Milan’s iconic Duomo cathedral is offering sponsorship packages for it’s 135 spires in a bid to make up for budget shortfalls caused by Italian austerity measures.
The 96 spires that are home to the Duomo’s famous gargoyles are expected to be the most coveted among sponsors, who must donate a minimum of EUR 100,000 (US $128,000) for the right to have their names engraved on the marble spires or below the gargoyles.
The Adotta Una Guglia project was launched this month by the Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano – the organisation established 600 years ago to oversee the construction of the cathedral – to raise vital funds to help preserve the Italian treasure.
“The Venerable Fabbrica invites you to ‘Adopt a Spire’ and to tie your name, the name of your family or your company, with one of the 135 spires of the cathedral,” states the campaign website.
“The Spires are among the most fragile architectural elements and they require constant care and complex interventions to be made safe.”
Donors may choose which spire they want to sponsor and their name will remain engraved there for a minimum of 50 years.
Work will begin in 2015 on the spires of the northern walkway and on the sides of the cathedral.
The appeal continues: “It was the work and activity of citizens to make possible a monument so awesome. The Duomo without the citizens could not exist, as well as Milan without its Duomo, which is the city's identity. This is why citizens are called to an act of responsibility.”
The organisation hopes to reach out not only to Milan residents and Italians, but also to international sponsors and visitors.
As well as the major donors who sponsor individual spires, the Fabbrica is accepting smaller donations, which can be made through the organisation’s Facebook page or through its website www.getyourspire.com. Anyone who makes a donation of EUR 50 ($64) or more can request a certificate confirming their donation by e-mailing donazioni@duomomilano.it.
The gothic cathedral is one of Italy’s foremost tourist sites, attracting around five million people a year, almost half of which are international visitors.
The Duomo is one of many Italian heritage sites threatened by Italian austerity measures and budget cuts. The Colosseum in Rome recently received a EUR 25m ($32m) donation from Italian luxury brand Tod’s.
