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Up to the sky
The Main Spire (Guglia Maggiore) of the Cathedral was constructed between 1765 and 1769 according to the design by Francesco Croce, an architect for the institution responsible for the conservation and development of the Duomo, known as the Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo. Placed on the lantern, the architectural structure with a roof at the intersection between the main nave and the transepts, the main spire was the focus of discussions among architects from the first construction phase of the Duomo. Several designs and proposals were submitted to the Fabbrica over the centuries, until the right moment in the second half of the 18th century.
Detail of the Cathedral (1866/1884) by Ripresa: Edizioni Brogi (1864-1950); stampa: G. Valtellino & C. (notizie 1905 ca) (attribuito)Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano
Statics and uncertainties regarding the load that the lantern could actually bear were some of the main doubts raised in the approval stage of Croce's design. Incertitudes which proved to be unfounded.
Despite several disputes, Francesco Croce was able to finish the work, indebted to the lessons of his predecessor Giuseppe Merlo.
The design proposed a hollow cylinder, surrounded by a system of smaller spires and flying buttresses, with a spiral staircase inside.
A small balcony halfway up the spire offers a spectacular view over the city. The final part, with a height of around roughly 33 feet (10 meters), is the Madonnina statue, placed at the very top in 1774.
View of the Main RooftopVeneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano
Less than one century after the construction of the great spire, owing to some cracks and damage to the structure, the Fabbrica's architect Pietro Pestagalli suggested the main spire should be demolished. This was in 1842.
View of Piazza Duomo from the Main RooftopVeneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano
Count Ambrogio Nava, administrator for the Fabbrica, opposed the bold proposal and devised a method to avoid demolishing the great spire.
View of the Main RooftopVeneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano
Nava carried out major consolidation measures, replacing parts and inserting metal chains, an innovative restoration intervention which enabled Croce's Great Spire to be saved.
Main SpireVeneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano
The main Spire towers around 66 feet (20 m) above the lantern and dominates the city, and it is a pedestal for the Madonnina statue, a symbol which has permanently changed the appearance of the Duomo.
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View of the Main RooftopVeneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano
Thanks to the conservative restorations by the Fabbrica, the great spire can still be admired today just as it was designed by Francesco Croce.
Chronology of the construction of Milan DuomoVeneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano
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