The Doors of Milan Duomo

Construction of the Duomo doors were first mentioned in 1582, during the time when Pellegrino Pellegrini, aka Tibaldi, was Veneranda Fabbrica Architect. The completion of the doors visible today dates back to several years after that time, following finalization of the façade.

Of great interest are the reliefs inserted in the tympanums of the doors, made of Carrara marble. In the central one, the large tile depicts the Creation of Eve,  by Gaspare Vismara. The side doors commemorate heroines from the Bible.

The first door on the left is the work of Arrigo Minerbi, inaugurated in 1948. It is an expressive bronze which narrates the spread of Christianity and the events witnessed by the first Christians until they were granted freedom of worship in Milan, by the Emperor Constantine in 313 BCE. The six characters depicted at the base are Milanese bishops preceding the Edict of Constantine.

The Milanese sculptor Giannino Castiglioni worked on the second door on the left, inaugurated in 1950. The bronze reliefs feature the religious and political work of Saint Ambrose, the Holy Bishop, and Patron Saint of Milan.

The Duomo's third minor door, looking at the façade from the left, was commissioned in 1937 to the sculptor Franco Lombardi. The last four tiles were completed by Virgilio Pessina following the death of the artist.

The bronze door illustrates the civil and religious affirmation of the Municipality of Milan during the clashes with the German empire and Frederick Barbarossa up until the Galdino era.

The last door on the right was completed in 1965 by Luciano Minguzzi. The theme represents 12 significant episodes from the Duomo's foundation to the time of Saint Charles Borromeo. The dynamic composition is characterized by tones of intense drama which the sculptor has expertly crafted using bold and highly chiaroscuro markings.

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