San Maurizio (Milan)
San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore in Milan is a 16th century monastery church, which stands out due to its complete painting with Renaissance frescoes and is therefore also called the " Sistine Chapel of Milan".
history
The church stands on today's Corso Magenta , outside the Roman city walls on the ruins of the ancient circus , but within the medieval walls. A previous building is mentioned for the first time in 823. The church was part of an important Benedictine convent . Originally consecrated to the Blessed Mother , she received the patronage of St. Mauritius , after Emperor Otto I gave a relic of the saint to the monastery, to which a sister of his belonged, in 964 .
The current church was started in 1503, presumably according to plans by Gian Giacomo Dolcebuono. Construction was completed with the facade in 1579.
After an eventful history, the monastery was closed in 1798. After that, the church fell into disrepair and eventually had to be closed. After the restoration of the frescoes, which lasted 25 years and was co-financed by numerous donors and sponsors, it was made accessible again in 2010. The church is spatially connected to the Museo Archeologico di Milano .
architecture
The wall pillar church with galleries is rather simply structured on the outside; the gable facade is oriented to the north, on the east side there are round windows to illuminate the side chapels and above that arched windows for the galleries. The ten- bay long, steep interior is divided into areas for nuns and lay people by a rood screen.
Remains of the architecture of the monastery (Monastero Maggiore), which was initially used as barracks after the secularization, can be seen east of the church (Via Luini 3–5). To the west, the Civico Museo Archeologico has moved into a modern building on the old monastery grounds.
Furnishing
The painting by the best Lombard painters, which advanced in the course of the 16th century, is of particular importance.
- Leonardo's successors painted the series of saints in the nuns choir around 1505–1510. The Passion Cycle is a work by Bernardino Luini .
- The central image of the rood screen, which is also the altarpiece of the lay altar, depicts the adoration of the Magi and was made by the mannerist painter Antonio Campi from Cremona, 1579. It is surrounded by scenes from Luini's saints, around 1530.
- Luini also created the legend of St. Catherine in one of the western chapels in 1530, others come from his students.
- On the inside of the facade, the homecoming of the prodigal son and the expulsion of the money changers from the temple of Simone Peterzano in Bergamo (around 1580) can be seen.
literature
- Heinz Schomann: Lombardy. Art monuments and museums ( Reclam's art guide vol. 1,1), Stuttgart: Reclam, 1981, pp. 326–327.
Web links
- Chiesa di S. Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore (Italian)
- Monastero di San Maurizio, benedettine (Italian)
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b San Maurizio, la "Cappella sistina" dei milanesi restituita alla città (ilgiornale.it, September 8, 2010)
Coordinates: 45 ° 27 '55.8 " N , 9 ° 10' 44.1" E