Let's begin at the beginning

Our first stop was Milan, and the first place we went to visit was Milan's Duomo. It took centuries to build, and it's HUGE! Some estimates put its capacity at 40,000. Now that would be quite a crowd.

Aside from its size, the architecture and sculptures throughout the cathedral (that's what "duomo" means, by the way) are amazing. I couldn't get a shot of it from the front--to show you the whole thing--because it was covered with scaffolding. This, apparently, happens regularly enough. I guess a building begun in the late 1300s needs some upkeep.

To share some of it, I'll post some photos of particular elements. There are more to come, but let's start with these...


Click on the photo to see some of the detail better.


This actually isn't the Duomo. It's across from it. It's the front of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. I'll post some inside shots in another post. For now, I'll just tell you that it's the most spectacular shopping mall I've ever seen (a shopping mall built in the 19th century).


More of the outside of the Duomo.


The line for the elevator to the top of the Duomo.






The scene behind us while standing in line for the elevator. Nothing special, but I thought I'd share it anyhow. :)

I'm sure I've said this before (regarding other photos), but let me know if there's one you like and would like full-size. These are greatly reduced.

Okay, that's it for tonight. More soon!