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The Duomo of Milan (Duomo di Milano) is one of Italy’s most iconic buildings and the most important structure in Milan. It’s the centerpiece of Piazza del Duomo.
History of the Duomo of Milan
The Duomo of Milan, officially the Metropolitan Cathedral-Basilica of the Nativity of Mary (Basilica Cattedrale Metropolitana di Santa Maria Nascente) serves as the city’s cathedral and the seat of the Archbishop of Milan.
Construction of the Duomo of Milan began in 1386 when the first stone was laid under the direction of Archbishop Antonio da Saluzzo (d. 1401). The first chief engineer, Simone da Orsenigo, planned to build it out of brick in the Lombard Gothic style, but he was replaced in 1389 by French engineer Nicolas de Bonaventure, who introduced the Rayonnant Gothic style.
By 1402, almost half the cathedral was complete, but work came to a halt almost completely until 1480 due to lack of funds and innovation. Work picked up between 1500 and 1510, when the octagonal cupola was completed, but the interior remained largely unfinished throughout the 16th century. As the centuries passed, work continued to drag on so much that the architectural style of the cathedral changed several times. The presbytery was rebuilt between 1575 and 1585, and the wooden choir stalls were built in 1614.
Work on a new façade began in the early 17th century, but new chief architect Carlo Buzzi (c. 1607-1658) decided to return to the original Gothic façade in 1649. The façade was demolished in 1682 and was finally completed in 1813 by Carlo Amati (1776-1852). The addition of statues and spires, however, continued throughout the 19th century. The Duomo witnessed the crowning of Napoleon as King of Italy on May 6, 1805.
The Duomo suffered minor damage during the Allied bombing of Milan during WWII, but it was quickly repaired. The last details were completed on January 6, 1965, nearly 600 years after construction began.
Details of the Duomo of Milan
The Duomo of Milan is the third largest church in the world (as of May 2025) and the largest in Italy. It has a capacity of 40,000 worshippers. The building is 158.6 meters (520 feet) long, 92 meters (302 feet) wide, and stands 108 meters (354 feet) high. It’s topped by 135 spires and adorned with 3,400 statues, many of which you can see more closely by heading up to the terraces.
My Experience at the Duomo of Milan
I was overwhelmed when I visited the Duomo of Milan. This incredible structure that I had seen in photos all my life was more than I bargained for. My jaw dropped when I stepped out onto Piazza del Duomo and saw it for the first time. Inside was just as breathtaking and I couldn’t process everything there is to see.
There are so many important elements of its construction and craftsmanship – both on the interior and exterior – that it could take several visits to fully appreciate what it has to offer. I spent about an hour exploring the cathedral and it wasn’t nearly enough.
Visiting the Duomo of Milan
The Duomo is open daily from 9am to 7pm and there are a few different ticket options for visitors. Tickets are typically valid for three days from the selected visit date. Check the official website for more info.
Keep in mind, full price tickets are for adults over 18, reduced tickets apply to kids age 6-18, and kids under 6 are admitted free of charge. The following prices are current as of May 2025:
- Duomo+Museum (€10 full/€5 reduced): Duomo and Duomo Museum
- Culture Pass (€15 full/€7.50 reduced): Duomo, crypt, archaeological area, and Duomo Museum
- Terraces only (by stairs) (€16 full/€8 reduced)
- Terraces only (by lift) (€18 full/€9 reduced)
- Terraces evening opening (by lift) (€20 full/€10 reduced)
- Combo Stairs (€22 full/€11 reduced): Duomo, Duomo Museum, and the terraces by stairs
- Combo Lift (€26 full/€13 reduced): Duomo, Duomo Museum, and the terraces by stairs
- Fast Track Lift – terraces only (€28 full/€14 reduced): skip-the-line access to the terraces by lift
- Fast Track Pass with terraces by lift (€32 full/€16 reduced): skip-the-line access to the terraces by lift, Duomo, Duomo Museum, archaeological area, and crypt
- Combo Stairs+Pinacoteca Ambrosiana (€36 full/€24 reduced): Duomo, archaeological area, terraces by stairs, Duomo Museum, Ambrosiana Gallery, and St. Sepolcro Crypt
Note: The Duomo Museum, which includes the Church of San Gottardo, is closed Wednesdays. The crypt is closed on Sundays.
Free basic app video guides in ten languages are available for download on the Google Play Store and App Store. The app allows the option to purchase the complete multimedia guide for an additional fee. It can be entirely downloaded onto your smartphone so it can be used without Wi-Fi.
