The Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio, officially known as ''Basilica romana minore collegiata abbaziale prepositurale di Sant'Ambrogio'', is an ancient
Romanesque-style,
Roman Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
church located in the center of
Milan
Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...
, in the region of
Lombardy
The Lombardy Region (; ) is an administrative regions of Italy, region of Italy that covers ; it is located in northern Italy and has a population of about 10 million people, constituting more than one-sixth of Italy's population. Lombardy is ...
, Italy.
History
One of the most ancient churches in Milan, it was commissioned by
St. Ambrose in 379–386, in an area where numerous martyrs of the Roman persecutions had been buried. The first name of the church was in fact ''Basilica Martyrum''.
When St Ambrose arrived in Milan to assume the bishopric, churches in the region were in conflict with each other over the dispute between
Arianism
Arianism (, ) is a Christology, Christological doctrine which rejects the traditional notion of the Trinity and considers Jesus to be a creation of God, and therefore distinct from God. It is named after its major proponent, Arius (). It is co ...
and the
Nicene Creed
The Nicene Creed, also called the Creed of Constantinople, is the defining statement of belief of Nicene Christianity and in those Christian denominations that adhere to it.
The original Nicene Creed was first adopted at the First Council of N ...
as well as numerous local issues. Ambrose firmly sided with the
Nicene partisans, and wanted northern Italy to remain allied to the papacy. He did this through both preaching and construction. He built three or four churches surrounding the city; Basilica Apostolorum (now
San Nazaro in Brolo), Basilica Virginum (now
San Simpliciano), and Basilica Martyrum (which was later renamed in his honour). A fourth church, Basilica Salvatoris (later San Dionigi, razed in the 17th century), is attributed to him as well, but may not actually be from the 4th century. These churches were dedicated with anti-Arian language and as symbols of the wealth and power of the pro-Nicene faction in Milan.
The church building has undergone several restorations and partial reconstructions, assuming the current appearance in the 12th century, when it was rebuilt in the
Romanesque style
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of medieval Europe that was predominant in the 11th and 12th centuries. The style eventually developed into the Gothic style with the shape of the arches providing a simple distinction: the Ro ...
. Initially, the basilica was outside the Roman
city walls of Milan, but over the following centuries, the city grew up around it. It became a centre of religious life and a community of
canons developed in the church. In 789, a monastery was established within the basilica grounds. The canons, however, retained their own community and identity instead of fading away. Two separate, distinct religious communities shared the basilica. In the 11th century, the canons adopted a rule of life and became
Canons Regular
The Canons Regular of St. Augustine are Catholic priests who live in community under a rule ( and κανών, ''kanon'', in Greek) and are generally organised into Religious order (Catholic), religious orders, differing from both Secular clergy, ...
. There were now two separate monastic communities following different rules living in the basilica. The canons were in the northern building, the cloister of the canons, while the monks were in the two southern buildings.
The two towers symbolize the division in the basilica. The 9th-century ''Torre dei Monaci'' ("Tower of the Monks") was used by the monks to call the faithful to the monks'
Mass
Mass is an Intrinsic and extrinsic properties, intrinsic property of a physical body, body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the physical quantity, quantity of matter in a body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physi ...
. The monks supported themselves partly from the offerings given after Mass. However, the canons did not have a bell tower and were not allowed to ring bells until they finished their own tower (on the north side)
[ in the 12th century.][
The monastery and church became a large landholder in northern Italy and into what is now the ]Swiss
Swiss most commonly refers to:
* the adjectival form of Switzerland
* Swiss people
Swiss may also refer to: Places
* Swiss, Missouri
* Swiss, North Carolina
* Swiss, West Virginia
* Swiss, Wisconsin
Other uses
* Swiss Café, an old café located ...
Canton of Ticino
Ticino ( ), sometimes Tessin (), officially the Republic and Canton of Ticino or less formally the Canton of Ticino, is one of the Canton of Switzerland, 26 cantons forming the Switzerland, Swiss Confederation. It is composed of eight districts ...
. On 4 August 1528, an accord known as the "Peace of St. Ambrose" was signed here between the noble and popular factions of the city. In 1492 the Benedictines commissioned Donato Bramante
Donato Bramante (1444 – 11 April 1514), born as Donato di Pascuccio d'Antonio and also known as Bramante Lazzari, was an Italian architect and painter. He introduced Renaissance architecture to Milan and the High Renaissance style to Rom ...
, structural architect of St. Peter's Basilica
The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican (), or simply St. Peter's Basilica (; ), is a church of the Italian High Renaissance located in Vatican City, an independent microstate enclaved within the city of Rome, Italy. It was initiall ...
