Ken's Scrollwork

THE DUOMO
Cathedral of Milan

The name "Duomo" derives from the Latin noun domus. which in ancient Rome meant house. In the Mediaeval period the term Domus became used only for the "House of God"
namely, the principal church of a community.

Construction of The Duomo began in 1386 and the final bronze door was added in 1965 - almost six hundred years later.

It is the third largest church in the world after St. Peter's in Rome and Seville Cathedral.

Construction of The Duomo began in 1386 and the final bronze door was fitted in 1965.

Following are a few statistics:

93 m maximum width
108.5 m maximum height
158 m length
12,000 m square surface covered

96 number of giants
135 number of spire
150 number of gargoyles
1100 number of internal statues
2300 number of external statues

Visitors to The Dumo can gain access to, and walk all over the roof of the Cathedral; and, even climb to the octagon gallery in the tower.

The most striking part of Milan cathedral is the outside of the roof. The great extent of the building is more justly estimated there than from any part of the interior, and the eye and mind are overpowered by the multitude of architectural details, the rich ornaments, the delicately carved flying buttresses, and the wilderness of the pinnacles. From below they look dwarfish and huddled but when you are walking in the midst of it the effect is most striking. You can climb much higher than the roof to access the octagon gallery in the tower. What an experience!

3 July 2010 I began constructing a model of this magnificent church, and in the following months I shall add photographs to this site so that you may follow my progress. It's a massive project which I expect could take many many months to complete.
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The above photographs were taken on 3rd September, 2010.

This is the second set of photographs to show progress being made. You can see that I began constructing from the front of the Cathedral from the ground up. I have not quite finished the structure of the third level of this stage. When that is complete I shall concentrate on the roof of the third level. It may then be possible to stain this part of the structure. The roofs will be rosealder twhich is a slightly darker brown than the walls. All windows will be paulownia (white) and spires, statues and overlays will be aircraft ply so that the overall lightness of colour of the Cathedral will prevail.


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The above photographs were taken on 18 November 2010

This Section is now ready for overlays to be added. The roof is finished, spires added and the section has received three coats of Clear Satin Estapol. I estimate it will take me about four weeks to cut all overlays, stain and fit them before I can move on to the back section of the Cathedral. It is probably aapproaching 25% complete now and when overlays are added it will be close to 30%

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The above photographs were taken on 1st February, 2011.

Four view of the Cathedral are included so that you may better appreciate the extent of the structure. The front section is almost complete - only a few overlays to be added, plus some statues etc.. The walls of the of the back section have been completed and now the roofs, windows and overlays to be added. I will then be able to start on the tower. I'm thinking of constructing the walls of the tower, (and windows) in Paulownia (white timber) All spires will be as in the front section of the Cathedral.

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THE COMPLETED MODEL

The following photographs, taken in June 2011, show the completed model. Aircraft ply was used for overlays and spires, and "stained glass" was fitted behind all windows. Finished in Clear Satin Estapol.

Plans were obtained from Pedro Rodriguez, Seville, Spain. I am told by a fellow scroller that there are 2755 piees of timber in the model and that there are 12,242 inside fretwork cuts.

THE PHOTOGRAPH IN THE BACKGROUND IS A PHOTOGRAPH OF MILAN CATHEDRAL TAKEN ABOUT 1890.