Duomo di Milano: Visitor Guide to Milan Cathedral
Quick answer
The Duomo di Milano is the Gothic cathedral of Milan, begun in 1386 under Archbishop Antonio da Saluzzo, consecrated in 1418 and finished when its last portal was inaugurated on 6 January 1965; it is the largest church in Italy, 158.6 metres long and 92 metres wide with room for 40,000 people, and the only one whose roof, with 135 spires and the Madonnina at 108.5 metres, visitors can walk across. A visit covers five areas on one ticket from €10, or €22 to €28 with the terraces, open daily 09:00 to 19:00.
| Fact | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Begun | 1386, Archbishop Antonio da Saluzzo; Veneranda Fabbrica founded October 1387 under Gian Galeazzo Visconti | Wikipedia; duomomilano.it |
| Consecrated | High altar, 16 October 1418, Pope Martin V | duomomilano.it |
| Facade finished | Ordered by Napoleon on 20 May 1805, completed within seven years | Wikipedia |
| Completed | Last portal inaugurated 6 January 1965 | Wikipedia |
| Size | 158.6 m long, 92 m wide, capacity 40,000; largest church in Italy | Wikipedia |
| Roof | 135 spires, 150 gargoyles, 96 giants; Madonnina placed 1774 at 108.5 m | Veneranda Fabbrica; Wikipedia |
| Terraces | About 256 stairs or 2 lifts to the first level; upper terrace 45 m | Veneranda Fabbrica; duomomilano.it |
| Material | Brick faced with Candoglia marble from Lake Maggiore, shipped by canal | duomomilano.it; Wikipedia |
| Ticket | €10 cathedral and museum; €22 to €28 with terraces | duomomilano.it access updates |
| Hours | 09:00 to 19:00 daily, last entry 18:00; museum closed Wednesday | See opening hours page |
What the Duomo is and why it is famous
The Duomo di Milano, formally the Metropolitan Cathedral-Basilica of the Nativity of Saint Mary, is the seat of the Archbishop of Milan and the largest church in Italy, outsized only by Saint Peter's in the Vatican. It is famous for three things: the time it took, from 1386 to the last portal in 1965, which gave Milan the phrase 'la fabbrica del Duomo' for anything endless; the roof, the only cathedral roof in Italy laid out as walkable terraces among 135 spires; and the marble, pink-white Candoglia stone from Lake Maggiore, which arrived by the Navigli canals under a tax exemption stamped AUF. The Madonnina, the gilded statue placed on the main spire in 1774, is the city's emblem, and by tradition no building in Milan rose above her until the 1950s, and the towers that overtook her carry a small replica of the Madonnina so the tradition technically holds.
What you can visit: cathedral, terraces, museum, archaeological area, San Gottardo
A full ticket covers five areas. The cathedral itself: five naves on 52 piers, the stained-glass windows, the high altar, the 1562 Saint Bartholomew Flayed by Marco d'Agrate carrying his own skin, and above the apse a red light marking the Nail of the Cross brought down each September in the Rite of the Nivola. The terraces: two levels reached by about 256 stairs or by lift to the first walkway, then two steep stairways to the upper terrace at 45 metres. The Duomo Museum in Palazzo Reale, with the original statues brought down from the roof and the wooden models of the building. The archaeological area under the square, where the baptistery of San Giovanni alle Fonti built in 378 is the room in which Saint Ambrose baptised Augustine in 387. And San Gottardo in Corte, the 1336 court chapel of Azzone Visconti. The crypt of Saint Charles Borromeo below the altar is a separate ticket.
Tickets in one paragraph
Tickets are timed and sold by the Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo, which has run the building since 1387, and by booking partners. The official list in force since 1 April 2025 runs from €10 for the cathedral and museum, through €16 to €18 for the terraces alone, to €22 for the Combo Stairs, €26 for the Combo Lift and €28 for Fast-Track with the reserved entrance; reductions are about half price and worshippers enter free by the north door. The partner this site links to sells cathedral entry for €12 and the all-areas rooftop ticket for €26 with free cancellation. The tickets hub compares all eight recommended products and the price page carries the full official list.
Hours, location and how to get there
The cathedral and terraces are open every day from 09:00 to 19:00 with last entry at 18:00; the museum opens 10:00 to 19:00 and closes on Wednesdays. The Duomo stands on Piazza del Duomo, 20122 Milano, at the centre of the city, and the Duomo metro station on lines M1 (red) and M3 (yellow) exits onto the square; an ATM single ticket costs €2.20 and is valid 90 minutes on metro, tram and bus. From Milano Centrale it is four stops on M3, about seven minutes. The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II opens off the north side of the square and leads to La Scala in five minutes.
Rules: dress code, bags, photos
Everyone passes a metal detector at the security line on the right of the facade; helmets, glass objects and suitcases are refused, bulky bags are discouraged, and political signs and symbols are banned throughout the complex. Shoulders and knees must be covered and hats removed, and visitors report being turned away in shorts and vest tops in summer; the binding wording is in the Rules of Conduct and Access Regulations published by the Veneranda Fabbrica. Photography without flash is allowed inside; tripods are not, and photography stops during Mass. Wheelchair users enter by one of the two 20-metre ramps from the parvis and can reach the Retrochoir area of the Rooftops through the facade entrance, accompanied, free with one companion.
Plan your visit: best time, how long, nearby
Allow two hours for all five areas and arrive at 09:00 or after 16:00 to miss the 10:00 to 14:00 peak; in July and August the roof is unshaded, so go up first. December is the busiest month, with the Christmas market on the square and Sant'Ambrogio on 7 December, and November the quietest, when fog can hide the Alps that are visible from the terraces on clear days. Around the square are the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, the Museo del Novecento with its window onto the facade, Palazzo Reale, and the Rinascente roof terrace facing the spires; the Last Supper at Santa Maria delle Grazie is twenty minutes west on foot and needs its own reservation weeks ahead.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the Duomo di Milano so famous?
For its size, the largest church in Italy at 158.6 metres long; for the six centuries it took, 1386 to 1965; and for the terraces, the only cathedral roof in Italy visitors can walk across, among 135 spires under the Madonnina at 108.5 metres.
Is the Duomo di Milano free to enter?
For prayer, yes, through the north facade door from 08:00 to 19:00 without access to the visitor route. For visiting, no: tickets start at €10 for the cathedral and museum and €22 with the terraces.
Is it worth going inside the Duomo?
Yes. The 40,000-capacity nave, the stained glass, the Saint Bartholomew statue and the Nail above the apse are inside, and the archaeological area under the square is where Augustine was baptised in 387; the roof is the second half of the visit, not a substitute.
Did Leonardo da Vinci work on the Duomo?
He submitted a design for the crossing tower, the tiburio, in the late 1480s and withdrew it; the tiburio was built to Amadeo and Dolcebuono's plan in 1500. His Last Supper is at Santa Maria delle Grazie, twenty minutes away.
Where is the Duomo di Milano and how do I get there?
Piazza del Duomo, 20122 Milano, the centre of the city. Take metro line M1 or M3 to Duomo station, which exits onto the square; a single ATM ticket costs €2.20.
What is the difference between a duomo and a cathedral?
In Italian 'duomo' is the main church of a city, from the Latin domus; a cathedral is the seat of a bishop. Milan's Duomo is both, the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Milan.
What are the opening hours?
09:00 to 19:00 every day for the cathedral and terraces, last entry 18:00; the museum opens 10:00 to 19:00 and closes on Wednesdays. The opening hours page lists every area and the Mass times.
Sources