Doors of the Duomo of Milan
Before entering the building you can admire the heavy bronze doors on the five portals. From left to right, the doors are as follows: the Door of the Edict of Constantine, the Gate of St. Ambrose, the Door of Mary, the Gate of the Battle of Legnano, and the Cathedral History Door.
Each door is decorated with impressive reliefs, while each tympanum above contains more reliefs. Other sculptures and reliefs can be found on the bases between the doors.
Nave of the Duomo of Milan
The Duomo of Milan is on a Latin cross plan with a central nave flanked by two aisles on each side. The transept contains three naves.
52 pillars divide the nave from the aisles and support the vaults. Decoration of the floor began in 1584 and was completed between 1914 and 1940.
Counter-façade
The counter-façade contains the central portal, which was designed by Fabio Mangone (1587-1629) in the early 17th century and built in 1820. Above is a plaque commemorating the two consecrations of the cathedral in 1418 and 1577. It’s crowned by statues of St. Ambrose and St. Charles by Pompeo Marchesi (1783-1858) and Gaetano Monti (c. 1776-1847), respectively. The stained glass window in the center represents the Assumption of the Virgin and was made by Luigi Sabatelli (1772-1850).
Chapels and Altars
The outer aisles and transept are lined with chapels, altars, and funerary monuments. I’ve covered just a few of them here.
Altar of St. Joseph
The Altar of St. Joseph (Altare di San Giuseppe), which sits in the seventh span of the outer left aisle, features an altarpiece of the Marriage of the Virgin, painted by Enea Salmeggia (c. 1556-1626) in 1599. It’s flanked by statues of Aaron and David completed by Francesco Somaini (1795-1855) after 1830. Statues of the prophets stand on the tympanum. In front of the altar is the tomb of Cardinal Giuseppe Pozzobonelli (1696-1783), the Archbishop of Milan from 1743 to 1783.
Altar of St. Ambrose
The Altar of St. Ambrose (Altare di Sant’Ambrogio), which was designed by Pellegrino Tibaldi (1527-1596), is in the eight span of the outer left aisle. The altarpiece, St. Ambrose imposes penance on Theodosius, was painted by Federico Barocci (c. 1535-1612) in 1603. Statues of bishops line the top.
Altar of the Virgin
In the eighth span of the outer right aisle is the Altar of the Virgin (Altare della Madonna), which is another Tibaldi creation. The marble altarpiece likely dates to 1393.
Chapel of St. John the Good
In the apse of the south transept is the Chapel of St. John the Good (Cappella di San Giovanni il Buono). Cardinal Carlo Borromeo (1538-1584) had it built in the 16th century to preserve the remains of St. John the Good (d. 669), the Archbishop of Milan from 640/41 to 669. Atop the altar is a statue made in 1763 by Elia Vincenzo Buzzi (1708-1780). The reliefs were carved by Carlo Simonetta, Cesare Bussola, Giovanni Battista Dominione, Giuseppe Rusnati, Siro Zanelli, and Giuseppe Bono in the late 17th century. They represent six major events of the saint’s life. The construction of the chapel blocked an entrance on the south wall.
St. Bartholomew Flayed
Also in the south transept is the most famous statue in the entire building, the haunting St. Bartholomew Flayed (San Bartolomeo Scorticato). It was created in 1562 by Marco d’Agrate (c. 1504-c. 1574) and depicts the saint wearing his flayed skin like a cloak.
Altar of St. Agnes
Finally, to the left is the Altar of St. Agnes (Altare di Sant’Agnese), designed by Martino Bassi (1542-1591). It’s decorated with a marble altarpiece representing the Martyrdom of St. Agnes made by Carlo Beretta in 1754.
Presbytery
The presbytery is surrounded by 10 pillars and the ambulatory behind it. The current appearance dates back to the second half of the 16th century. It was commissioned by Cardinal Carlo Borromeo (1538-1584) and designed by Pellegrino Tibaldi (1527-1596). The altar was consecrated by Pope Martin V on October 16, 1418. It’s originally from the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, also known as the Basilica Vetus, which was torn down in 1386 to make way for the Duomo of Milan.
The two pillars on the end contain 16th century pulpits designed by Tibaldi. The one on the left was completed in 1585 and is dedicated to the New Testament, featuring symbols of the Four Evangelists. The one on the right was completed in 1602 and is dedicated to the Old Testament. The reliefs are by Giovanni Andrea Pellizonne. Both pulpits are supported by four bronze caryatids made by Francesco Brambilla between 1585 and 1599.
