Posted by Milan Cathedral (also known as the Cathedral of the Archdiocese of Milan or Duomo di Milano in Italian) is one of the 10 most famous churches in the world. It is the most important sight of the city of Milan with over a million inhabitants in northern Italy. Tourists can not only look at the church from inside and outside, they can also walk around on the roof of the church. To our knowledge, it is unique in the world. In the following article you will find all the important information if you want to visit Milan Cathedral.
Ticket Milan Cathedral: There is a total ticket for the cathedral / access to the roof / cathedral museum and crypt (cathedral cellar). There is only one sales point on site opposite the cathedral. The queues there are often extremely long. Therefore, be sure to buy your ticket online beforehand: The Dom Tickets are available on this link
Construction of Milan Cathedral began in 1386 and it is the most famous Gothic church in ecclesiastical Italy. Large parts of the cathedral were built in the 15th and 16th centuries, but some things were built in the 19th century. It is a huge, beautiful church made of marble. Especially the decorations and thousands of statues are great. Inside there are very famous stained glass windows with Bible scenes and many other works of art like paintings and statues.
Video Milan Cathedral
Short Film 3 min Milan Cathedral Overview
The exterior of Milan Cathedral (façade)
The many small and large decorations on the marble façade are striking. There are 2000 statues alone. Many small towers and the like.
The best way to see the façade of Milan Cathedral is to go up to the roof of the church.
The inside of Milan Cathedral
Upon entering, visitors are first struck by the gigantic dimensions of Milan Cathedral. The floor space is over one hectare (158 x 93 metres). This makes the Duomo of Milan the third largest church in the world after St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome and the Cathedral of Florence. There is room for almost 15,000 people in the gigantic church.
Very famous are the window paintings that tell parts of the pictures. In the past, most people were illiterate, the church windows were their bible. However, you have to have good eyes, some of the paintings are estimated to be 50 metres away when standing at the bottom of the church.
Otherwise, the many mighty pillars that support the roof of Milan Cathedral quickly catch the eye. Some very well-known paintings hang between the parts of the church. The altars, choirs and sacristies are also a sight to behold.
Under Milan Cathedral is a crypt (basement), which visitors to the cathedral can also view.
Walk on the roof of Milan Cathedral
For many visitors to Milan, this is the highlight of the trip. You need a special ticket. The cheapest option is to walk up (15 euros), by lift it costs 5 euros more. You always have to walk down. The queues at the lift are often long, so we recommend taking the stairs. It’s not too bad, maybe 200 steps.
At the top, you have a wonderful view of the city of Milan and, if the view is good, of the wider surroundings, including the Alps. But it is especially interesting to see parts of the cathedral up close. You can walk around freely on large parts of the roof of the church and see everything up close. Really great!
>>> Our article about the walk af the church roof
Milan Cathedral ticket: There is one ticket for the entire cathedral / access to the roof / cathedral museum and crypt (cathedral cellar). There is only one sales point on site opposite the cathedral. The queues there are often extremely long. Therefore, be sure to buy your ticket online beforehand: The Dom Tickets are available on this link
Milan Cathedral Museum
The tickets for Milan Cathedral with a visit to the roof also include a visit to the Cathedral Museum. It is on the cathedral square south of the cathedral. Here you can find many original sights from the cathedral. Many valuable things such as statues etc. have been moved to the museum of the cathedral for security reasons.
>>> Our article about the museum
Milan Cathedral Square
Also worth seeing is Milan’s huge Cathedral Square, which is open to the public. The large square is in front of the cathedral, but there is also a lot to see to the side and behind the cathedral. You should walk around the cathedral once.
On the square in front of the cathedral, you can’t miss the large statue of Vittorio Emanuele II on horseback.
Opposite the cathedral square is the entrance to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II shopping centre. Opened in 1867, it is considered the first shopping centre in the world and is still perhaps the most beautiful. Luxury shops and fine dining.