Milan

Italy 2011
Picture 01 Duomo di Milano, Milan Cathedral
1
Picture 02 Dedicated to Santa Maria Nascente (Saint Mary Nascent), it is the seat of the Archbishop of Milan.
2
Picture 03 The Gothic cathedral took nearly six centuries to complete.
3
Picture 04 It is the fourth largest cathedral in the world and the largest in the Italian state territory.
4
Picture 05 Milan's layout, with streets either radiating from the Duomo or circling it, reveals that the Duomo occupies what was the most central site in Roman Mediolanum,...
5
Picture 06 In 1386, Archbishop Antonio da Saluzzo began construction in a rayonnant late Gothic style more typically French than Italian.
6
Picture 07 In 1402, almost half the cathedral was complete.
7
Picture 08 Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, connecting Piazza del Duomo to Piazza della Scala.
8
Picture 09 Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, a double arcade formed by two glass vaulted arcades intersecting in an octagon covering the street connecting the two plazas.
9
Picture 10 Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II: a triumphal arch motif in the Piazza del Duomo entrance.
10
Picture 11 Construction of the Duomo, however, stalled from 1402 almost totally until 1480, due to lack of money and ideas.
11
Picture 12 In 1762 one of the main features of the cathedral, the Madonnina's spire, was erected at the dizzying height of 108.5 m.
12
Picture 13 In 1500 to 1510, under Ludovico Sforza, the octagonal cupola was completed, and decorated in the interior with four series of 15 statues each, portraying...
13
Picture 14 In 1575-1585 the presbytery was rebuilt, while new altars and the baptistry were added in the nave.
14
Picture 15 Wooden choir stalls were constructed by 1614 for the main altar.
15
Picture 16 In 1682 the façade of Santa Maria Maggiore was demolished and the cathedral's roof covering completed.
16
Picture 17 In 1762, the Madonnina's spire, was erected.
17
Picture 18 On May 20, 1805, Napoleon Bonaparte, about to be crowned King of Italy, ordered the facade to be finished.
18
Picture 19 Within only seven years, the Cathedral had its facade completed.
19
Picture 20 Napoleon was crowned King of Italy at the Duomo.
20