The cathedral took nearly six centuries to complete: construction began in 1386, and the final details were completed in 1965. It is the largest church in the Italian Republic.
The Duomo has a cruciform plan in the form of a Latin cross that covers nearly 12,000 square meters, is 157 meters long, its widest part measures 93 meters in transept and can accommodate 40,000 people inside.
Since the cathedral took over several hundred years to be built, there are a number of contrasting styles for you to see – Romanticism, Gothic, Gothic Revival and Perpendicular with Flamboyant.
Its has 135 needles and around 3400 statues, including 96 giant gargoyles. The needle is highest with the statue of the Virgin, measures 108 meters.
Considering its construction is still continuing, this could be considered the longest-worked cathedral in the world.
