Santa Maria delle Grazie and The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci. Milan landmark: Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie and the Last Supper fresco. Ways to get to the church
The Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie is one of the most beautiful churches in Milan during the Renaissance and the site of Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper fresco.
The church has gone through a long history. In 1463, the Dominican Order acquired the territory to build a church. Construction began in 1469 under the direction of Guiniforte Solari. At first it was planned to build Santa Maria delle Grazie in the Gothic style. But in 1490, Duke Lodovico Sforza acquired an unfinished church and decided to turn it into a tomb of his family. Especially for this purpose, he called another architect to rebuild it. Therefore, Santa Maria delle Grazia combines different styles of architecture (Gothic, Renaissance). Sforza hired Leonardo da Vinci for the decoration. It was then that the famous “Last Supper” appeared.
In the 16th century, Santa Maria delle Grazie was handed over to the Inquisition, and a meeting of the Inquisitorial court took place in its hall. In the 19th century, excavations began on the territory of the church, which resulted in the discovery of a wine cellar. According to legend, Sforza gave Leonardo da Vinci wine as payment.
On August 15, 1943, bombs were dropped by Anglo-American aircraft on the refectory where the Last Supper was kept. But the fresco itself miraculously survived. And in 1980, Santa Maria delle Grazie was placed under UNESCO protection as an architectural monument. This is the first attraction in Italy to receive this honor.
In order to see the Last Supper fresco, the excursion must be booked by phone. The group should be no more than 20 people, and the duration of the visit should not be longer than 15 minutes.
Santa Maria delle Grazie on the map
Where is Santa Maria delle Grazie on the map of Milan, how to get there
Church Santa Maria delle Grazie is located on the square with the same name.
If you are in the center of Milan on Piazza Duomo, then you first need to go along Via Orefici towards Sforzesco Castle and almost immediately after Piazza Cordusio (there is a monument to Giuseppe Parini) turn left onto Via Meravigli, which smoothly flows into Corso Magenta. Walk straight all the time. You will not pass by Santa Maria dela Grazie. The path is not long (about 7-8 blocks), but at the same time you are walking along the streets of Milan!
Without wasting time, head straight to the cashier. There's usually a queue here. Buy entrance tickets (8 euros), the ticket will indicate the time of your visit to the monastery refectory, where the Leonardo da Vinci fresco is actually located "The Last Supper". The wait for this time is long (an hour or an hour and a half). And we were there out of season, in winter. I read that in summer you generally need to book tickets a month in advance...
During your wait, you will be able to explore the square and enter the church itself, and go into its courtyard. It's always quiet and peaceful here. The church was heavily damaged during Allied bombing at the end of World War II and was restored. Now in the church you can see several frescoes by Italian masters. It is a miracle that the Last Supper was not damaged at all.
And now the time comes, you entered. We are already waiting inside again. Museum staff divide people into three groups of about 10 people each. After this, each group is taken individually into a glass room, the doors are closed, the air humidity and temperature are equalized for about two minutes, then they are transferred to the next glass room. The same procedure and you find yourself in the “accumulation” hall, where all three groups eventually gather. Then the most important thing.
You are taken into a room with the famous fresco by Leonardo da Vinci. Chairs are placed at a distance of 7-10 meters, everyone is seated. They watch in silence. To say it's impressive is an understatement. After all, until now you could only see this fresco on TV or in some magazine. And now you are looking at a masterpiece of world significance with your own eyes! 5 minutes are given for this. You are not allowed to talk or take photos or videos. Then for 1-2 minutes you are allowed to approach the fresco a little closer, to the limiting tape, in order to examine it in more detail. At the signal from the staff, we leave the hall. When you exit, there is a copy of the fresco on the wall - you can photograph it. Through the souvenir shop and the church courtyard we find ourselves on the street.
Yes, a note. In 1980, the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List..
You can see “The Last Supper” every day. The refectory with the fresco is open to the public from 7:30 to 19:00 (lunch from 12:00 to 15:00). On holidays until 11:30, on pre-holidays until 18:30.
Very close to the square (on Via San Vittore), there is the Museum of Science and Technology, where the scientific projects of the great Leonardo da Vinci are presented.
For the opportunity to look at it, millions of tourists flock to Milan, regardless of the season.
The original fresco is located in the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie in the square of the same name in Milan. The church was built in . It was commissioned by the architects Guiniforte Solari and Donato Bramante, Dominican monks.
The Last Supper fresco was commissioned by the Duke of Milan, Ludovico Maria Sforzo, at whose court Leonardo da Vinci gained fame as a skilled painter. The artist completed the commission he received in the refectory of the monastery in 1495-1497.
