Construction began in 1396, and finished in 1770, when the Rococo cupola was completed.
The imposing frontage with the rose window was built between 1457 and 1498, and is adorned
with statues of Pliny the Elder and Pliny the Younger, both natives of Como.
To the left of the cathedral is the Broletto and its campanile, the ancient seat of the Palazzo Comunale di Como,
built in 1215. The magnificent Gothic façade is made from polychrome marble, while the tower is from rusticated stone.