Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1874-07-11

ground, and the inhabitants We're
| dispersed or massaered. Subse-
ouently it was rebuilt-not equal
however, to its former state; but 1t
was again totally destroyed by the
Emperor, Frederick, 'gThe Barba-
rian, :" in 1852, after it had surrender
ed, who dispersed its inhabitants.
He was instigated to this act Of su-
preme vandalism, it is said, by the
mean jealousies of the surrounding
rival cities of Pavia, Cremona, Lodi,
Como, and howard, which Milan
echpsed in trade and prosperity
alllof them now insignificant towns
in comparison with it. But the city
speedily rose again from Its ashes,
and exhibited the old vigor and pow
er. Milan then set the fashion to the
rest of Europe, and
THE WORD 'MILLINER"
is derived from the name of "Mllan."
Millinery, for some centuries, was
Synonymous with fine dress goods of
Milan manufacture. 1t is still the
most fashionable city in Italy, and
is the centre of its silk business
From 1885 to 1850, Milan and Lom-
hardy were ruled over and plunder-
ed, first by the Spaniards, next by
the Austrians, then for a time by
the French, and after them again by
the Austrians, until liberated by the
battle of Magenta, which restored it
to the Italians. The wealth and
beauty of the city, and the wonder
full fertility of the surrounding
country; have already rendered it an
object of eupidity and longing de-
sire to foreign Powers.
The central object of attraction to
all visitors is the a
GREAT GOTHIC CATHEDRAL,
situated in the midst of large pub
lie square in the heart of the city,
and from which streets radiate in
every direction. It is the third
church occupying the same spot.
AttiIa burnt the. one built in the
time of Eusebius. Frederick ''Bar-
barossa" destroyed that erected
in the eighth century. The first
stone of the present mighty and
magnificent structure was laid in
1887. 1t took a hundred years work
to render it sufficiently complete for
public worship, but it is not finished
yet. Eor nearly five centuries the
task of construction and adornment
have gone on. Twenty five millions
of dollars have already been expend-
ed upon it. Napoleon spent 81, ,OOO,-
900 in inserting three Gothic win
dows in the facade, and adding to
the pinnacles, and "fying buttress-
es." To my eye, the exterior of the
Milan Cathedral is far superior to
that ofSt. Peters at Rome; but the |
style of architecture are so widely |
different that they cannot well be |
compared in any respect. Their re-
spective merits can only be judged |
by the effect or impression which |
each leaves Oh the mind. By this
test one will remember the outside
appearance of the Milan cathedral
more vividly and recolleet more
clearly in after years than that of
the mighty Basilica of Rome. But
the interior of st. Peters so far sur
passes that of the Cathedral, or any
other existing structure reared by
human hands, that only a contrast
with any of them can remain on the
mind.
The Milan Cathedral is construct
ed of marble throughout, to which
time gives a fine, warm yellow tint.
The principal dimensions of the
building are as follows: Length,
nearly 500 feet; breadth, 28S feet;
height to the crown OF the vaHlting
in the nave, from the pavement, I53
feet; height of the exterior walls,
ITO feet; ditto to the top of the
statue of the gilt Madonna which
crowns the spire, $50 feet. The visi
tor can ascend to balcony or OBJ
seryatory under the statue, to an al
titude of 29s feet, whence there is
grand view over the beautiful city
and emerald plain for an immense
distance, with the Alps fora back
ground. One peculiaTity of the Ca
thedral is the
MULTITUDE OF PINNACLEs
which the structure supports. They
are so tall and slender that tLey re
semble the masts of ships. Poised
on the top of each marble statue of
some saint, looking from the street
below, smaller than an infant. There
are 100 of those minerals or pima
cles, each about IS feet in height.
When one ascends to the vast mar
BILE roof, he feels as if he were in the
midst of forest of marble, Pe0pled
with gods and goddeSses. Four of
the statues are by the great Canova,
and scores of the others are by the
most skillful sculptors of Europe.
Another popularity of this structure
is the multitude of inches, turrets,
and pinnacles, requiring statues and
busts. 1t is calculated that the out
side alone will require $500 statues
to sspeople" it, of which $500 are in
their places. 1t will need an equal
population of marble men to fill up
the inches of the inside. Hundreds
of sculptors and carvers are constant
ly employed producing this kind of
inhabitants.
/ omitted to state in its proper
place that the Cathedral is in cruel
form shape, with double allies, and n
transept flanked with allies. The
roof Is supported by fifty two pillars
in four rows of Is each, IL feet in
diameter A group of these enor-
nous towers rather than pillars sup
port the great oetagonal dome and
spire, which rears IFS head 220 feet
above the roof. One can never for
get the vast vault of this Cathedral !
as he stands among the giant marble |
columns and gazes upward, in tha'
Sdim, religious light" to an altitu%,
that seems almost as far as .ne .Te
clouds, and there beholdS' ~ s.'at
canopied inches, multitude e tha ., sin, ;m
nas which an easy Streteh % 'uS