Santa Maria del Carmine, Milan
An unlikely entrance for a massive brick church, looming over narrow lanes in the heart of Milan, not far from Sforzesco castle. Work began on the church in 1400 AD, following nearly two hundred years of religious gatherings on the site. After parts of the building collapsed in 1449, repair work was untertaken and the church was built slowly, section by section, taking around four hundred years until completion.
The brick façade, which now forms the main entrance on a piazza alongside the Via Mercato, was completed in 1880. This doorway, much less glorious and less well maintained, is hidden around the corner from the main entrance, on the Via del Carmine.