Milan Cathedral grew from a project that probably began in 1386 on the site of earlier basilicas. Gian Galeazzo Visconti promoted a Gothic design in Candoglia marble, and the Veneranda Fabbrica, founded in 1387, continues to oversee the cathedral’s care.
No single architect can be assigned the whole cathedral: generations of builders shaped its nave, stained glass, sculpture and forest of 135 spires. The Madonnina was completed in 1773 and raised to the Great Spire at the end of 1774; the façade campaign followed under Napoleon from 1807 to 1813.
Inside, look for the monumental piers, patterned marble floor and meridian line. Below the piazza, the archaeological area preserves remains of earlier churches and the late-antique Baptistery of San Giovanni alle Fonti.
On the rooftop terraces, marble carvings come into close view; two steep stairways lead to the upper central level. On the same piazza, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II makes a natural next stop.
