The Duomo in Milan is a massive gothic cathedral, the third largest Catholic church in the world. It was begun in 1386 and the many pinnacled facade was completed five centuries later in 1813. There are 3,500+ statues and the entire church is made of marble from a quarry near Lake Maggiore. Even though my guidebook said a seven year cleaning was completed in 2007, there was still quite a lot of scaffolding and the highest pinnacle with the gold statue of Mary was completely shrouded in it. Like a house, it always needs something done! I found the sundial, with it's brass line and zodiac signs on the floor and the tiny hole in the roof intriguing. The post 1945 window of St. Michael the Archangel in the battle of good vs evil was filled with brilliant colors. At the top of the church a small red light indicated the Duomo's relic, the Holy Nail and in the crypt, we saw the body of San Carlo Borromeo in it's glass coffin, clothed, bejeweled, with gloved hands and a death mask. Then there was the statue of St. Bartholomew, having been skinned alive, carrying his own skin. The painting and sculptures of the martyrs are gruesome. This cathedral is so massive that even the panorama doesn't due it justice!
No comments:
Post a Comment