Anybody visiting Milan should put a trip to the Duomo Milan Tour at the top of their list of things to do. One of the biggest cathedrals in the world, it is filled with countless amazing, detailed elements and tales that will enthral both first-time visitors and those who come back often to appreciate the church.

These are 5 excellent things (+1) that you shouldn't miss while you're here. Open your eyes, marvel at the spires above, and take in the one-of-a-kind experience.

  1. The Statue Of Liberty Origin

Take a minute to appreciate the spectacular façade of the Milano Duomo Tour before going inside. The Gothic Cathedral is made of pink-hued white marble that was quarried at the Candoglia quarry, which has been producing it since it was founded at the end of the 14th century. The other sculptures are likewise made of marble, but we would like to draw special attention to one that is located over the main entryway on the left side of the balcony and resembles the Statue of Liberty in New York.

  1. Sleeping Dragon

While still facing Duomo's main entrance, go a little to the right to take in the marble carvings that adorn the doorframe. The dragon Tarantasio, one of the fabled beings associated with the city's past, is seen on the right, slightly above eye level. The history of this bas-relief is intriguing, however, perhaps it makes you see a dinosaur more than anything else.

A dragon named Tarantasio is said to have roamed a marshy bog near Lodi. It devoured kids and wreaked havoc and death all over the place. It exhaled a terrible miasma. The monster was slain by Umberto, the patriarch of the Visconti family. 

  1. Zodiac Mosaic

By the Cathedral's main entrance, you will see a horizontal metal rod running from right to left across the whole structure. Marble tiles depicting each sign of the Zodiac are inserted at regular intervals. Consider the presence of this exceptional sundial, Duomo's Solar Meridian, while you look for your sign.

The first chapel on the right's vault can be seen to have a small circular opening in the ceiling where a ray of sunshine enters at noon and shines on the appropriate zodiac sign depending on the month.

  1. The Crucifixion Nails

If you look up above the apse while standing in the centre of the nave facing the altar, you will see a little red light in front of a sizable metal tabernacle. This is positioned at a height of 40 metres and keeps the Holy Nail Relic, which is said to be one of the nails from the cross where Christ was crucified. Once a year, in September, a ceremony known as the Nivola, which involves a cloud-shaped "lift" ascending to the tabernacle to collect the nail, takes place, involves the removal of the priceless relic from its coffin and bringing it down to the Cathedral's altar.

  1. The Horror Tale

The statue of Saint. Bartholomew being flayed alive is located in the right transept, next to the exit, and it seems like it could have been taken straight out of a historical horror tale. The saint appears to be wearing a cloak at first glance, but it is a mantle made of his skin. Tradition has it that St. Bartholomew, a follower of Jesus, was flayed alive.

His skinned torso, which was painstakingly sculpted with attention to structural detail, portrays the muscles and blood arteries in a way that is both interesting and a little morbidly realistic.

  1. The Multi-Coloured Windows

There are 55 monumental windows in the Duomo, the earliest of which are from the late 1300s and the most recent from the late 1900s. The finest vantage point from which to view these masterpieces is from the apse, where a waterfall of light spilling through the three enormous windows colours the aisle's floor with vivid hues as it circles the back of the altar.

They are stunning in both their size and the number of images they include. The two lateral windows portray stories from the Old and New Testaments, while the centre window depicts the Apocalypse. They are regarded as the "Bible of the Poor" since illiterate individuals could understand the storylines and learn about the development of Christianity.

Ref: https://www.wolearn.org/blog/index.php?userid=3616