Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-05-02

usos sDa iost VtcttS were pau W tuo
cathedral, which Is, after ell, the one OBJ
i ect that distinguishes Milan from other
towns 10 the eyes Of the majority Of trav-
ellers. All acknowledge that Il is wor-
thy Of its fame, not so much because it
ranks in size next TO St. Peters, Rome,
and the Cathedral OF Seville, but because
Of the quantity Of fine sculpture and its
grand effect ~ . whole. No transition
from one style Of architecture to
another can be greater than passing
from the daily sight Of St. Maria del
Fiore, at Florence, 10 Santa Maria, ct
Milan. The latter is pure Gothic Of the
highest period Of development, and is
covered With pinnacles and statues, and
it is even said that inside and out there
src 1000 Of the latter. Most sight
seers 20 up the tower and walk about
the roof of the cathedral TO see some Of
the fairy-liks trsccry, the ninety-eight
turrets, and the 1900 statues with
which the outside is ornamented.
INSIDE THE GREAT TOWER.
| We went up the winding stone steps
inside the great tower as far as the first
part Of the roof, then we walked about
it. The flying or arched buttresses
that support the clerestory Of the nave
have but small space between them,
and their sloping ridges are edged with
pointed Gothic carving resembling lace
work. This gives the most delicate and
graceful effect, and seen from . side
view reminded US of a hillside
in spring covered with young pine-tree',
and seemed almost as if swayed by
gentle wind. We next assembled inside
n turret of Gothic sculpture, with many
statues on it, to the highest part Of the
roof, getting on the way repeated views
of this wondrous scene Of chiselled mar
BILE. This upper part Of the roof is
often utilized as picnic ground on
.fete days. At the time we were there
workmen were putting up scaffolding
in order to complete one Of the turrets.
All the turrets have names and
are Of fret-work surmounted with
statues. One is called Visconti,
after Clan Galeazzo Visconti, the
lord of Milan, who in 1856 founded the
cathedral, another is called Raphael
because he designed it. We next went
up the highest turret above the roof and
had view of old Milan. There is
hardly limit to what is said can be
seen on clear day from this the high
est point except the cross held by the
statue Of the Virgin. Our day was
hopelessly cloudy and grim, SO We
could see nothing beyond the town, but
we were told Mont Blanc, the st.
Gothard, and many other peaks were
within range, as well as nearly all Lom-
hardy, under favorable circumstances.
Whether little or much of the distant
landscape is seen after climbing 494
steps, believe no equal sight ofmarble
oil namentation can be had anywhere
else.
CONTRASTS.
The whiteness of the marble contri-
butes to the beauty Of the whole, and
is in contrast to the darkness of the
stone Of most Gothic cathedrals. The
interior is fine, but it cannot vie in |
uniqueness of interest with the exterior. |
1t has four rows Of high columns, with |
capitals formed of statues in separate
inches. Three enormous modern stained
glass windows occupy nearly the whole
Of the eastern apse, and look like a
transparent jewelled background from
the west. They are made in 365 COM
partments foot and half square, and
are principally copies Of old pictures.
The underground chapel of st. Carlo
Borromeo, one ofthe chief saints of Milan,
is covered with reliefs in gilded bronze,
and one Of the sacristries has many
solid silver ecclesiastical objects, in
Guiding statues OF saints and bishops,
some valuable enamels, and a golden
pyx. A bronze tree-shaped Candida
brum, ten feet high, set with precious
stones, stands in the north transept,
and bronze statues forming a monu-
ment to two of the Medici family
are in the south. A queer statue
of st. Bartholomew is also in the south
transept. 1t represents the saint flayed
alive and holding his skin rolled up over
his shoulder. As an anatomical study
it is considered excellent, but is some
what out Of place. The enormous ia
cade of the cathedral is marred by
having renaissance doors and other
features in the Gothic plan. 1t over
looks piazza or squareo Of considerable
size in which at the carnival three
TERED building is erected for balls and
other amusements. Coming fresh up
from the South to the true Gothic arshi-
lecture once more, we are struck
with the lack of repose in
the effect it produces compared
with the Greek and renaissance
buildings. There seems something akin
TO perpetual restlessness and endless
aspirations in the numberless pinnacles,
small towers, and statues with which
Milan Cathedral is decorated. 1t is as
if the men who designed it must have
been continually hoping for something
higher, and so could never take the real
calm satisfaction and enjoyment in their
work that the renaissance men did in
theirs. 1t may be they were moro re-
ligious and less artistic.
COMO.
Before starting on our journey north
ward by the st. Gothard tunnel we had
All idea that we ran the risk Of being
frozen to death in attempting such a
feat in the middle Of winter. We left
Milan as we had found it, under the
gloomicst of skies and very much as if
several inches Of snow were about to
fall, but by the time we had reached the
Lake Of Como we were in land Of a
much more genial type. The town Of
Como is Economically situated on the
lake and is extremely beautiful. From
here on till we approached the Lake of
Lucerne we had succession Of magniti-
cent views. We had alsoa nearly cloud
less sky and bright sun, so that we
were at times too warm. The high
peaks Of the mountains stood out clear
ly above the wild gorges and sunny VAL
leys, and here and there towns dropped
down in favorable spots. Lugano, close
on the lake Of the same name, has q