I gazed and admired and stared and marveled and wondered and gazed again…
We rode the metro to the ‘Duomo’ stop, took the exit towards the Piazza del Duomo, ascended the stairs, and…
I simply couldn’t take my eyes off the Duomo, located in the heart of Milan. I had viewed many pictures of this centerpiece of Milan earlier. Yet, when I saw the actual marble structure in all its grandeur (there is absolutely nothing that is simple about it), I was almost speechless. Well, I managed to exclaim a ‘WOW!’ to break the silence :).
Towering above the Piazza del Duomo, the Milan Cathedral (Duomo) is the result of about six centuries of effort and construction beginning in the late 1300s.
The gigantic Gothic structure (one of the largest cathedrals in the world), the magnificent arches and spires, the intricate details, the stunning doors, and the golden Madonnina on the tallest spire make it one of the major attractions in Milan. We’ve visited it several times already – at various times of the day – and each time, I marvel at its magnificence.
The Piazza del Duomo (I intend to dedicate a separate blog post to it) is great fun for kids. The open space is ideal for the little ones to jump, run and chase pigeons. However, the piazza does get pretty crowded with tourists, so we had to keep a close watch on Junior and his whereabouts (which explains why I had one eye on Junior and the other on the Duomo 🙂 ).
Tips:
The Duomo in Milan is very well-connected by public transport (metro, tram).
It is free to enter the cathedral. However, there is a fee for photography inside the Duomo.
It is also possible to buy a ticket and head up to the roof of the cathedral and admire the views and the architecture from there. We haven’t done this yet (awaiting spring/summer for CLEAR views).