Steps in Time

I'm watching the Today Show, and they are in Milan in preparation for the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy... they just did a segment at the Grand Cathedral in Milan, the third largest cathedral in the world...

Now, i've been to a lot of cathedrals throughout Europe, but these numbers always blow me away...

The Grand Cathedral took over 400 years to build.

400 HUNDRED YEARS TO BUILD ONE BUILDING.

When you consider that architectural styles change through time, you can almost plot the time, like rings on a tree, as you start at the foundation and work your way skyward. i haven't seen this particular cathedral in person, but thinking back to Cantebury Cathedral the tour guide actually pointed out the differences in layers.

and here in the States we get all tingly when something is a 100 years old...

more about the Duomo: http://www.travel-italy.com/community/feature_articles/strolling_the_duomo.php