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Capitol World Class Hotel Milan - Duomo
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Construction of the Cathedral began in 1386, by will of Gian Galeazzo Visconti who took command of the city after imprisoning his uncle Bernabò Visconti. Gian Galeazzo kingdom was soon extended to include all of eastern Lombardy, parts of the Veneto region, and further down south, to Pisa, Siena, Perugia and Bologna.
His idea was that of creating a single kingdom of northern Italy, and so desired a church worthy of the future capital. Already two ancient basilicas on this building site; Santa Tecla, which had become too old, and Santa Maria Maggiore, which had been gravely damaged by the collapse of its bell-tower in 1353. Also with the city increasingly growing, approximately 150,000, they had become too small. Visconti generously contributed land provided the marble, quarried at Candoglia, north of Lake Maggiore.
It is likely that many architects, including those from Germany and France, worked on this elaborate project. Great Master Masons and sculptors were summoned from Como and the surrounding area including Bourgogne, Provence, Savoy, Swabia, Slesia, Prague, Hungary and Austria. In fact this Cathedral can therefore rightly be described as "International Gothic" style.
The two Sacrisites, including the Apse and the columns of the choir and transept, began the first part of construction. On the north side of the apse, the first pinnacle with the figure of Gian Galeazzo disguised as Saint George on the top, was completed in 1404.
Work continued at a steady pace and what had remained of the two previous churces, by then, had been completely demolished. The Duomo was opened for worship in 1418 while the front of the facade was to be yet soon completed.
After the demise of the Visconti's and the short-lived Ambrosian Republic, a new command was taken by Francesco Sforza.
Construction nonetheless continued and columns of the nave were erected, glass was installed in the great apse windows, and sculpture continued on both the interiors and exteriors.
Difficulties in geometry and statics were confronted before completing the most complicated part of the Cathedral; the dome, and many architects were called in too collaborate including the great Leonardo da Vinci.
In 1500 Milan became property of the Spanish after being conquered by the French and worked slowed down. Particularly after the death of Amedeo, architect and sculptor, who dedicated 50 years of continued service to the project.
It wasn't until 1527, when Archbishop Carlo Borromeo commissioned Pellegrino dei Pellegrini (also known as Tibaldi) to continue work that the project took head again.
In fact Pellegrini, who had worked primarily in Rome, was not well looked upon by other fellow craftsmen because he had no intention of continuing the Gothic style. This also explains why the great stone choir inside the apse is basically Renaissance.
From 1570 to 1590, commissioned by Federico Borromeo, Carlo's brother and new archbishop of the city, continued Pellegrini's work and began the façade, creating the doors and the lower windows.
Later on in the century around 1590, work was halted after tempestuous discussions on the great difference between the Gothic parts and the façade, basically Renaissance, which at the time was being worked on by Francesco Maria Richini. The situation was solved after the turn of the next century when Architect Buzzi created Gothic-style pilasters, while saving Richini's doors and windows. Although most of the roof was completed, work was going at a slow pace and it wasn't until 1765 when work on the top spire began.
In 1774 the statue of Mary, the "Madonnina" was inserted. It was created by Giuseppe Perego, and made in beaten copper, and covered in gold leaf.
It wasn't until 1805, with Napoleon in command of the city, that orders were given to complete the façade complete both as quickly and ecconomically as possible. The secondary spires on the dome were completed by around 1877.
Shortly after Italy had finally come into existence in 1861, the Cathedral Square was opened and final architectural resolves were made between 1865 and 1874 but discussions on the facade flared up once again because of the great differences with the rest of the construction.
So in 1888 a competition was organized for the new facade and was won with a neo-Gothic design done by Giuseppe Brentano. Unfortunately, one short year later at the young age of 27, Brentano died and his design was postponed and later abandoned.
Completion of the facade was finally seen in the early 20th century with the insertion of the first bronze door done by Ludovico Pogliaghi. It wasn't until 1965 when the last bronze door, by sculptor Minguzzi, was installed and completing construction.
Three years of renovations, from 1981 to 1984, were done on the four columns supporting the dome saving them from collapse.
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