'Sistine Chapel' of Milan Shines Back to its 16th Century Splendor
It took 30 years to restore, but the results have been worth the wait: the Church of San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore, also known as the “Sistine Chapel” of Milan, is now open again for the public to admire its 4,000 square meters of beautiful frescoes (hence the reference to the Sistine Chapel).
The church, whose construction began in 1503, is unique in its extension of the painted surface, from the walls to the roof, and is reminiscent of the decorations inside Milan’s Duomo. The frescoes were carried out in the 16th century mostly by Bernardino Luini, a northern Italian painter belonging to Leonardo’s circle, and his school.
When the restoration work began in 1985, the church, once housing the city’s most important female Benedictine monastery, was in a state of degradation. The most difficult phase was the removal of the black crust covering the bright colors typical of Renaissance Lombard painting due to the fragility of the frescoes.
They now look stunning again – watch the photo gallery below.
The Church of San Maurizio is at the corner of Via Luini and Corso Magenta.
