The Duomo Cathedral

It is true that if you want to do some serious shopping then Milan is the city you should choose to visit. If you are lucky enough to refresh your wardrobe in this beautiful city then you should also set some time aside to visit the Duomo.

The Duomo is the second largest Catholic cathedral in the world. The Gothic/neo-Gothic exterior is actually more impressive than the interior which is quite gloomy and dark but there are other parts which are more interesting and worth a look.

There is the Crypt which many people like to visit because the tomb of Cardinal Borromeo lies there and the entrance to this is free. For a mere €1 you can also see the cathedral’s treasury (Tesoro del Duomo) which is a must for lovers of medieval and religious art and other beautiful antiques.

Going deeper down under the cathedral you can also visit the foundations of a Paleochristian Baptistery which was revealed by archeologists. This is apparently the place where St. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan baptized his student Augustine.

Once you have finished with the inside of the cathedral the time has come for the piece de resistance. You can either climb the many stairs or there is an elevator available to the roof. If you can climb it then it definitely adds to this unique experience. You come out of the dark interior to the bright skies and you can walk around the roof and look at Milan from a birds-eye view. This is really spectacular and definitely on the list of top ten sights in Milan. It is here that you will get your best snapshots of this beautiful Italian city.

Mark Twain who was a great fan od the Duomo wrote, ” They say that the Cathedral of Milan is second only to St.Peter’s of Rome. I cannot understand how it can be second to anything made by human hands.”