Preservation and study
Shortly before the outbreak of the Great War, it was the Architect of the Fabbrica del Duomo Adolfo Zacchi who proposed some measures for the safeguarding of the historical and artistic heritage of the Cathedral. In the first place, the concern turned to the inestimable glass heritage of the Monument.
Thanks to Zacchi, the windows were dismantled panel by panel and placed in the basement of the Fabbrica building. The extraordinary committments of the workers gave the an opportunity to study the stained glass windows heritage, the academic appointed was Ugo Monneret de Villard.
Struck northern flying buttress (1943) by Paoletti StudioVeneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano
The result of his studies was the publication of the volume entitled "Le vetrate del Duomo di Milan" published by Alfieri Lacroix between 1918 and 1920, a fundamental tool for understanding the glass heritage of the Duomo.
During the night of 15th to 16th August 1943, bombs rained down upon Milan. The Cathedral was seriously damaged, particularly externally.
Devastated large window and organ. Damage from 16.08.1943 (1943) by Paoletti StudioVeneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano
Interior of the Cathedral
With a great sense of responsibility, as occurred during World War I, at the beginning of the second world conflict the Veneranda Fabbrica had preventively disassembled all of the stained-glass windows, so that they could be safeguarded. The panels removed by the workers were thus saved from destruction.
The image of the Duomo interior in this shot after 16th August 1943, with its luminous panels removed, in front of the devastated organ, is disturbingly eye-catching.
Doorway of the southern Sacristy (1941)Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano
The measures adopted to save the Duomo's historic artistic heritage also included the use of sandbags, which shielded the doors of the sacristies.
Doorway of the southern Sacristy by Hans Fernach and assistantsVeneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano
Demolished statue of Saint GeorgeVeneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano
The Cathedral's spires, particularly along the northern side, suffered numerous collapses: the ruinous fall of the statue depicting Saint George from on top of the Carelli spire, the oldest on the Duomo, was emblematic.
Saint George (1403) by Cristoforo SolariVeneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano
Severely damaged during the bombardments of World War II, the work was later restored and provided to the Milan Cathedral Museum.
Sybil (?), detail (circa mid-16th century) by Lombard sculptorVeneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano
The museum houses other testimonies of the conflict: for example, this statue depicting a Sibyl, originally on the Cathedral, with its face mutilated slightly above the chin.
Staues of Fortitude and SybilVeneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano
Chipping and damage to the marble surface has given this work from the middle of the 16th century an air of melancholic decay.
Main Door of Milan Duomo (1906) by Ludovico PogliaghiVeneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano
Even the main portal of the Duomo bears the wounds of the war: the bombing in August 1943 and the exploded splinters damaged the Ludovico Pogliaghi panel dedicated to the episode of The Annunciation.
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