(map) Milan, Lombardia
Now that the scaffolding is down and the renovation and cleaning are complete, you can once again finally climb the approximately 170 stairs up a narrow tower del Duomo di Milano for a one-of-a-kind view of the famous spires, statues, and city.
The white marble of the rooftop itself provides the walkways, and very few additional safety barriers are needed as the balustrades and spires themselves create the protective walls. Therefore, there’s nothing to block the overwhelming view of (and from) the top of this cathedral, which is the sixth largest in the world.
Explore the perimeter, walk under archways of buttresses and get a close-up view of the countless details invisible from the street below. Then climb another 40 steps and you will reach the very peak of the roof.
Here, safe within the ornate columns, you can peak through the decorative openings for a bird’s-eye view of Milan, or just sit in the sunshine, like a very content pigeon.
– Contributed by Dana Kaplan, Freelance writer, proofreader, and copyeditor. Author of StresaSights, a great blog about a beautiful town.
September 16th, 2009 at 2:58 pm
My husband and I climbed to the very top on a picture-perfect day such as this. What a wonderful experience and what a gorgeous view!
September 16th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
This was a genuine thrill. We climbed to the top on our first visit to Italy in 1998. The last time we were in Milan in 2006 it was under scaffolding. Thanks!
September 16th, 2009 at 6:10 pm
The Milan Duomo rooftop is a must-see, but you don’t have to climb the steps. For a fee, you can take an elevator to the top (and back down again). Don’t forget to bring your camera!
September 16th, 2009 at 8:26 pm
The renovation was truly “Come la fabrica del Duomo”, but the pictures say it was all worthwhile. Thanks for the ability to see Il Duomo di Milano once again unshroded. San Ambrosio would be proud.
September 17th, 2009 at 2:17 am
Si’, e Gaudi’ si deve essere ispirato anche al Duomo per la sua chiesa della Sagrada Familia. Non e’ cosi’?
Yes, and Gaudi’ must have taken inspiration from the Duomo, too, for his Sagrada Familia church. Isn’t it so?
September 17th, 2009 at 5:08 am
Thanks to all for the comments… It really is a thrill, isn’t it? This summer there were also concerts held up there; can you imagine how special that would be?
September 18th, 2009 at 10:02 pm
My sister adn I climbe to the top and the view was fantastic. Make sure you take yourcamera if you go.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
[...] was September 1574, and Milan’s cathedral, the Duomo, had been under construction for almost two hundred years. By then, the whole cathedral was [...]