Terraces of Milan Cathedral, amid spires and rampant arches

The Terraces: to each spire its own story

Whether you decide to go up by elevator or on foot, the Duomo Terraces offer not only an extraordinarily beautiful visual spectacle, with an all-around perspective on Milan, but also an evocative atmosphere somewhere between Renaissance and Baroque suggestions. Our tour guides will guide you through the more than 135 spires, 180 statues, and small evocative corners that the unique architecture of the Terraces of the Duomo provide. Marvel at the ingenuity of past architects who combined engineering, art and functionality here into one breathtaking work of art. Did you know that many of the stone decorations serve as rainwater drains? On this magnificent guided tour you will learn a lot about each of the Terraces’ unique features. For example: the first spire erected in 1404 is the Carelli spire with a statue depicting Gian Galeazzo Visconti.
Or, the tiburium designed by sculptor and architect Giovanni Antonio Amadeo, whose construction then took place over a long period, between the 16th and 19th centuries.
And finally, how can we forget that all the rampant arches clearly visible right from the terraces act as a support to the major spire, the one that houses the golden statue of the Madunina: gold suit and piscinina, which has been observing the Milanese since 1774 and is, unmistakably, a symbol of Milan.

From the Cathedral Terraces: a stunning skyline

But this guided discovery tour of the Duomo Terraces offers not only a lunge into past history, but also a glimpse into the future. Let our professional guides direct your eyes to the “mushroom” shape of the Velasca Tower. A little further on, the Branca Tower, inside Parco Sempione and designed by Giò Ponti.
Or, impossible not to notice, the new skyline of Milan, with the recently grown skyscrapers in the Porta Nuova and City Life areas. Constantly expanding, these buildings, such as theUnicredit Tower, the Aria, Solea and Solaria Towers, the Diamante Tower and the Isozaki Tower, project Milan into the architecture of the future.
But there is much more to discover on this visit to the Duomo Terraces. Abandon your gaze to the horizon, even beyond the city skyline…

Guided evening tour of the Terraces: Milan at sunset

With the beautiful season, the Cathedral brings with it a great novelty. After the great success of last summer’s initiatives, also for this year every Thursday the Terraces will remain open until evening and people will be able to enjoy the warm light of sunset and the evocative atmosphere of twilight to admire the beauty of the Cathedral. Discovering the history of Milan’s symbol par excellence will be even more fascinating at the time of day when the different sculptures seem to come to life, brought to life by the vibrant effect of the sun’s rays threading through the spires!