Milan Cathedral has always divided opinion. Some people
think it is magnificent, while others see it as a monstrous lump of stone that
has very little to recommend it architecturally or artistically.
It is certainly big. It is the fourth largest church in the
world and the largest in Italy (if one allows that St Peter’s in Rome is not
technically in Italy.
Planning for the cathedral began in 1386 and construction of
one sort or another continued into the 20th century. When one learns
about the wrangling that took place in its early years it is no surprise that
controversy has dogged it ever since.
The original intention was to build a cathedral that
rivalled the best and biggest to be found in France. A building council was
therefore set up to manage such a project, despite local custom being for
simple, unadventurous structures. It was hardly surprising that problems arose
at the outset.
With the foundations already laid, a foreign advisor was
called in, he being the first of a string of architects from abroad who were
consulted and then fired.
Three conferences were held, in 1392, 1400 and 1401 to
determine which system of proportions should be used in the design of the
walls. The 1392 decision was eventually revisited and adopted.
It had therefore been 15 years from the start of the project
to when the final decision was made.
There would be plenty more arguments down the centuries as
first one architectural convention, then another, was decided upon, with the
construction already well underway.
And the end result? It is certainly impressive, whether one
likes it or not!
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