, to renovate the new rectory
A clergy house is the residence, or former residence, of one or more priests or ministers of a given religion, serving as both a home and a base for the occupant's ministry. Residences of this type can have a variety of names, such as manse, p ...
.
In August 1943, the Allied bombings heavily damaged the basilica, in particular the apse and surrounding area. As a result of this a new building, painted in pink, was constructed to house the Abbot's offices and the museum.
Description
The church is mostly built in brickwork of different origins and colours, with parts of stone and white plastering. The current Romanesque church was begun around 1080. The nave
The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...
dates to about 1128, and the rib vault
A rib vault or ribbed vault is an architectural feature for covering a wide space, such as a church nave, composed of a framework of crossed or diagonal arched ribs. Variations were used in Roman architecture, Byzantine architecture, Islamic a ...
s of the nave are from about 1140.
The original edifice, like the great churches of Rome of the same epoch, belonged to the basilica type; it consisted of a central nave lighted from the clerestory
A clerestory ( ; , also clearstory, clearstorey, or overstorey; from Old French ''cler estor'') is a high section of wall that contains windows above eye-level. Its purpose is to admit light, fresh air, or both.
Historically, a ''clerestory' ...
, two side aisle
An aisle is a linear space for walking with rows of non-walking spaces on both sides. Aisles with seating on both sides can be seen in airplanes, in buildings such as churches, cathedrals, synagogues, meeting halls, parliaments, courtrooms, ...
s, an apse
In architecture, an apse (: apses; from Latin , 'arch, vault'; from Ancient Greek , , 'arch'; sometimes written apsis; : apsides) is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical Vault (architecture), vault or semi-dome, also known as an ' ...
, and an atrium. Investigations made in 1864 have established the fact that the nave and the aisles of the existing basilica correspond with those of the primitive church; the atrium, however, which dates from the 9th century, and two smaller apses, flanking a new central apse of greater depth than the original, was erected. The altar occupies about the same place as in the time of St. Ambrose, and the columns of the ciborium over the altar appear never to have been disturbed; they still rest on the original pavement.
In the following centuries, the edifice underwent several restorations and partial reconstructions, assuming the current appearance in the 12th century. The original basilica
In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica (Greek Basiliké) was a large public building with multiple functions that was typically built alongside the town's forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek Eas ...
plan was maintained, with an apse and two aisles, all with apses, and a portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in ancient Greece and has influenced many cu ...
with arches supported by semi-columns and pilasters
In architecture, a pilaster is both a load-bearing section of thickened wall or column integrated into a wall, and a purely decorative element in classical architecture which gives the appearance of a supporting column and articulates an ext ...
preceding the entrance. The latter was used to house the catechumens who attended part of the Mass prior to receiving baptism
Baptism (from ) is a Christians, Christian sacrament of initiation almost invariably with the use of water. It may be performed by aspersion, sprinkling or affusion, pouring water on the head, or by immersion baptism, immersing in water eit ...
(this custom disappeared in the early 11th century); the portico, whose entrance has four blind arcades with an open one in the centre, was later used for civil and religious meetings.
Exterior
The apex of the façade has two orders of loggias: the lower register has three arches of the same span, which join the slightly higher portico ones. The upper loggia was used by the bishops to bless the citizens.
The portico's arcade is supported by pillars flanked by semi-columns. They have double archivolt
An archivolt (or voussure) is an ornamental Molding (decorative), moulding or band following the curve on the underside of an arch.
It is composed of bands of ornamental mouldings (or other architectural elements) surrounding an arched opening, ...
s, while the portico's upper frame is decorated with Lombard bands, which are repeated also on the façade. Thin lesenes start from the pillars' centres, reaching the upper frame. The capitals are decorated by animals (lions, wild boars), and human figures (mostly heads, but also angels and others), as well as by vegetable or fantastic motifs of pre-Romanesque origin.
Under the narthex
The narthex is an architectural element typical of Early Christian art and architecture, early Christian and Byzantine architecture, Byzantine basilicas and Church architecture, churches consisting of the entrance or Vestibule (architecture), ve ...
, between the central portal and the left aisle's portal, is the 15th-century sarcophagus
A sarcophagus (: sarcophagi or sarcophaguses) is a coffin, most commonly carved in stone, and usually displayed above ground, though it may also be buried. The word ''sarcophagus'' comes from the Greek language, Greek wikt:σάρξ, σάρξ ...
of Pietro Candido Decembrio. The central portal is flanked by two multi-column pillars, and has an archivolt with decorative elements of Sassanid inspiration.