Damage and restoration
During its more than half a millennium existence, the fresco was damaged several times. And by the Dominican monks themselves, who cut off the lower part of the image along with the feet of Jesus and the closest apostles. And Napoleon's troops, who turned the church into a stable and threw stones at the heads of the apostles. And Allied bombs that exploded on the roof during World War II. After the damage was caused, well-meaning restorers tried to repair the damage, but the results were not very good.
Already at the end of the 20th century, a lengthy restoration removed all previous unsuccessful restoration attempts and corrected the damage caused to the fresco. But despite this, today’s “Last Supper” is just a shadow of the masterpiece created by the great painter.
The photo below shows a restored copy:
Description
Until now, many art scientists believe « The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci is the greatest work of world art. Even in Da Vinci's era, the fresco was considered his best work - its approximate dimensions are 880 by 460 cm. It was made on dry plaster using a thick layer of egg tempera. Due to the use of such fragile material, the fresco began to collapse about 20 years after its creation.
The painting depicts the moment when Jesus Christ tells his disciples at dinner that one of them, Judas, sitting second on the right hand of Christ, will betray him. In the picture, Judas reaches with his left hand to the same dish as Jesus, and in his right hand he clutches a bag of silver. To obtain lifelikeness and accuracy, Leonardo spent a long time observing the poses and facial expressions of his contemporaries in various situations. Most researchers of Leonardo da Vinci's work have come to the conclusion that the ideal place to contemplate the painting is a distance of 9 meters from it at a height of 3.5 meters from the floor level.
The uniqueness of The Last Supper lies in the amazing diversity and richness of emotions of the characters depicted. No other painting on the theme of the Last Supper can even come close to matching the uniqueness of the composition and fine detailing of Leonardo's masterpiece. Three or four days could pass during which the master did not touch the future work of art.
And when he returned, he stood for hours in front of the sketch, examining it and criticizing his work.
Thanks to this, each character is not only a wonderful portrait, but also a clear type. Every detail is thought out and weighed repeatedly.
The most difficult thing for Leonardo when painting was to find models for painting Good, embodied in the image of Christ, and Evil, embodied in the image of Judas. There is even a legend about how the ideal models for these images in the great painting were found. One day the painter attended a performance by a church choir. And there, in the face of one of the young choir singers, he saw a beautiful image of Jesus. He invited the boy to his workshop and completed several sketches. Three years later, the main work on The Last Supper was almost completed, and Leonardo still had not found a suitable model for Judas. And the customer was in a hurry, demanding that the work be completed as soon as possible. And so, having undertaken a multi-day search, the artist saw a ragamuffin lying in a gutter. It was a young man, but he was drunk, ragged, and looked very decrepit. Deciding not to waste time on sketches, da Vinci asked to bring this man directly to the cathedral. The weak-willed body was dragged to the temple, and the master painted the sinfulness looking from his face.
When the work was finished, the tramp came to his senses and cried out in fear when he saw the picture. It turned out that he had already seen her, three years ago. Then he was young and full of dreams, and some artist invited him to pose for the image of Christ. Later everything changed, he lost himself and sank in life.
Maybe this legend tells us that good and evil are two sides of the same coin. And in life everything depends on at what moment they meet on our way.
Tickets, opening hours
Visitors to the church wishing to see the Last Supper can only enter the church in groups of up to 25 people. Before entering, everyone must undergo a procedure for removing contaminants from clothing using special devices.
But, despite this, the queue of people who want to see the fresco with their own eyes never dries out. During high season from April to November, tickets must be booked at least 4 months in advance.
Moreover, the reservation must be paid immediately. That is, you cannot pay later for what you ordered in advance. In winter, when the flow of tourists subsides slightly, you can book tickets 1-2 months before your visit.
The most profitable way to buy tickets for the Supper (CENACOLO VINCIANO) is on the official website of the Italian Ministry of Culture www.vivaticket.it, which is available in Italian and English, but in fact there are never any tickets there. As of 2019, an adult ticket costs 12 euros + 3.5 euros fee.
How to buy last minute tickets
How to see the famous fresco by Leonardo?
Having scoured the entire Internet and analyzed dozens of intermediary sites, I can only recommend one reliable site for buying last minute tickets online– this is www.getyourguide.ru
We go to the Milan section and select tickets costing from 44 euros with an English-language excursion - such tickets are on sale in about a week or two.
If you need to see the Last Supper urgently, then choose the option for 68 euros with a tour of Milan.
