Milan Cathedral history in short
Construction of the Duomo di Milano began in 1386, and the Fabbrica, the works body that still cares for the cathedral, was founded in October 1387 on the initiative of Gian Galeazzo Visconti. The builders started at the apse and worked westward. The facade, the part everyone photographs, came much later.
That is why the cathedral is often described as a building of six centuries. Even the milestone dates mean different things: 1418 was the consecration of the high altar, 1813 the end of the Napoleonic facade work, and 1965 the inauguration of the last facade door. None of them marks the end of all work. To follow the story on site, a Duomo di Milano ticket that includes the museum shows original statues and models.
Timeline from 1386 to 1965
The dates that matter, in order.
378 and 387: before the cathedral
Under the forecourt lie remains of the older churches of Santa Tecla and San Giovanni alle Fonti. The baptistery dates to 378, and Ambrose baptised Augustine here in 387. The octagonal room has an eight-sided font and is part of the archaeological area, which needs an extra ticket on top of the cathedral ticket.
1386 and 1387: the start
Work begins in 1386. In October 1387 the Fabbrica is founded. Gian Galeazzo Visconti chooses marble instead of brick, which gives the cathedral its look.
1418: the high altar
Pope Martin V consecrates the high altar. At this point the church is far from finished.
Borromeo years: reshaping the inside
The presbytery, the altars, the crypt and the floor are redesigned under the Borromeo archbishops. The facade design goes through a long series of proposals.
1765 to 1770: the main spire
The tallest spire is built in the late 1760s. The Madonnina is placed on top at the end of 1774.
1786: a line in the floor
A brass line near the entrance runs south to north through the floor. Light enters through an opening about 24 m up. It was commissioned from astronomers at Brera in connection with the time reform of 1786.
1807 to 1813: the facade
Napoleon pushes the work on the facade, linked to his coronation as King of Italy. The cathedral was not built in these years. It was a longer effort that took many years.
1909 to 1965: the doors
The facade doors were made over decades. The fifth door, by Luciano Minguzzi, is inaugurated in 1965. It is the usual marker for the end of the main building campaign.
Our pick: a guided visit
Our take: a guide explains the building inside the cathedral; the roof comes with one option.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Milan Duomo tours and rooftop tickets
Guided visits that bring the building's history to life, and rooftop tickets, with live prices and availability.
After 1965: war damage and restoration
Building did not stop with the doors.
In 1943 bombs damaged spires, the northern buttresses, the apse windows and the portals of the facade. After the war, repairs and replacements followed. The damage was serious, but the building was neither destroyed nor untouched.
Restoration is part of normal life here. Work on the tiburio and the dome has run since 2016. San Bartolomeo, the statue by Marco d'Agrate from about 1562, has stood in the retrochoir since 2025. Some areas may be screened off with scaffolding on the day you visit.
The museum shows the other side of this history, with original statues, stained glass, models and the cathedral treasury. It opened in 1953 and was redesigned and reopened in 2013. Read more on the Duomo Museum page.
Where to see the history
Four places that make the dates visible.
Architecture
Marble, buttresses and spires.
Inside the Duomo
Windows, tombs and the floor.
Duomo Museum
Original statues and the treasury.
The terraces
The spires up close.
The cathedral stands on a square that grew with it. The Galleria next door is a 19th-century story of its own, told on the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II page. For the wider region, Lombardy covers the region beyond Milan.
Milan Cathedral history: frequently asked questions
When was Milan Cathedral built?
Construction began in 1386 and the Fabbrica was founded in 1387. The high altar was consecrated in 1418, the facade work under Napoleon took place from 1807 to 1813 and the last facade door was inaugurated in 1965. Restoration continues today.
Why did it take so long to build?
It started at the apse and moved west, with changes of design along the way. The interior was reshaped under the Borromeo archbishops, and the facade was developed over a long time.
Did Napoleon build the cathedral?
No. He pushed the work on the facade between 1807 and 1813 in connection with his coronation as King of Italy. The cathedral itself was started in 1386.
Was the Duomo damaged in the war?
Yes. In 1943 bombs hit spires, northern buttresses, apse windows and facade portals. Repairs followed in the post-war years.
Is the cathedral finished?
The main building is complete, and 1965 is the usual milestone because of the last facade door. Maintenance and restoration never stop, and the tiburio and dome have been under restoration since 2016.