Duomo Detail

The foundation stone was laid long ago in 1386 under the patronage of Bishop Antonio da Saluzzo. In 1390 a great Jubilee was proclaimed to give impetus to the building of the Duomo urging the Milanese to offer money or manual labour. Originally it was planned to use fired bricks but in 1387 Duke Gian Galeazzo Visconti insisted on marble and the then more up-to-date International Gothic style. His intention was to create a majestic power symbol.. The five centuries it eventually took to complete the construction determined the very evident mixture of styles that are a characteristic of Milan's Cathedral. Lombard, German and French architects were called to supervise the "fabbrica" or building work. White marble, brought by waterways along the "Navigli" canals from a quarry at Condoglia di Mergozzo near Verbania in Val d'Ossola to the centre of Milan, was used according to the specific desire of Duke Gian Galeazzo Visconti to cover the façade. The slabs of pinkish-white marble were marked A.U.F. (ad usum fabricate) and exonerated from payment of customs duty. The Cathedral was consecrated in 1418 but not completed until the 19th century when Napoleon spurred on work to finally complete the facade.
(Italy, 08/2007).
.................................................................
All my works are © Michail Passos Photography with all rights reserved and cannot be reproduced, altered, uploaded, printed or used in any other way without my written consent first.

Thank you in advance for anyone willing to take time to look and comment on any of my images, it’s really appreciated.