OFF THE BEATEN PATH
Discover the Unicorns in Milan Sistine Chapel (San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore Church in Milan)
People often travel to Milan for fashion and shopping, soccer, and Milan’s fashion industry, which is known all over the world. Many passionate soccer fans come here to see a game at San Siro Stadium.
However, Milan can surprise even the expert travelers whose itinerary goal is the architectural and historical heritage of Italy.
Turning a corner and escaping the shopping streets of Milan, one can find many historical treasures often hidden behind not-so-appealing facades.
This is the case of San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore Church located at Via Meravigli, five minutes walk from Duomo di Milano.
Built at the beginning of the XVI century, San Maurizio was originally a female convent of the Benedictines. Its novices were daughters of noble Milanese families who had decided to dedicate their lives to God in seclusion (and sometimes against their will: just to avoid fragmentizing the family inheritance…).
What is interesting, however, the wealthy families of the nuns have never forgotten their secluded descendants and were financially supporting the convent investing in its beauty and commodity. Thus, thanks to such strong and constant economic sustain, San Maurizio was able to afford incredible golden decors, the magnificent organ, and numerous world-wide famous frescoes.
Probably the most celebrated artworks of San Maurizio belong to Bernardino Luini, a famed Italian painter from Leonardo’s circle, and to his son Aurelio. The fresco I personally like the most is “Storie dell’arca di Noè” (Stories of Noah’s Ark) by Aurelio Luini, which proves that unicorns in Milan exist! Take a look!
San Maurizio has one quite unique and unusual future that deserves special attention. It is the inside wall that partially separates the church interior into two independent parts. The cloistered nuns, in fact, were following the mass from the autonomous private hall reserved for the sisters only. Without a doubt, it is the most luxurious space in the whole complex. The general public, instead, was following the mass from the front hall.
So, that’s what San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore Church looks like. Hidden, golden, splendid, and definitely worth to be discovered.
Maria Novozhilova
e-mail: novozhilovam.blog@gmail.com
twitter: @NovozhilovaM
