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Duomo di Milano: An Astounding European Monument Plagued by Advertising

The Duomo di Milano, plagued by advertisements

Milan, one of the most modern cities in Italy, is probably best known for its nightlife and  fashion boutiques. Despite that, no great city in a civilization with history stretching as far back as that of the Italians exists without a few impressive structures and landmarks from years gone by. In Milan the must-see sight is right in the center of the city: the Duomo di Milano.

This magnificent Gothic-style cathedral took five centuries to build and is the fourth largest church in the entire world – its no wonder the Duomo di Milano tops the list of all tourist guides for the city of Milan. But, perhaps due to the radically modern and fashion conscious spirit of Milan itself, even this magnificent structure is not free from the capitalist world in which it resides.

The inside of the Duomo di Milano

On my own personal visit to Milan I was eager to see the cathedral I had heard so much about, and don’t get me wrong – I was not at all disappointed! The intricate detail and work that obviously went into every inch of its many spires, columns and sculptures is nothing short of astounding. The sight of the spires peering out onto the city streets is eclipsed only by the sheer presence and atmosphere within the duomo as you slide through the huge columns. The roof is also accessible for a fee and provides not only a closer look at some of the artwork but also a pleasant view of the surrounding central area of the city of Milan.

Unfortunately, as is slowly becoming the case in many places around the world, nothing seems to be safe from the capitalist drive for profits. The Duomo di Milano is no exception to the sting of advertising. As you can see in this photo, the very front of the cathedral is plagued by large advertising slogans for nearby fashion outlets – advertising that is clearly visible across the square and of course in any photograph taken by the many visitors who wish to get a shot of the Duomo di Milano.

The exposure of these advertisements is immense. Every single visitor to Milan is likely to clap eyes on them and – even if they disapprove of them like myself – talk about their presence…why I am writing an article about them right now!

Even though these advertisements may be mounted on necessary scaffolding (it was not exactly clear) the question remains in my mind as to whether it is ethically and morally appropriate to deface not only a beautiful monument but furthermore a religious structure with blatant advertising. If this sort of advertising is to be accepted and become the norm, the entire face of Europe is set to drastically change. So many of Europe’s attractions are old, even ancient structures  in constant need of maintenance and repair, providing plenty of construction scaffolding on which advertisements can be mounted. Can you picture the Acropolis in Athens with a “Starbucks: voted America’s favorite coffee!” sign across the roof or the Roman Coliseum in Rome with a “McDonald’s: I’m lovin’ it!” lining the inside wall? It is frustrating enough to have scaffolding littered throughout your photos and impressions of Europe’s greatest structures, it is quite something else to have them littered with advertising slogans as well.