Duomo Milan

[Old Crank]

A gray day dodging raindrops. Still too crowded to wait and get in on a queazy stomach. This is one huge building. It is the 5th largest Christian church in the world. Has a huge number, 3,400 statues, 135 gargoyls and 700 figures.
There is also a very accurate sundail inside along with, supposedly, one of the nails from Christs crucifixtion.

They are also doing lots of restoration outside so the place was covered in scafolding.

Heading towards it


At dusk with the lighting.


The main door.


From a 7th story bar across the street.


One of the windows behind the altar.


If you know your bible stories you might know what these reliefs represent.


The blood drops are a nice touch


St. John the Baptist???

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Thank you for these phenomenal photos, my dear Old Crank!

They are simply breathtaking.

Thanks for pointing out the blood drops; I would never have spotted them otherwise!

[Old Crank]

9. Thanks

Statues and paintings from those eras had some really gruesome stuff.

[iscooterliberally]

2. My wife and I were in Milan back in 2018.

We didn't get to go inside the Duomo, but we got to see it up close. It was also cold and rainy when we were there. In fact, Venice flooded pretty badly the week after we were back state side. Here's a shot I took from my phone:

[Old Crank]

10. It is a hard building to

do justice to. The best would be a drone these days. But its size means you loose the details but getting the details looses the impressive size.

[bahboo]

3. very nice photos...thanks...

I would be very happy just looking from the 7th story bar. We were in Florence pre-Covid, and the line for the Duomo there was just too long as well. We opted for a bar at street level...

[Old Crank]

11. Mrs. Crank found a food court

on the 7th floor. There was a bar as part of it. The only trouble was the cold while we had an apetizer and drink.
We didn't want to stand in line for tickets tehn stand in line for the entrance to the top or inside.

[sinkingfeeling]

4. I went up to the roof, among all the spires, wen I was there in 2010.

[Old Crank]

7. The roof will be for the next time.

Just didn't have the time or patience to wait twice. Will get tickets online.

[democrank]

5. Beautiful breathtaking photographs

Thank you

[Princess Turandot]

6. I think that the last image shows the widow Judith having just decapitated Holofernes...

.. an Assyrian General preparing to attack Jerusalem, based on the Old Testament's Book of Judith. The woman looks composed and somewhat heroic.(Plus, the Baptist's post-decapitation imagery usually involves a platter.)


(Judith with the Head of Holofernes by Cristofano Allori, 1613)

[Old Crank]

8. Hence the old saying

About having your head on a platter. I am not a scholar of these things and have a limited knowledge of all the attributes, including Greek and Roman gods. So thanks for that reference. I think I have seen that reference in a painting where she is cutting his head off.