Travels in Italy--The Duomo in Milan Revisited (Part 1 of 2)

Periodic visits to Milan have allowed us to explore more of Milan's cathedral, the Duomo di Mlano.  We recently visited the Duomo's museum and also its roof and learned a lot more about the largest church in Italy.

As you can see for yourself, the outside of the Duomo is among the most ornate church exteriors anywhere in the world.  Practically every inch of the exterior is covered with sculpted marble.  From the large main doors to the tops of 135 spires, thousands of sculpted figures, gargoyles, biblical scenes and architectural ornamentation adorn the building.  It seems that whenever anyone asked the question whether more decoration was needed, the answer was not only "yes" but "YES!" or "SÌ!".

The ornate façade and many spires of Il Duomo di Milano

The Museum:  The Grande Museo del Duomo di Milano is a modern venue located in a centuries- old palace next to the Duomo in the heart of Milan.  The museum was reopened in 2013 after an extensive renovation.  Today, the museum has a unique ambience--every gallery is dark, except the artwork and artifacts are brightly lit.  So, you might feel as though you are floating through time to view works of art in their original condition and location. 

The museum's collection is primarily works of art that once adorned the cathedral or models and studies of works that are still part of the cathedral itself.  So, visiting the museum is a wonderful way to better appreciate the work and artistry that went into beautifying the cathedral over several centuries.  Plus, you can get very close to works that would otherwise be difficult to see because they sit atop the cathedral hundreds of feet above the ground.

Let's take a tour of the museum.

The museum is home to a hyper-detailed wooden model of the Duomo, pictured below.  The 1:22 scale model was updated over nearly four centuries as more and more ornamentation was added to the building.

Atop each of the cathedral's 135 slender spires is a larger than life-sized statue of an important figure.  The museum has a collection of many spire statues that have been replaced by newer versions currently on the cathedral. 

St. Ambrose is a big deal in Milan, Florence and elsewhere.  Ambrose was Bishop of Milan in the 300''s, is one of the original doctors of the Roman Catholic Church and is the patron saint of Milan. 

We especially liked this sculpture of the biblical Lazarus because the figure seems life-like and powerful, with well defined muscles and even bulging veins. 

A spire statue of St. George.  Who was George, an English knight?  Not even close.  George, according to legend, was Greek and served in the Roman army in Asia Minor (now Turkey).  In his early 20's, George was martyred for his Christian faith and is considered a military saint. 

Charles Cardinal Borromeo (1538-1584) is a very big deal in Milan.  He was Archbishop of Milan and was a leader of the Counter-Reformation in Italy and elsewhere during his life.  Charles was reputed to be tough-minded and intellectual and also helped defend and reform the church.  Following his death, he was venerated and was canonized about 25 years later.  He became St. Charles and is interred in the crypt of the Milan cathedral.   

A beautiful stained glass window depicting the Tower of Babel

The museum has a large collection of scale models for full-size sculptures.  One set of models depicted religious stories.  The models for each story included a large monochrome painting and a small terra cotta sculpture of the same scene.  Below are the models for the story of Judith and Holofernes.  You might remember the story from an earlier post about Donatello's Judith statue in Florence.  The scene depicted below is a particularly gruesome version of the story because it shows Judith in the act of killing the evil king who sought to destroy her village and people. 

In addition to statues and models for sculptures, the museum is home to many gargoyles.  The gargoyle pictured below is particularly savage looking.  It once served as a spout for rainwater.  Water was collected from a roof and then flowed through the gargoyle and out of its mouth.  The rainwater fell away from the side of the building and did not to damage building walls.

Attached to the museum is the Church of San Gottardo in Corte.  The church is relatively small and once served as a chapel for the dukes and princes that lived in the attach palace.  The church dates from the 1300''s and was reopened in 2015 after a restoration. 

The nave of the church with a view of the main altar.

A side altar with an etched silver triptych.  The triptych reminded Greg of a similar Keith Haring work in St. John the Divine Cathedral in NYC.  

Keith Haring artwork in a chapel of St. John the Divine Cathedral

Outside the church's entrance is a modern marble sculpture.  The sculpture caught our eye. 

The church has a bell tower, pictured below.  The bell tower served as Milan's first public clock, ringing every hour. 

The campanile (bell tower) of the Church of San Gottardo in Corte was completed in 1336.

The museum is also home to a very interesting artifact.  Pictured below is one of the actual frames created in 1773 for a large statue on the highest spire of the cathedral next door.  The framework is stainless steel.  Another framework was created and covered with copper sheets to create the 12 foot statute, the Madonnina (Little Madonna).  The gleaming statue was eventually lifted into place atop the cathedral.  Standing 356 feet above the ground, the statue was the highest point in Milan for nearly 200 years.  Two of Milan's skyscrapers are taller than 356 feet but they are topped with a replica of the Madonnina.  So, the Madonnina remains one of the highest points in Milan.

The Madonnina atop the Duomo di Milano

Inside the cathedral is a full-size replica of the Madonnina. It is a sight to behold.

Next Up:  We're movin' on up!