Milan Cathedral: what curiosities does it hide among its thousands of statues, spires, pinnacles and often almost invisible details?
The Duomo is the undisputed symbol of the city of Milan and is one of the best-known and most admired cathedrals in Italy: a uniquely fascinating example of Gothic-style architecture , majestic and resplendent in its fine and elegant white marble with pinkish hues, which arrived by water directly into the city center from the quarries of Candoglia, in Val D’Ossola.
A timeless icon of the city of Milan, the Duomo has a very long history that began in 1386 at the behest of the then Archbishop Antonio de’ Saluzzo who, after the collapse of the bell tower of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, suggested together with the community the construction of the great cathedral that we can all admire today in Milan’s Piazza Duomo.
Did you know that the Duomo of Milan is dedicated to Santa Maria Nascente and that the full name of this spectacular cathedral is Basilica Cattedrale Metropolitana della Natività della Beata Vergine Maria? Probably not, but this is just one of the many tidbits and curiosities that can be revealed about the Duomo of Milan.
Here are 10 details and trivia you (may) not be aware of yet!
1. Milan Cathedral is the fourth largest church in Europe
Well, yes, when people say the Duomo of Milan is majestic, they mean it literally: in fact, the cathedral in the Ambrosian capital is the fourth largest church in size in all of Europe, preceded by St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, the grandiose St. Paul’s in London, and the fascinating cathedral in Seville, Spain.
2. Gothic? The cathedral has the primacy
When it comes to style, however, the Duomo has no equal: it is, in fact, the largest Gothic cathedral in the world, the ultimate example of this striking style typical of northern Europe, the emblem of which are undoubtedly its tall spires and the gargoyles scattered here and there among its many statues.
3. The cathedral houses a Statue of Liberty
Or perhaps it would be better to say “the” Statue of Liberty, the original one: in fact, among the hundreds – nay, thousands – of statues that adorn the exterior of Milan Cathedral there is one just like the now iconic statue that looks out over New York skyscrapers. Too bad, though, that this one of the Duomo was made in 1810, well over 70 years before the construction of the one the French gave as a gift to America. A true artistic plagiarism that no one remembers!
4. The cathedral holds the record as the building with the most statues in the world
Brace yourselves… There are as many as 3,400 statues placed among Milan Cathedral’s terraces, spires and walls. Together with more than 100 gargoyles and 700 figures made on bas-reliefs, Milan’s mighty Gothic cathedral thus holds the world record as the building with the highest number of statues. Unsurpassed!
5. The Nail of the Cross and the Red Light
Here is another curiosity of the Duomo of Milan: looking toward the high altar (if you are not distracted by the magnificent stained glass windows of the Duomo) you may notice a small red light: so marked is the tabernacle in which is kept a precious relic, the ancient Nail of the Cross. The Church and the faithful venerate it at the Rite of Nivola, counting it among the nails used in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
6. An accomplishment that lasted half a millennium
Everyone knows that the Duomo began to take shape in 1386, but many are unaware of the fact that it took no less than half a millennium to see it appear in its present appearance (it is no coincidence that the “firm” in charge of it is called the Veneranda Fabbrica!). In fact, the Duomo was consecrated in 1418, but at that time only the apse part had been built. It took centuries – literally – before the cathedral was completed in all its splendor that we admire today.
7. The sundial line
It is said that the sundial that is visible as soon as one crosses the cathedral’s mighty entrance served solely – in fact, it still functions today – to always know on what date Holy Easter would be celebrated. At noon, in fact, a ray of sunlight illuminates the point corresponding to the time of year one is in, which is referred to by the signs of the zodiac inlaid on the floor of the cathedral. But perhaps not everyone knows that precisely according to the indication of the Duomo’s sundial all the other clocks in the city of Milan were also adjusted!
8. It “self-cleans” and is anti-smog
In fact, its façade has in recent years been coated with a naturally occurring photocatalytic finish that, thanks to the sun’s rays, is able to purify itself and the air around it of any pollutants. A true anti-smog system!
9. The expression “eating ufo” is owed to the Cathedral
“Ad Usum Fabricae Ambrosianae” was the expression that had to be affixed to the Candoglia marble blocks, coming from the Ossola Valley, in order to pass customs control. This wording, which certified the use of the blocks for the construction of the cathedral, took over in Milanese slang to indicate the act of eating without paying, of consuming “a sbafo,” since the abbreviation A.U.F. presupposed the exemption of those materials from any tax.
10. Its statues are among the most unusual
The “flayed” St. Bartholomew is a worthy example: a statue that really has something sinister about it, no less disturbing than the many demons carved among the spires. Among the more unusual statues-and in over three thousand you will have many to unearth-there are also those dedicated to the two boxers Primo Carnera and Erminio Spalla or the profane St. Napoleon!
Have we intrigued you? All that remains is to go and see for yourself how extraordinary this work is: find out what else to see with an organized tour of Milan Cathedral..
