Basically seeing it from outside, we really didn't expect that the interior of the church would be so gloomy. It is the other way round from the church at Venice where the exterior is simple and the interior is so ornamented. Milan duomo is ornate at the exterior but the interior is so simple because it is a gothic church. It is also the 5th largest cathedral in the world and the largest in Italy.
We can see the differences between gothic churches and renaissance churches. In gothic churches, there are some characteristic features include the pointed arch, the ribbed vault and the flying buttress. It was going back to 12 years ago when I learned history of architecture in my undergrad. That time I didn't even think I would see this kind of architecture by myself. It was totally different when you just see the photos and when you are there. That's what architecture is about. It is about creating feeling in time and space.
The architecture gives the impression like human is very small in front of God by its high ceiling. The difference that gothic architecture gives is that God is very powerful that you must fear of him. I actually like the vertical stain glass window as they will allow lights to enter the gloomy room. The light is just like hope for human given from God.
In this church, we saw some mummies from former archbishops in glass coffins. They are embalmed. I can still see the hair and wrinkled hands.
What I like more about Gothic church rather than renaissance church is that the architecture elements come out stronger in Gothic rather than in renaissance. The architecture speaks by itself without any additional ornaments. I perhaps would say Renaissance church tend to be over-ornate but of course the impression of space is meant to be different.
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