the Presentation of the Virgin: in fact, the side aisles of the church house not only sarcophagi and funerary monuments but also several altars including the one dedicated to San Giovanni Buono and, at the end of the left aisle, a beautiful porphyry baptistery , a precious red marble. The altar of the Presentation of the Virgin is a 16th-century work by Agostino Busti known as Bambaia, a masterpiece of the Milanese Renaissance, amazing for the perspective depth of the marble relief.
A tour of the Terraces
Milan Cathedral: what to see on the terraces?
After being captivated by the stained glass windows and the fine sculptures inside the church, it’s time to climb to the top of the Duomo, closer to the Madunina: a tour of the church’s terraces, among the Gothic spires and more modern sculptures, is an unmissable experience that offers an exclusive view of the square and the elegant buildings that flank the mighty Duomo.
The Rite of Nivola and the Quadrons of St. Charles
Finally, two other experiences not to be missed during a visit to Milan Cathedral are participating in the Rite of Nivola and contemplating the Quadroni.
The Rite of the Nivola has taken place at Milan Cathedral since Sept. 14, 1500, on an annual basis: a liturgy dedicated to the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is celebrated every Sept. 14. Among incense and prayers, the archbishop ascends by nivola, a kind of 16th-century “elevator,” to the tabernacle where the relic of the Sacred Heart is kept.
Instead, the Quadroni di San Carlo can traditionally be admired only in the month of November, when the saint’s feast day falls: these are more than fifty large paintings that are displayed between pillars of the cathedral and celebrate the main episodes in the life of St. Charles Borromeo, the Milanese saint par excellence. The Cathedral of Milan, moreover, houses the remains of St. Charles right behind the altar, in the striking scurolo.
Since 1386, when Gian Galeazzo Visconti began its construction, the Duomo has been enriched with splendid works: more than 3,000 statues, 700 figures on bas-reliefs and 55 multicolored stained-glass windows. Numbers that not only emphasize the magnificent grandeur of the building, but also remind us how, to admire it in all its splendor, it really helps to visit it from top to bottom with an organized, exclusive and comprehensive tour.
