About this experience
For almost 600 years, the best architects, artists, and sculptors of Italy have been building the Milan Cathedral. Even Leonardo da Vinci provided consultations on the engineering part, as evidenced in the archives. On this friendly excursion, we will climb to the roof of the cathedral together, descend into its dungeons, explore the Duomo from the inside and outside, and uncover its secrets.
What to expect
If a person has come to Milan and has not visited the cathedral and its roof, it can be said that they have not seen Milan. The Duomo is the spiritual and cultural center of the city, so depriving yourself of a visit to the cathedral would be an unforgivable mistake. During the excursion, you will:
- Learn why there are underground streams beneath the cathedral and how they are connected to the Baths of Hercules. What archaeologists discovered during the construction of the metro and what remains unchanged at this site since the time of the Celts.
- Be horrified at how the facade of the Milan Cathedral was supposed to look according to the official project, rejoice that this idea did not come to fruition, and understand the connection to Napoleon Bonaparte and the crown of Charlemagne.
- Admire the panorama of Milan from the cathedral roof. Among the skyscrapers, you will find those that do not exceed the height of the golden Madonna on the spire of the Duomo and those that creatively bypass this rule.
- Discover on the cathedral roof figures of Saint Napoleon, Benito Mussolini, the Pope, and several pairs of boxers.
- Study the sculpture that, according to Milanese belief, inspired Bartholdi to create the Statue of Liberty. Under the cathedral roof, you will discover a sacred nail from the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
- Uncover who the Milanese Medicis were, how they are connected to the Duomo, Michelangelo Buonarroti who never visited Milan, and Leonardo Da Vinci who lived here for 17 years.
- Find the former passageway through the temple. And descending under the altar, you will see the person who became the patron saint of Milan.
- Examine the cathedral's stained glass windows, learn what 'Duomo' means in general, and how Milan was named 2500 years ago.
Finally, I will give you my mini-guide to the cathedral and the history of Milan.
Organizational details
- The program is designed for participants of all ages
- Tickets to the cathedral are purchased individually (€30/adult, €15/child), no ticket is needed for the guide
- Prohibited in the cathedral and on the roof: cutting objects, selfie sticks, lighters, balloons, glass bottles, ceramic dishes, sprays
- The crypt of the patron saint of Milan is open from 10:00 to 16:00 (Mon-Fri) and from 10:00 to 15:00 (Sat)
