Milan Cathedral

Milan Cathedral is located in the heart of Milan and is dedicate to St Mary of the Nativity. It is a most beautiful building and I have never seen such striking architecture before. The sharpness of its design is something to behold and it was an amazing experience to finally visit one of the biggest churches in the world. The building began its construction way back in 1386, where Archbishop Antonio da Saluzzo commenced its works. There were a number of European influences that were brought in to design the cathedral to be of architectural excellence and it is safe to say that it did not fall short of its ambition.

Despite starting its construction so early, the long running history and events of the Cathedral saw its final completing in 1805. That is a remarkable 400 years in the making, an era where Napoleon Bonaparte would take the throne in Italy and order the completion of the structures façade. The contrasting styles can be observed in every corner of this building as it borrows a number of influences from many design styles. The attention to detail is remarkable here and the restoration works that have been maintaining the building have taken absolutely nothing away from the brilliance it has become over the years.

There a number of monuments around the cathedral and it might be difficult to understand or know what each one represents. There are a number of saints and even Archbishop Alberto da Intimiano's sarcophagus can be found in this place. IT was clear to me that Christian hold this place in sacred nature so all visitors should visit this space with respect. It was great to have a tour guide that was able to communicate all the amazing historic and religious meanings behind parts of the building. When looking and exploring such a place, there are many hidden meanings that can lead to an abundance of curiosity and questions. Our guide did a great job of explaining even some of the smallest details to us, hats off to him.

I would recommend taking at least half a day to cover the cathedral and surrounding areas as there is a lot to digest and see. Milan is such a beautiful place and its historic heritage is an absolute delight for the budding historian and curious traveller. Learning a bit of Italian will not hurt here either. Ciao!