First published: 07/03/06.

David Berlanda 3.5

Santa Maria Delle Grazie

Santa Maria delle Grazie (Inscribed)

Santa Maria delle Grazie by David Berlanda

I have been many times in Milan and visited the stunning Gothic and Renaissance complex of Santa Maria delle Grazie built from 1463 to 1490 by Guiniforte Solari, reworked by Donato Bramante from 1492 and restored by Luca Beltrami in 1895, after its transformation in barracks and the begin of the demolition. The façade of the church has a nice portal and the apse, projected by Bramante, has a cubic block of base with lateral apses and the apse of the presbytery in form of a parallelepiped; the dome has sixteen sides, with a gallery of double columns that supports the roof that is supported inside the church by four arches and pendetives. In the interior, projected by Solari, there are three Gothic naves with two rows of columns, ogival vaulting and a double row of lateral chapels. The vaults have nice frescos, discovered after being hid in the 16th century, the pillars of the lateral naves are decorated with frescos of saints painted by Bernardino Butinone and some frescos in the lateral chapels are by Gaudenzio Ferrari. There is also a nice tomb sculpted by Francesco Cazzaniga and a painting by Paris Bordone. The chapel of Madonna delle Grazie, reconstructed after the Second World War, contains a painting revered during a pestilence that gives name to the complex. The presbytery has a cap vault and some oculus and contains two rows of wooden choir inlayed stalls. The convent, seat from 1552 to 1778 of the Inquisition of Milan, has a beautiful small choir and a sacristy, constructed in 1499 and restored in 1982, that contains the remains of frescos and inlayed and painted cupboards. In the refectory there is the stunning Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci, that represents the moment when Jesus says to the apostles that somebody of them will betray him. It has big conservative problems because is painted with a particular technique unstable on the plaster. The humidity of the local, the settlings of the wall, that have caused breaks in the support of the painting, are also problems. It was restored many times, the last time from 1977 to 1995.

This church is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen because of the beauty and the perfection of its architecture, but I am disappointed by the fact that I haven't seen yet the Last Supper, that can be viseted only on booking long time before you go there. It's absolutely worth to be visited and justifies the inscription also because the Last Supper is the most famous wall painting in the world, even if the castle and some other churches in Milan (like Duomo, St. Ambrogio, St. Lawrence the Major and St. Eustorgio) could be inscribed alone or with this one.

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