Throughout the world, this is the symbol of Milan. It is located in the piazza of the same name, at the centre of the city, and is dedicated to Santa Maria Nascente. Considered one of most beautiful Gothic buildings of all times, it was built at the behest of the Archbishop Antonio da Saluzzo and of Gian Galeazzo Visconti, then Seigneur of Milan. Construction began in 1386, and the main altar was consecrated in 1418 by Pope Martino IV. The largest pinnacle, on which stands the golden 'Madonnina' (Little Madonna) created by Giovanni Perego, was built in 1774, while the façade was completed in 1813 at the behest of Napoleon Bonaparte, who chose to be crowned King of Italy here. During the XIX century all the remaining spires were completed and the central bronze door, by the Milanese sculptor Lodovico Pogliaghi, was installed. The interior has 52 pillars that divide it into a nave and four aisles containing numerous sarcophagi and altars of great historical and architectural value. The façade can be considered a real summation of all Italian architectural styles, from Pellegrini's Late Renaissance to Francesco Maria Richino's Baroque, to the Pseudo Gothic that Napoleon imposed on the architects, led by Luigi Acquisiti, whose large themed statues of the Old Testament still stand out. The present arrangement of the façade dates back to 1888; it is the work of Giuseppe Brentano, the young winner of the competition held by the "Fabbrica del Duomo" in 1886. In spite of the fact that during World War II the "Madonnina" was wrapped up in rags to avoid light reflected from the statue attracting American bomber planes, the Duomo was still terribly damage and was later largely restored, while the surviving wooden doors were replaced iwth bronze doors made by the sculptors Arrigo Minerbi, Giannino Castiglioni and Luciano Minguzzi. For the last thirty years its façade has been the object of continued restoration and cleaning works to counteract the disastrous effects of smog and city traffic.