The Duomo di Milano took 600 YEARS to build (1386-1965). 3,400 statues. 135 spires. The largest Gothic cathedral in Italy, the third-largest church in the world. The rooftop terraces let you WALK among the spires — Gothic pinnacles at arm's length, the Alps on the horizon, the Madonnina (golden Madonna, 4.16m) at the highest point. Milan guide →
The Duomo rooftop: Take the stairs (251 steps, €10) or elevator (€14) to the terraces. Walk AMONG the spires — 135 Gothic pinnacles, each topped with a saint. The marble is Candoglia (pink-white, quarried exclusively for the Duomo since 1387). The Madonnina (1774): The golden Madonna at the top — 4.16m, gilded copper. Milan law (until recently enforced) prohibited any building from being taller. The interior: 5 naves. The 3rd-largest church in the world (after St. Peter's and Seville). 52 pillars. The light through the stained glass (the largest stained glass windows in the world, some dating to the 15th century). The Crypt: Treasury + the remains of the original 4th-century baptistery of St. Ambrose (Milan's patron saint). The archaeological area (€7): Below the piazza — the original baptistery where St. Augustine was baptized by St. Ambrose in 387 AD.
Piazza del Duomo, Metro M1/M3: Duomo. Cathedral: free (rooftop separate). Rooftop stairs €10 / elevator €14. Open 9-19. The rooftop at SUNSET: the marble turns pink, the Alps glow, the Madonnina catches the last light. Milan →