The Taller the Spires, the Closer to God. Milan, Italy. May 2015.
Life in Milan centers around the Duomo di Milano. It is a magnificent gothic structure of flying buttresses and spires that took nearly 600 years to complete. It is hard to fathom, but all the marble for the duomo originates from one quarry, the Candoglia Quarry, located near Lago Maggiore about 100km north of Milan. This exclusive agreement has been in place for centuries and it means that marble mined from this quarry can only be used to restore the Duomo di Milano and no other project. This makes the cathedral something truly special.
As you can imagine, transporting this much marble in the 1300s was a massive endeavor and at this time Milan had navigli or canals (believed to be designed by da Vinci) snaking through the city that helped bring these massive blocks all the way down south through a system of locks.
The rooftop of the duomo is open to the public and from there you can truly appreciate the craftsmanship and architecture of the cathedral. Apparently there are more statues on the duomo than any other structure in the world.
The duomo is such a staple of daily life in Milan and is easily taken for granted, that is why photos like this remind me of how good I had it!