Duomo of Monza

Duomo of Monza tickets: which one to buy

Monza Cathedral, the Duomo of Monza, stands in the centre of Monza, about twenty kilometres north of Milan, and entry to the cathedral is free, while the Museum and Treasury of the Cathedral and the Chapel of Theodelinda, with its famous frescoes, are visited with a ticket, often with a guide. The cathedral holds the Iron Crown of Lombardy, one of the most important relics and royal insignia in Europe, which is kept in the chapel and can be seen on guided visits.

Monza is reached by train from Milan in about fifteen minutes. Visitors often combine the cathedral with the Royal Villa of Monza and its huge park, one of the largest walled parks in Europe, and the Monza racing circuit, which hosts the Italian Formula One Grand Prix in September. The cathedral is active, and visiting pauses during services. Buses and a pleasant walk along the Via Italia connect the station with the cathedral square in about fifteen minutes.

Visiting Duomo of Monza: what to see

The Lombard queen Theodelinda founded a church here at the end of the sixth century, and the present cathedral was rebuilt mainly in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries in the Gothic style, with a striking facade of white and green marble stripes designed by Matteo da Campione. Inside, the Chapel of Theodelinda is decorated with a cycle of frescoes painted in the fifteenth century by the Zavattari family, telling the story of the queen's life in brilliant colours and gold, one of the finest examples of International Gothic painting in Italy; the frescoes were restored in the early twenty-first century. The chapel's altar holds the Iron Crown, a jewelled gold crown with an inner band said to be made from a nail of the True Cross, used to crown the kings of Italy, including, according to tradition, Charlemagne, and Napoleon in 1805.

The museum displays the treasure of Theodelinda, including a gold hen with chicks and a votive cross, and medieval manuscripts. The facade's rose window and small loggias give the front a delicate appearance, and the bell tower beside it was built in the seventeenth century. Inside, the nave is decorated with baroque frescoes and stucco added in later centuries. The Chapel of Theodelinda's frescoes cover the walls in dozens of scenes, including the queen's marriage, her travels and the founding of the church. The museum also holds the ampullae of Monza, small flasks brought from the Holy Land in the sixth century, and a tapestry collection. The treasury's objects are among the rare surviving works of Lombard goldsmithing.

Duomo of Monza opening hours and the best time to go

The cathedral is open daily, with a break at lunchtime, and guided visits to the Chapel of Theodelinda run at set times and should be booked, especially at weekends. Monza is busy during the Formula One Grand Prix weekend in early September, when hotels fill up. The feast of Saint John the Baptist, patron saint of Monza, on 24 June, brings celebrations. Summer is hot, and spring and autumn are pleasant for walking in the park. Allow about an hour and a half for the cathedral, chapel and museum, and visit the Royal Villa afterwards. The museum is closed on Mondays, so plan visits for other days of the week.