Milan's cathedral

Milan’s cathedral (in Italian, Duomo di Milano) is a Gothic cathedral located in the city of the same name. It is the episcopal seat of the Archdiocese of Milan. It is one of the largest Catholic churches in the world (it is 157 metres long and can hold 40,000 people inside) and the windows of the choir are reputed to be the largest known.

Construction began in 1386 and was completed in 1965. The map of the city of Milan, with its streets radiating out from or around the Cathedral of Milan, reveals that in ancient times the Cathedral was already the centre of the city, called Mediolanum by the Romans. The Basilica of St. Ambrose was built on this site at the beginning of the 5th century, and in 836 another basilica was added nearby. When fire damaged both buildings in 1075 they were replaced by the Duomo.