Duomo is an Italian term for a church with the features of, or having been built to serve as, a cathedral, whether or not it currently plays this role. Monza Cathedral, for example, has never been a diocesan seat and is by definition not a cathedral.

What is the difference between a Duomo and a cathedral?

A cattedrale (cathedral– French cathédrale from Latin cathedra, “seat”) is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese. Duomo is synonomous with cathedral in Italian, although nowadays it can refer to either a current or former cathedral. ... Finally, chiesa.

Why is it called the Duomo?

Many people refer to particular churches simply as il Duomo, the Duomo, without regard to the full proper name of the church. ... According to the Oxford English Dictionary and the Zingarelli, the word duomo derives from the Latin word domus, meaning "house", as a cathedral is the "house of God", or domus Dei.