Description

Essentials about Santa Maria delle Grazie in brief

Next to Milan Cathedral, the Dominican Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie is probably the most famous church in Milan. And this is mainly due to a world-famous painting located in former refectory (dining room) of the adjacent monastery: “The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci. As one of the best examples of Renaissance art and as a repository of this unique work of art, Santa Maria delle Grazie was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1980.

The history of Santa Maria delle Grazie

Before the construction of Santa Maria delle Grazie, on the site of the church there was a small chapel with a fresco of Saint Mary (called “delle Grazie”), which later became the eponym of the church. Francesco I Sforza, Duke of Milan, commissioned the construction of a Dominican monastery and an associated church at the beginning of the 15th century. The monastery was completed in 1469, the church followed in 1490.

Duke Ludovico Sforza decided to use the church as a family mausoleum for the Sforzas and, to this end, had the choir with crossing, which had just been completed, demolished to replace it with a more monumental central building in the Renaissance style. Even after Ludovico’s fall, its completion and decoration continued until the second decade of the 16th century. The master builder was the famous painter, master builder and founder of High Renaissance architecture Donato Bramante. Bramante added to the church semicircular apses, an impressive dome surrounded by a colonnade and a refectory.

The capellas of Santa Maria delle Grazie

On each side of the church there are seven quadrangular chapels (the exception is the last chapel on the left, dedicated to Mary delle Grazie). After the construction of Santa Maria delle Grazie, the most important noble houses of Milan each requested one of the chapels as a burial place for their relatives. Accordingly, the most important artists of the Renaissance were commissioned to decorate the chapels. For example, in the chapel of Santa Caterina there are statues by Antonello da Messina and in the chapels of Vergine Adorante and Santa Corona there are frescoes by Gaudenzio Ferrari.

The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci

On the southern side of the monastery complex is the refectory, where the main reason for the visit for most tourists to Santa Maria delle Grazie hangs: “The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci. It is one of the most famous murals in the world (and the only one by da Vinci to survive) and is considered the pinnacle of Leonardo’s painterly work.

Measuring approximately nine by four meters, the painting is based on the Gospel of John and depicts Jesus with the twelve apostles immediately after he told them at their last meal together on the eve of his crucifixion, “One of you will betray me.” Leonardo depicted the famous moment in a room with a long table in the foreground with Jesus in the center. The apostles are symmetrically distributed in four groups of three around Jesus. With the perspective applied, the distribution of the people and their clear reactions, da Vinci manages to give the painting a tremendous liveliness and to draw the viewer almost magically into the picture.

Since Leonardo did not paint “The Last Supper” on damp plaster, as was customary at the time, but applied the paint to the dry wall using the so-called secco technique, the painting was less able to withstand the changing climatic conditions and was subject to faster deterioration. In 1999 it was therefore lavishly restored.

By the way, if you want to see “The Last Supper” with your own eyes, you have to reserve a ticket. Since two climate locks have since been installed to protect the painting, only a limited number of visitors can enter the refectory each day. Visitors are given 15 minutes to view this so unique work of art.

Website

legraziemilano.it

cenacolovinciano.org

Opening hours

Opening hours church:

Admission fees

Admission fees Santa Maria delle Grazie:

Free

Admission fees The Last Supper:

Regular price: €9

Address

Getting there

By public transport:

Metro line 1: Stop Conziliazione

Metro line 2: Stop S. Ambrogio

Tram line 16: Stop S. Maria Delle Grazie

By car:

The nearest parking garage is Alle Grazie.