Duomo - Milan's Cathedral, named after Santa Maria Nashente. This Gothic church was built for nearly six centuries, and today is the fifth largest cathedral in the world and the largest in Italy. Duomo is located at the place where once was the center of Roman Mediolanum, - confirmation of this is the fact that the modern city streets or diverge from the cathedral, or surround it. Under the building, you can see the Duomo early Christian baptistery, built in 335, the year - is one of the oldest Christian baptisteries Europe.

In 1386, the year the archbishop Antonio da Salyutstso began construction of the cathedral, which coincided with the coming to power in Milan, Gian Galeazzo Visconti. The first architect of the project was appointed Simone da Orsenigo, who planned to build a cathedral in the Lombard Gothic style. However, Visconti would like to follow the fashion trends of European architecture and, therefore, invited the French engineer Nicolas de Bonaventure, which added a style "radiant Gothic" - French style, not typical for Italy. It also decided that the brick structure should be marbled. In 1402, the year of Gian Galeazzo died - by this time the cathedral was completed only half, and the building was "frozen" until almost the end of the century.

In the early 16th century, during the reign of Ludovico Sforza, the dome of the temple was completed, and its interiors have been decorated with 15 statues depicting saints, preachers, prophets, and other characters in the Bible. Exterior finish of the cathedral for a long time remained without any decoration, except Guletto del Amadeo ("Little Amadeo spire") - an element of the Renaissance, well in harmony with the Gothic style church. Despite the fact that the cathedral was not completed, it is extensively used for other purposes during the Spanish rule in Milan. In 1552, the year Giacomo Antenyati was commissioned to build a large organ for church choirs, and Giuseppe Meda has worked on the decoration of the altar of the cathedral. Later there appeared the famous Trivulzio candelabrum 12th century.

After the archbishop Carlo Borromeo of Milan became of the Duomo had removed all non-church members, including the tomb of Giovanni Barnaby and Filippo Maria Visconti, Francesco I and his wife, Ludovico Sforza and other former rulers of the city. The main architect was appointed Pellegrino Pellegrini - with the archbishop, they wanted to give the appearance of a Renaissance cathedral, which was to strengthen its Italian origin, and "crush" Gothic architecture, perceived then foreign. Since the facade of the cathedral was still not complete, Pellegrini designed it in the Romanesque style with columns, obelisks and a large tympanum. However, this project did not come to fruition.

At the end of the 16th century, the Duomo was rebuilt sanctuary and added new altars and a baptistery, and in 1614, the year of Francesco Brambilla produced for the throne wooden choir.

In the early 17th century was laid the foundation of the new facade of the Duomo, the work continued until 1638, the year: five were erected two central portals and windows, and ten years later was made a revolutionary solution - restore the cathedral to its original Gothic style. In 1762, the year the cathedral of Milan has acquired one of its prominent parts - Madonnina spire that lifting up on the dizzy height of 108 5 meters. Interestingly, today, residents of the city on the spire determine the weather - if it can be clearly seen from a distance, it means that the weather is good (considering the raw climate of Milan, the spire is usually hidden in the fog).

Only at the beginning of the 19th century facade of the Duomo was finally completed - it happened thanks to Napoleon, which was to be crowned in the cathedral as the king of Italy. Architect Carlo Pellikani Jr. added to the front of a few neo-Gothic details and the statue of Napoleon on the top of one of the spiers. In the future, we have been completed the missing arches and spiers, statues on the south wall, and in the mid-19th century, the old windows were replaced with new ones. The final touches to the appearance of the Duomo were added in the 20th century: January 6, 1965, the year opened the last gate - this date is considered the official date of completion of the construction of the cathedral.