Como Cathedral

The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta: A Masterpiece in Stone

Rising majestically from the heart of the city, the Como Cathedral (Duomo) stands as the final great Gothic cathedral built in Lombardy. Its construction began in 1396, just ten years after its famous cousin in Milan, and it took over three centuries to complete. This long evolution created a breathtaking architectural harmony where late-Gothic elegance meets the refined balance of the Renaissance, all anchored in a single, historic city block alongside the Broletto (the ancient town hall) and the City Tower.

Art and Architecture Through the Centuries

The original vision of Lorenzo degli Spazzi was enriched over the decades by masters like Pietro di Breggio, resulting in a structure that is both grand and intimate. One of the Cathedral’s most striking features is the presence of Pliny the Elder and Pliny the Younger. Sculpted by Tommaso Rodari, these statues of famous Roman pagans flank the main portal—a rare and fascinating tribute to the city’s classical roots within a Christian sanctuary.

A Sanctuary of Renaissance Treasures

Inside, the Cathedral opens into a vast space divided by ten massive cruciform pillars and soaring pointed arches. Every corner reveals a world-class work of art, from 16th-century tapestries to distinguished paintings by Gaudenzio Ferrari and Bernardino Luini, one of Leonardo da Vinci’s most celebrated followers. The spiritual atmosphere is further enhanced by 17th-century frescoes and a stunning altar salvaged from the ancient Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.

Grand Design and Juvarra’s Dome

The Cathedral’s silhouette is defined by its magnificent dome, reaching 75 meters (246 feet) into the sky. Designed by Filippo Juvara, the legendary architect to the King of Sardinia, the dome was the crowning achievement of the structure in the 18th century. As light filters through the 19th-century stained-glass windows by Giuseppe and Pompeo Bertini, the Duomo’s immense scale—87 meters in length—becomes truly palpable. It remains not just a religious landmark, but a living museum of Italian genius.