For example, on the evening of August 18, I managed to book tickets for August 21, while on the official website the next free window was not until December. The cost of 2 tickets with a group tour of Milan was 136 euros.
Working hours: from 8-15 to 19-00 with a break from 12-00 to 15-00. On pre-holiday and holiday days, the church is open from 11-30 to 18-30. Weekends: January 1, May 1, December 25.
How to get there
You can get to the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie:
- By tram 18 in the direction of Magenta, stop Santa Maria delle Grazie
- On line M2, stop Conciliazione or Cadorna
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The Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie is located in the heart of Milan. It is an outstanding work of architecture, as well as an emblem of the classical tradition of the Catholic Church. But the church is best known for one of the surviving works of Leonardo Da Vinci, which is located inside. The Last Supper in the refectory of Santa Maria delle Grazie attracts tourists from all over the world. The church is one of the most important testimonies of Renaissance art. In 1980, the building was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Story
As the center of political, economic and social events, Milan has been of particular strategic importance to Italy for many centuries. In 1460, the Vimerciati officer, commander of the militia Francesco Sforza, ordered the construction of a chapel for the knightly order of St. Dominic, the frescoes of which depicted the Holy Madonna del Gracia. Over time, the order grew stronger and was able to build its own church and monastery.
Construction of the church and monastery began in 1463. The architect Guiniforte Solari was responsible for the construction. The monastery was built by 1469, and the church only by 1482. In 1490, Duke Lodovico Sforz, whose ancestor was Francesco Sforz, wanted to add a tomb to the church. The changes were entrusted to the architect Donato Bramante.
Church outside
As a result of Bramante's work, large semicircular asps, a majestic dome with a series of columns, a magnificent confessional and a refectory were added. On the sides of the church there are 7 square chapels dedicated to the Virgin Gracia. After the completion of construction, the most influential families of Milan asked for patronage over the chapels in order to have the right to bury their loved ones in them. Those who achieved this eventually began to decorate them with various works of art. The Chapel of St. Catharine is decorated with sculptures by Antonello de Messina, the Chapel of the Holy Virgin and the Holy Crown - frescoes by Gaudenzio Ferrari.
Since the complex had 2 creators, there was a mixture of styles: Gothic and Renaissance. Because of this, the architecture of the church is considered quite complex. Despite this, today Bramante's Santa Maria delle Grazie, along with Da Vinci's Last Supper, are symbols of the Renaissance in Milan and a new era in the history of European art.
Church inside
Visitors come inside mainly to get acquainted with the creation of Leonardo da Vinci. The “Last Supper” was greatly destroyed over the years, so each generation was engaged in its restoration. The current fresco is not so similar to the master’s original work, but it still amazes with its scale. It is noteworthy that during the Second World War the refectory premises were destroyed by a bomb, but the fresco remained undamaged.
In addition to the fresco, the interior decoration of the church also attracts attention. During the Renaissance, it was customary to pay attention to detail, so everything inside is done in accordance with the fashion of those times. The high ceilings of the main hall have ornate paintings done in white and brown colors. White marble columns forming vaulted arches also have their place. During the day, the interior is bright thanks to the high round windows near the ceiling: the light interior design perfectly reflects the street light.
Location, opening hours and cost
The church is located on the square of the same name - Piazza Santa Maria delle Grazie.
Opening hours:
- Monday to Saturday from 7.00 to 12.00 and from 16.00 to 19.30;
- On Sunday from 7.30 to 12.30 and from 16.30 to 19.30.
Entrance ticket price:
- 3.25 euros for pensioners, schoolchildren and students;
- 6.50 euros for other categories of visitors.
You must buy tickets in advance on one of the museum websites in Milan, because... It is extremely difficult to get inside. In summer, you need to book at least 2 weeks in advance; in winter, 2 days in advance is enough. Tickets must be paid directly on the website; this cannot be done on the territory of the museum.
How to get there
To get to this attraction, you need to get to the station metro Conciliazone. Then follow the sign: walk a little along Via Boccaccio and turn onto Via Ruffini. The church is 300 meters or 15 minutes walk from the metro.
In contact with
The painter painted the Last Supper in the refectory of Santa Maria delle Grazie (now called Cenacolo Vinciano) from 1495 to 1497.
Around the time he was commissioned to paint the fresco, Bramante completed the construction of the church, which began in 1469 under the mentorship of the architect Solari.
Interesting fact! Leonardo not only painted the fresco, but also depicted Sforza and his wife near the Madonna on the gate medallion. Thus, the family was able to immortalize themselves on one of the most famous architectural monuments.
