The Crypt of Milan Duomo

Not everybody knows that underneath the Duomo's high altar, there is a crypt of rare beauty, designed in the 16th century by Pellegrino Pellegrini, the preferred artist of Saint Charles Borromeo.

The Jemale Chapel of the Duomo, or Crypt, is a circular space with an altar containing relics in the center, surrounded by eight blended-marble Tuscan columns in line with the pillars of the apse.

The Chapel's vaulted ceiling is embellished with a refined stucco decoration and a fresco depicting symbols of the Eucharist, the Passion, and angels.

On the sides of the Chapel, within which the Metropolitan Chapter usually gather to pray, there is a stunning wooden choir.

The flooring in red, black, and white marble, is a reproduction of the old wooden floor, replaced in the 19th century.

The evocative underground space is also connected to the tomb of Saint Charles Borromeo, a chapel containing the remains of the Saint.