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http://architectism.com/the-stunning-duomo-di-milano-milan-cathedral/
Milan Cathedral or Duomo di Milano is one of the most beautiful cathedrals in the world and is
often compared to the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris, St. Peters Basilica in Rome and the
Cathedral of Seville in Spain.
Aside from being one of the Gothic architecture in Italy, one of the main characteristic of the
cathedral is the presence of thousands of spires. The cathedral has about 135 spires, each
mounted with a statue depicting important people in Milans history and different characters in
the bible. The highest spire and the tallest part of the cathedral measures up to 357 foot tall and
holds the most important symbol of Milan the Madonina or Little Madonna. Its a golden statue
that is so important that by law no any other building should pass the height of it.
It took five centuries to complete the cathedral, from 1386 until the 19th century when Napoleon
Bonaparte ordered to finish the cathedrals faade. You can just imagine all the European artists
who were attracted to the project and participated in doing it. There are thousands of statues
inside the cathedral, beautiful stained glasses and relics.
Unlike other European churches the Milan cathedral has no campanille or bell tower. For music
lovers, you might also want to attend a mass on the Milan Cathedral. The cathedral is the home
to one of the oldest musical symbol in Milan since 1402, the Capella Musicale. The choir
accompanies mass every Sunday and on special occasions. They sing Italian and Latin classic
compositions.
http://go.grolier.com/
Entering a Gothic cathedral on a sunny day is like stepping into a rainbow. Beams of sunlight passing
through the stained-glass windows bathe the church in rich reds, blues, and greens.
"Stained glass" is the term used for pieces of colored glass joined together by strips of lead to form a
picture or design. Stained glass is most often used for windows, because the beauty of the glass is best
seen when light passes through it.
The process of coloring glass was probably invented in ancient Egypt. But it was during the Middle Ages
that the making of stained-glass windows developed as a major art. Stained-glass windows were an
important feature of churches built in the Gothic style, which first arose in the mid-1100's. The windows
filled the church interiors with light and color, delighting worshipers with their beauty.

The windows were not only beautiful; they also served an educational purpose. During the Middle Ages, the
church was the center of learning. There were few books, and only a handful of people could read. The
designs in the first stained-glass windows usually depicted scenes from the Bible. Such scenes were
important tools in teaching Christian beliefs to the people. In later years, workers' guilds and wealthy
merchants paid for windows that glorified not only saints and kings but the donors themselves.
The artisans of the Middle Ages perfected techniques for making stained-glass windows, many of which are
still used today. On a large white board, the artisan drew a picture the same size as the window. He
numbered each section of the picture according to color. Over the drawing he placed pieces of glass that
had already been coloredwith metallic oxideswhile the glass was being made. Then, following the
outline of the drawing, he cut out the shapes with a hot iron. Finally the artisan cut strips of lead to fit
between the pieces of glass. The lead did more than hold the pieces together; it became part of the design.
The lead strips outlined sections of glass and kept the colors from appearing to overlap. Large windows
were given a framework of iron bars for added strength.
Strangely, perfecting stained-glass techniques did not improve the windows. The bubbles in the first
glasses and the unevenness of their surfaces made the sunlight seem to dance. The later glasses, with
fewer imperfections, had less sparkle. Originally, paint was used only for small details, such as the features
of a face. Beginning in the 1500's, more paint was used. Less light passed through the painted surfaces,
and stained glass lost much of its power and majesty.
For about 200 years the use of stained glass declined, and it was not revived until the 1800's. Religious
groups and wealthy people sought the excellent workmanship of the glassmakers Louis Comfort Tiffany
(18481933), John La Farge (18351910), and others to decorate their churches and mansions.
When war loomed in Europe in the 1930's, windows were taken apart piece by piece and stored in safe
places. After the war the windows were carefully put back.
New methods of production and ideas of design have changed the appearance of stained glass. But one thing
has never changed: the magic effect of sunlight pouring through colored glass.