Monza, Museum and Treasure of the Cathedral

The Museum and the Treasure of the Cathedral of Monza show one of the most important treasures in Europe. The Museum has been recently enlarged thanks to a recent underground building that has made it possible to widen its size fivefold. It shows the magnificence of the Monza Cathedral thanks to a visit itinerary along the 14 centuries of the history of the cathedral, starting from the marvellous treasure of the Lombard Queen Teodolinda (6th - 7th centuries), further enriched by King Berengario (9th - 10th centuries). The itinerary then goes on with the Visconti age, introduced by the portrait of the archbishop and lord of Milan Giovanni Visconti, who enabled the return of the Treasure to the Cathedral after its forced transfer to Avignone. The numerous masterpieces on display in this last section include the illustrated slabs and the famous "heads" coming from the spires of the façade, made by Matteo da Campione and his students; the large fresco of the Mass of San Michele, which introduces the theme of "fortune" of Teodolinda in the 14th century and the myth of imperial coronations; the goblet of Gian Galeazzo Visconti, which is a masterpiece of Lombard goldsmith’s art of the 15th century, whose pedestal shows contemporary forms and some capitals that would be found in the Cathedral of Milan, which was being built at the time.
The visit continues with a presentation of the works of art made during the Sforza domination, with a fine selection of paintings on panel and the famous façade rosette of the Cathedral, to then move to the ages of the Borromei, Durini and Habsburg families and the blooming of the great Baroque and late Baroque decorations.
The visit ends with the plaster sculpture models made from the designs by Appiani for the neoclassical decoration of the main altar, some objects that can be referred to the Napoleon nomination and with a selection of highly valuable artworks made by outstanding masters of contemporary art (like Fontana, Minguzzi and Chia).