Fund-raising to restore the Madonnina spire of Milan Cathedral
Intesa Sanpaolo is promoting a fund-raising to support the restoration of the base of the Main Spire of Milan Cathedral, which has been holding the Madonnina since 1774.
The restoration of the Main Spire of Milan Cathedral is the most challenging work carried out in the last 15 years.
In spite of the pandemic, work on the Cathedral has never stopped and work on the base of the Main Spire has reached its final and most crucial stage: that is, the restoration of the structure inside the lantern tower that provides it with stable support.
Intesa Sanpaolo is supporting the restoration of the Spire holding the Madonnina, through two initiatives:
- Fund-raising through For Funding
Those who donate through the For Funding platform will participate in the restoration of the Main Spire of Milan Cathedral, the most challenging work carried out in the last 15 years.
The campaign's goal is to raise €500,000
- Support for the show "L'Opera Meravigliosa. Roberto Bolle per il Duomo di Milano", the proceeds of which will go to the restoration project.
In addition to the live performance, a video made especially for the event will be presented, in which Roberto Bolle retraces the history of the Milan Cathedral through a guided tour of the Grande Museo del Duomo (Great Cathedral Museum).
The restoration of the Main Spire of Milan Cathedral is supervised by the Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo (Venerable Factory of the Duomo of Milan), the historic body in charge of the preservation and enhancement of the Cathedral which, like all tourism-dependent entities, is facing one of the most difficult periods of its recent history.
From 1490 to date, the project of the Main Spire has involved high-level engineers and professionals, including Leonardo da Vinci, Francesco di Giorgio Martini, Amadeo, Dolcebuono, Francesco Croce, Pietro Pestagalli and Carlo Ferrari da Passano.
Today, a team of skilled stonemasons, bricklayers and scaffolders is busy consolidating the eight large corner pillars; repairing the marble still bearing the wounds of the 1943 bombings; and repairing the iron bindings, skilfully arranged over five centuries ago.
On the Main Spire stands the Madonnina, which represents the real heart and soul of the city of Milan. Made by sculptor Giuseppe Perego in 1774, the Madonnina is the religious symbol par excellence, but also an important civic sign since the Five Days of 1848, during which Luigi Torelli and Scipione Bagaggi raised the Italian flag on the statue of the Virgin to signal the evacuation of the city by the Austrian troops. That sight heartened the entire city and awakened pride in the barricade fighters, leading them to victory.
Still today, on the occasion of solemn religious and civil events, the Italian flag flies high on the halberd placed to the right of the Lady of the Assumption.
With over €18 million raised by more than 62,000 donors in three years, For Funding is now one of the main crowdfunding platforms for non-profit organisations in Italy.
For Funding, Intesa Sanpaolo's crowdfunding platform, allows individuals and legal entities to donate and lend money to Third Sector entities directly, without the use of intermediaries and without commission charged to either the donor or the beneficiary. Furthermore, Intesa Sanpaolo guarantees security and transparency, with public reporting on both the progress of the collection and the subsequent use of the money raised.
Last updated 1 September 2021 at 18:25:33
