Milan's Duomo

Spring seems to be finally coming to Milan, days are getting lighter, weather is getting better, shops' windows are displaying bright colors, trees are blossoming and there's just a different feeling in the city.

Lately I've been passing in front of the Duomo, Milan's Cathedral, a lot and I have to say that it has become my favorite place to photograph in the city (if you've seen my Instagram photos and this post you already know that). It's such a beautiful building, and the blue skies in the background just contribute to make the perfect shot.

Believe it or not, after 5 years living here I've never been neither inside, nor to the rooftop so it is my new resolution to visit the inside of the Duomo soon.

Some history:
The construction of Milan's cathedral started in 1386 by Gian Galeazzo Visconti in an area where the late basilicas of Santa Tecla and Santa Maria Maggiore stood. The Fabbrica del Duomo is the institution that took care of the contruction and still today takes care of its rebuilding and other maintenance work, with donations from the Milanese. It is made of white marble from Candoglia and the style is late Gothic. The blocks of white marble came from Candoglia in Lake Maggiore through the river Ticino and the Navigli channels. It was finally completed in 1960, when the last bronze door was put into place.
The crypt contains the Treasure of the Cathedral and the remains of Saint Carlo.

The rooftop visit is among hundreds of statues, half-bust sculptures and decorations. At it's highest point, the 4-meter gilded copper statue of the Madonnina by Giuseppe Perego dominates the city and protects the Milanese.

Some of the text in this post comes from the website of Milan's Tourism.