In the back is a ciborium made by Tibaldi. It was a gift from Pope Pius IV in 1561. To the left is a statue of St. Charles designed by Andrea Biffi and sculpted by Verova in 1610. The mitre is adorned with pearls and precious stones. To the right is a statue of St. Ambrose made in 1698. It’s entirely decorated with diamonds and stones.
Behind is the wooden choir, which was carved between 1567 and 1614 by Giacomo, Giampaolo, and Giovanni Taurini, Paolo de’ Gazzi, and Virgilio de’ Conti. It’s based on drawings by Tibaldi with reliefs recounting 71 Episodes of the life of St. Ambrose in the higher order and Stories of Milanese archbishops in the lower order. You’ll find the elegant marble choir screens in the inner aisles.
Nail from the True Cross
Suspended above the high altar is one of the four nails of the True Cross, which is the most precious relic at the Duomo of Milan. According to tradition, it was found by St. Helen and used by Constantine the Great as part of a bridle for his horse. A red light makes it visible from most of the cathedral. The other three nails or pieces of them are in Rome, Monza, Colle di Val d’Elsa in the province of Siena, Trier, and Bamberg.
Organs
Two gigantic organs are on either side of the presbytery. With 15,800 reeds, the organ system is the largest in all of Italy and one of the largest in the world. It’s controlled by one console. The north organ was built by Gian Giacomo Antegnati between 1533 and 1577 and placed in its current location in 1579. The south organ was built between 1584 and 1590 by Cristoforo Valvassori, replacing the original organ built between 1395 and 1397.
The doors of the south organ contain paintings of the Stories of the Virgin and the Old Testament completed on the left side between 1565 and 1581 by Giuseppe Meda (c. 1534-1599), while on the right are the Nativity and the Passage of the Red Sea by Ambrogio Figino (1548/51-1608) and Stories of the Old and New Testament by Camillo Procaccini (1561-1629), completed between 1592 and 1602.
Crypt
In the inner right aisle you’ll find the stairs down to the crypt, which was closed to visitors while I was there. Inside is a chapel known as the Scurolo di San Carlo, which was built starting in 1606 and holds the remains of St. Carlo Borromeo. The rest of the crypt was designed by Pellegrino Tibaldi.
Ambulatory
In the ambulatory are monuments to Popes and Cardinals. It was inaccessible during our visit. You can also get a good look at the three massive stained glass windows of the apse. They’re the oldest and widest in the Duomo of Milan. The central window contains the Vision of the Apocalypse, with the upper part preserving about 50 pieces of glass from the 15th and 16th centuries. It was commissioned in 1416 and created by Franceschino Zavattari, Maffiolo da Cremona and Stefano da Pandino, with Cristoforo de’ Mottis and Niccolò da Varallo chipping in at the end of the 15th century.
The two windows on the sides each contain 130 panels depicting Stories of the Old Testament on the left and Stories of the New Testament on the right. They were redone between 1833 and 1865 by Giovanni Battista Bertini (1818-1907) and his sons Pompeo (1828-1899) and Giuseppe (1825-1898).
Baptistry of St. Stephen
The remains of the Baptistry of St. Stephen (Battistero di Santo Stefano alle Fonti) sits underneath the north sacristy. It was built starting in 313 and was the oldest Christian religious building in Milan. It served as a female-only baptistry and was demolished in 1386. The baptistry was rediscovered in 1899, but all that’s left is the baptismal font. It’s open to all visitors. Unfortunately, access was blocked during our visit.
Archaeological Area of the Duomo of Milan
Inside the building, you can find the entrance to the archaeological area, which is included in certain ticket packages. Located under the front steps to the Duomo, the archaeological area presents the remains of the Baptistry of St. John (Battistero di San Giovanni alle Fonti) and Basilica of St. Thecla (Basilica di Santa Tecla), which served as the co-cathedral along with the adjacent Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.
The first excavations took place between 1917 and 1943, and the two structures were identified during work on the metro between 1961 and 1963. They sit 3.8 meters below the modern ground level.
Baptistry of St. John
The baptistry was built between 378 and 397 and served as a male-only baptistry. It was renovated in the 6th century but had been reduced to a storage room by the time it was demolished in 1388. The building was on an octagonal plan with a diameter of 19.3 meters. Each side was 7.4 meters long and the walls were 2.8 meters thick. It had 4 rectangular and 4 semicircular niches along the interior walls, each 3.5 meters in diameter. The baptismal font, which was covered by white marble slabs, was 5.5 meters long and 80 centimeters deep.