How did two geniuses take on the task of decorating and reconstructing a modest religious building, rather than, say, the Duomo?
The answer lies in an ambitious plan to transform the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan into a magnificent mausoleum for the Sforza family. But this did not happen: 2 years after Leonardo finished The Last Supper, Ludovico il Moro Sforza lost power and then languished in a French dungeon for the remaining eight years of his life.
In creating his masterpiece, Leonardo chose to work slowly and patiently, using oil pigments that require dry plaster, rather than hastily gliding over wet plaster according to the traditional fresco technique.
The Last Supper is an extremely complex and ambitious undertaking, so Leonardo conducted extensive research and created many developments and preparatory sketches before completing the painting. Only 20 drawings are now kept in the Royal Library at Windsor Castle. They have been there since 1600. The priceless collection is undoubtedly only a small part of the enormous preparations carried out in the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie by the greatest artist and scientist.
Since its completion, the painting has endured an incredible history of failure and neglect. Its deterioration began even before the paint on the wet walls became dry. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the fresco underwent well-intentioned but poorly executed “improvements” that only caused further damage to it.
Then came the war: Napoleon's troops used the wall as a shooting target, and in August 1943 Allied bombing tore off the roof of the room, leaving the painting exposed to the elements for three years. Novelist Aldous Huxley called the Last Supper of Santa Maria delle Grazie "the saddest work of art in the world."
But finally, after years of restoration work with meticulous attention to every square centimeter, the Renaissance masterpiece was freed from centuries of repainting, dirt and dust. Although only a faint shadow of the original version remains, The Last Supper remains breathtaking. In 1980, the church and the monastery were included in the UNESCO list.
The Last Supper of Leonardo da Vinci
Most visitors often take a quick glance at the church, but Santa Maria delle Grazie is quite an elaborate structure with a stunning dome. It is part of a beautiful monastery complex.
The last dish shared by Jesus and his disciples was the main theme used to decorate monastic refectories, especially in Florence, but Leonardo presented it in a completely innovative form. He made radical changes to the layout of the scene, and, most importantly, depicted this episode from the Gospel with amazing realism.
Despite Leonardo's carefully preserved preparatory sketches, in which the apostles are clearly identified by name, there is still some minor controversy regarding the identity of a few individuals. Novelist Dan Brown argues in The Da Vinci Code that the figure to the right of Jesus is not John the Apostle, but Mary Magdalene. He also believes that Peter is making a threatening gesture towards "Mary", so the painting represents a violent battle between the two figures in the early church period. However, most art historians note that St. John is usually depicted with feminine features, and there is no reason to think that this figure is Mary.
Be that as it may, it cannot be mistaken that the small and dark hand of Judas calmly looks towards the bread, as if isolated from the terrible confusion that has overwhelmed the hearts of the other participants in the picture. Critic Frederick Hartt said that the composition is so successful because it combines "dramatic confusion" and "mathematical order."
The surprisingly skillful and unobtrusive repetition of the three - in the windows, in the grouping of figures and in their placement - really adds a mystical aspect to what at first appears to be simply a perfect observation of a spontaneous human gesture.
On the south wall opposite the Last Supper is a large Crucifixion painted by Donato Montorfano. The two magnificent scenes are linked by a painted frieze with biblical quotations in support of the monastic life.
It's better to set aside time to make a reservation in advance. Otherwise, you will not be able to get tickets to visit the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. Contact the reservation office, your travel agent, or your hotel a few days before your weekday church visit and a couple of weeks before your weekend trip.
Every fifteen minutes, only a small group of tourists (up to 30 people) has access to the painting, so you can enjoy the masterpiece in relative silence.
Taking photographs indoors with the mural is prohibited.
Ways to get to church
You should not have any problems with the question of how to get to Santa Maria delle Grazie. Take metro line MM1 to Conciliazione or MM2 to Cadorna, where you will see signs for "Cenacolo Vinciano". From there, follow the busy Corso Magenta towards the church.
You can also get there from Central Station. To do this, take the MM2 line and get off after five stops, or take a 20-minute walk from the Duomo.
Contact Information
There is no need to pay to enter the building.
Refectory and fresco: you will not be allowed in without pre-booking tickets. You can watch “The Last Supper” on the following days: Tuesday-Sunday (8:15-18:45).
Tel: 02 92 800360 (line active from 8:00 to 18:30, except Sundays).
Fax: 02 92800363.
Book tickets online: www.vivaticket.it (commission 1.5 EUR).
An adult ticket costs 6.5 EUR.
Church address: Piazza Santa Maria delle Grazie, 2 Milan 20123 Italy.
