Duomo Cathedral Milan, bearing the name of Santa Maria Nascente. This Gothic Church was built over almost six centuries, and today is the fifth largest Cathedral in the world and the largest in Italy. The Duomo is located on the place where once was the center of ancient Roman Mediolanum, - this is confirmed by the fact that the modern city streets or radiate from the Cathedral or surround it. Under the building of the Duomo you can see the early Christian baptistery, built in the 335-m to year, is one of the oldest Christian baptistery of Europe.

In 1386, the year the Archbishop Antonio da Saluzzo began construction of the Cathedral, which coincided with the coming to power in Milan Gian Galeazzo Visconti. The first architect was appointed Simone da Orsenigo, which planned to build a Cathedral, in the Lombard Gothic style. However, Visconti wanted to follow the current trends of European architecture, and therefore invited the French engineer Nicolas de Bonaventure, who added the style "radiant Gothic French style, not typical for Italy. He also decided that the brick structure should be marble. In 1402, the year Hwang Galeazzo died by this time the Cathedral was only halfway completed, and construction was frozen almost to the end of the century.

In the early 16th century, during the reign of Ludovico Sforza, was built the dome of the temple and its interior was decorated by 15 statues depicting saints, preachers, prophets and other characters of the Bible. The Cathedral's exterior walls for a long time remained without any decorations, except Goletto del Amadeo ("Little spire Amadeo) – Renaissance element, well in harmony with the Gothic appearance of the Church. Although the Cathedral was not completed, it was actively used during the Spanish rule in Milan. In 1552, the year of Giacomo Antegnati was commissioned to build a large organ for the Church choirs, and Giuseppe MEDA worked on the decoration of the altar part of the Cathedral. A little later there appeared the famous chandelier of Trivulzio the 12th century.

After became Archbishop of Milan, Carlo Borromeo, from the Duomo, they have removed all secular elements, including the grave of Giovanni Barnabo and Filippo Maria Visconti, Francesco I and his wife, Ludovico Sforza, and other former rulers of the city. The chief architect was appointed Pellegrino Pellegrini – together with the Archbishop, they wanted to give the Renaissance style Cathedral, which was supposed to strengthen his Italian origin, and "suppress" Gothic architecture, then perceived as alien. As the façade of the Cathedral was not yet completed, Pellegrini was designed in the Romanesque style, with columns, obelisks and a large tympanum. However, this project never materialized.

At the end of the 16th century Duomo was rebuilt chancel and added new altars and the baptistery, and in 1614, the year Francesco Brambilla produced for the throne wooden choir.

In the early 17th century the Foundation was laid of the new facade of the Duomo, the work continued until 1638-year: were erected five portals and two Central Windows, and ten years later was made the revolutionary decision to return the Cathedral to its original Gothic appearance. In 1762, the year the Cathedral of Milan has acquired one of its outstanding details – the Madonnina spire, towering to dizzying heights in 108, 5 meters. It is interesting that today the inhabitants of the city by the spire determine the weather – if it is visible from a distance, so the weather is good (given the wet climate of Milan, the spire is usually hidden in the mist).

Only in the early 19th-century facade of the Duomo was finally completed – it happened due to Napoleon, who was to be crowned in the Cathedral as king of Italy. Architect Carlo Pellicani Jr. added to the facade of the few neo-Gothic details and the statue of Napoleon on top of one of the spires. Later were added the missing arches and spires, the statues on the South wall, and in the middle of the 19th century the old Windows were replaced with new ones. The finishing touches to the shape of the Duomo already been added in the 20th century: 6 January 1965, were opened the last gate – this date is considered the official date of the completion of the Cathedral.