Basilica of St. Thecla
The Basilica of St. Thecla was built between 345 and 350 by Emperor Constans. It occupied the site of a Roman temple dedicated to Minerva, which in turn was built atop a Celtic temple dedicated to Belisama. The basilica served as the summer cathedral while Santa Maria Maggiore was the winter cathedral. It was still in use during the construction of the Duomo of Milan and was demolished between 1458 and 1461.
The basilica was 67.6 meters long and 45.3 meters wide. It had a central nave with two aisles on each side. Some artifacts are on display in the mezzanine of the Duomo metro station on the M1 line.
Terraces of the Duomo of Milan
No visit to the Duomo of Milan is complete without going up to the terraces. You’ll get a greater appreciation of the building as well as some great views of Milan. It’s possible to go up on foot or with the lift (our choice). First, you’ll have to go through a security checkpoint before entering the lift, which is outside the north side of the transept. Once at the top, you’ll get a good look towards Piazza del Duomo and the some of the statues and 135 spires on the side of the building.
After that, the path continues past the spires and flying buttresses, which are decorated with floral figures. In addition to supporting the weight of the building, they have the added purpose of collecting rainwater.
Further along the side of the building are some steep stairways. Climb to the rooftop and you’ll be rewarded with excellent views of Piazza del Duomo down below. You can spot other landmarks including the Royal Palace and Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. On a clear day, you can even see the Alps in the distance.
La Madonnina
The rooftop is the best place to get a look at the crowning figure of the Duomo, La Madonnina. This statue was raised onto the main spire in December 30, 1774, and is a symbol of the city. It stands 4.16 meters tall and is covered in pure gold foil.
The statue was designed by Giuseppe Perego and gilded by Giuseppe Bini. It’s covered by 33 copper plates and 6,750 sheets of pure gold. By tradition, no building in Milan is supposed to be taller than La Madonnina. When skyscrapers are built in the city, they always place a replica of it on top.
Duomo Museum
The Duomo Museum (Museo del Duomo) is housed in a wing of the former Royal Palace. It chronicles the history of the magnificent building and allows visitors to see sculptures, paintings, stained glass windows, tapestries, and architectural details up close. The collection consists of original works of art that had to be replaced for various reasons, and is spread out over 26 rooms. The museum, which first opened in 1953, is open daily except Wednesdays, and admission is included on any ticket to the Duomo.
Church of San Gottardo in Corte
The only way to visit the Church of San Gottardo in Corte (Chiesa di San Gottardo in Corte), which is located behind the Royal Palace, is through the Duomo Museum. It was designed by Francesco Pecorari and built as a ducal chapel between 1330 and 1336 by Azzone Visconti (1302-1339), the Lord of Milan. His tomb inside the church was designed by Giovanni di Balduccio (c. 1290- after 1339). The entire church was restored around 1770 in the Neoclassical style, with the exterior by architect Giuseppe Piermarini (1734-1808) and the interior by Giocondo Albertolli (1742-1839).
The church has an octagonal bell tower that served as the city’s first public clock. It was restored in 1887 under Luca Beltrami (1854-1933).
Venerable Factory of the Duomo of Milan
Behind the Duomo is the Palace of the Venerable Factory of the Duomo of Milan (Palazzo della Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano), which was built between 1841 and 1853 by architect Pietro Pestagalli (1776/77-1853). This organization was established in 1387 by Gian Galeazzo Visconti (1351-1402) to oversee the construction of the Duomo. It still operates and is in charge of maintenance, preservation, restoration, and cultural activities, including the Duomo Museum.
Church of Santa Maria Annunciata in Camposanto
The building contains the Church of Santa Maria Annunciata in Camposanto (Chiesa di Santa Maria Annunciata in Camposanto), which was originally built in the 15th century. It was completely rebuilt starting in 1616 and renovated in 1740. The interior consists of two octagonal rooms. The church is typically open for Mass on Monday through Friday from 12:30pm to 2pm.
Remains of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore
Some rooms of the Venerable Factory, off limits to the public, preserve the entrance façade to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, also called the Basilica Vetus. It was the co-cathedral of Milan along with the Basilica of St. Thecla and served as the winter cathedral. Construction began in 314 as the first Christian church built in the city after the Edict of Milan a year earlier. The name changed to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in the 9th century. It was 65 meters long and 30 meters wide and had a central nave with two aisles.
