Assif

Germany - 15-Mar-15 -

Yet another Gothic cathedral is surely not what the WH list needs. The Cathedral of Milan prides in being one of the largest churches in the world, the third largest in Europe and the largest in Italy. Its size is indeed the most impressive feature it has to offer. Having been built for centuries, some of its exterior still remains uncompleted. Despite its overall Gothic style it displays a mixture of styles reflecting its construction over centuries. The artistic quality of the building is very uneven, something that has been heavily criticised by famous visitors like Oscar Wilde as well as art historians. I would personally not judge it as unappealing, as many claim it to be, but it is certainly not the best Italy has got to offer. Even Milan itself has some more beautiful churches to offer, such as San Maurizio and Sant'Ambrogio, but this is admittably a matter of personal taste. The duomo greatly reminds me of the Cologne Cathedral for its size and overall shape, although the latter is a better representative of this category. I personally prefer other types of churches and I am happy Italy did not pursue this nomination.