Madonnina: the Milan Madonna
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The Duomo, symbol of Milan
The Gothic cathedral of white marble rises above Milan's historic centre. The Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, one of the largest churches in Europe, is considered a true masterpiece. Construction began in 1386 and continued for centuries. Generations of architects and Gothic masters followed one another, and each tried to add something special to the building that dominates the main square.
As a result, the cathedral is famous for its forest of spires, marble statues, carved pinnacles and monumental columns.
In the photo: many famous writers, including Oscar Wilde and Mark Twain, visited Milan and later mentioned the great cathedral in their works.
The golden Madonna
In 1769 the cathedral received a tall spire crowned with a statue of the Virgin in gilded copper. The spire reaches 108 metres, and the statue itself is 4.16 metres tall.
The people of Milan are so attached to their patroness — the Madonnina — that for a long time a tradition held that no building in the city should rise higher than her. When taller skyscrapers were eventually built, small copies of the Madonnina were placed on their roofs so that she would still stand above the city.
The patroness of Milan is the city's most important religious and civic symbol. When the Italian flag flies next to her, the sight fills Milanese with pride.
In the photo: the Madonnina embodies the heart and soul of the city.
The scale of the statue
The statue is covered with 33 copper plates. During the restoration completed in 2012, craftsmen applied 6,750 sheets of gold leaf. The plates weigh 399.2 kilograms and the supporting steel structure 584.8 kilograms — figures that show how monumental the statue really is.
In the photo: the world-famous Madonnina is celebrated in song: "Oh mia bela Madunina" by composer Giovanni D'Anzi became the city's unofficial anthem.
Gilding a statue with gold leaf is complex and time-consuming work, but the effort has paid off: visitors from all over the world come to Milan and are fascinated by the Virgin shining in the sun.
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