The Duomo of Milan, guided tour of the Cathedral

The Duomo: an ambitious project commissioned by the Duke of Milan

A guided tour of the Duomo of Milan is a must-do to learn about the long history of the cathedral and its city. The tale begins in the year 1386: still the third largest Catholic church in the world today, dedicated to Santa Maria Nascente, the Duomo owes its construction to the ambitions of Duke Gian Galeazzo Visconti, who wanted to build a majestic cathedral in step with European trends and a shining expression of the power of his state. The monumental architecture was built where the Basilica of Santa Tecla and the cathedral of Santa Maria Maggiore once stood . From the moment the duke chose marble from the Candoglia Quarries to build it in 1387, the Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo, an entity that still deals with the preservation and enhancement of the cathedral.

From Leonardo to Tibaldi, the Duomo is a milestone for all

Over the centuries, the most important architects and artists that history has counted have come to the Duomo site: Leonardo da Vinci, Bramante, the Solari, Pellegrino Tibaldi… up to the sculptor Giuseppe Perego who designed the Madunina of gilded copper, inaugurated in 1774 and soon became a symbol of the city. Get up close with our tour guides to this imposing building and experience the experience of carefully admiring every detail, traversing centuries of history: Catch all the veins of its typical pinkish marble, moving your gaze from spire to spire; admire the works of art still preserved inside, from the Quadroni di San Carlo to the majestic carved altars; discover the many curiosities the church reveals, from the presence of sundials to the traditional Nivola ritual, to the legendary origin of saffron risotto, linked to the Duomo’s colorful stained glass windows.

Finally, with this guided tour, there will be no shortage of opportunities to leave room for the history of the city and the people who have inhabited it, describing many previously unseen aspects of Milanese folklore and trades that still belong to the identity of contemporary Milan.