The basilica has two bell towers
A bell tower is a tower that contains one or more bells, or that is designed to hold bells even if it has none. Such a tower commonly serves as part of a Christian church, and will contain church bells, but there are also many secular bell tow ...
. The right one, called ''dei Monaci'' ("of the Monks"), is from the 9th century and has a severe appearance typical of defensive structures. The left and higher one dates from 1144, with the last two floors added in 1889. It was likely designed by the same architect of the Romanesque basilica since it contains the same decorative elements.
There is also an octagonal tower over the east end of the nave.
Interior
The basilica has a semi-circular apse
In architecture, an apse (: apses; from Latin , 'arch, vault'; from Ancient Greek , , 'arch'; sometimes written apsis; : apsides) is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical Vault (architecture), vault or semi-dome, also known as an ' ...
, and smaller, semi-circular chapels at the end of the aisles; there is no transept
A transept (with two semitransepts) is a transverse part of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In cruciform ("cross-shaped") cruciform plan, churches, in particular within the Romanesque architecture, Romanesque a ...
.[ The interior has the same size as the external portico.
The ceiling features groin vaults with ]ogive
An ogive ( ) is the roundly tapered end of a two- or three-dimensional object. Ogive curves and surfaces are used in engineering, architecture, woodworking, and ballistics.
Etymology
The French Orientalist Georges Séraphin Colin gives as ...
s, each supported by its own semi-pillar or semi-column, which, in the lower section, become a single pillar. The aisles' spans measure exactly half of those in the nave and are supported by lesser pillars. The '' matronei'' (galleries) over the aisles support the vaults but preclude clerestory
A clerestory ( ; , also clearstory, clearstorey, or overstorey; from Old French ''cler estor'') is a high section of wall that contains windows above eye-level. Its purpose is to admit light, fresh air, or both.
Historically, a ''clerestory' ...
windows. The third central span, on the left, houses the 12th-century Romanesque ambon or pulpit, built on a pre-existing 9th century one; which utilizes as a base a 4th-century Roman sarcophagus, traditionally known as the ''Sarcophagus of Stilicho
The so-called Sarcophagus of Stilicho is a marble Early Christian sarcophagus used since before the 10th-century as the base for the pulpit of the church of Sant'Ambrogio in Milan, Italy. It appears to have been made between 387 and 390, two deca ...
''. It has nine small columns with decorated capitals and friezes, featuring animal and human figures, as well as vegetable and fantastic motifs. The front of the ambon is decorated by two gilt copper reliefs, depicting the symbols of two evangelists, Saints Matthew (praying man) and John (eagle).
Under the dome cladding, in the last span of the nave, is the presbytery with, in its center, the high altar. This was realized in 824–859 by Volvinius. It features a golden antependium with precious stones on both sides. The altar is surmounted by a contemporary ciborium, commissioned by archbishop of Milan Angilbert II, whence its common name. It has four columns in red porphyry and has, on each side, bar-reliefs depicting ''Christ with Sts Peter and Paulus'' (front side), ''St. Ambrose Receives the Homage from Two Monks, at the Presence of Sts Gervasius and Protasus'' (rear side), ''St Benedict Receives the Homage from Two monks'' (left side), and '' St. Scholastica Receives the Homage from Two Nuns'' (right side).
The apse displays an early 13th-century mosaic
A mosaic () is a pattern or image made of small regular or irregular pieces of colored stone, glass or ceramic, held in place by plaster/Mortar (masonry), mortar, and covering a surface. Mosaics are often used as floor and wall decoration, and ...
, depicting '' Christ Pantokrator with Sts Gervasus and Protasus'', and at the sides, ''Scenes from the Life of St. Ambrose''. The apse mosaic was heavily restored after damage during Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
.
The oratory of ''San Vittore in Ciel d'Oro'' was originally a free-standing chapel, putatively begun in the 4th century, and thus pre-dating the church, commissioned by bishop Maternus to hold the relics of ''San Vittore''. Bishop Ambrose supposedly buried his brother, San Satiro, in the chapel. The mosaics on the walls and ceiling were created in the 5th century; these include one of the earliest portraits of St Ambrose. The gilded dome ceiling has a central portrait of the patron saint.
The church also houses the tomb of Emperor Louis II, who died in Lombardy
The Lombardy Region (; ) is an administrative regions of Italy, region of Italy that covers ; it is located in northern Italy and has a population of about 10 million people, constituting more than one-sixth of Italy's population. Lombardy is ...
in 875. The crypt
A crypt (from Greek κρύπτη (kryptē) ''wikt:crypta#Latin, crypta'' "Burial vault (tomb), vault") is a stone chamber beneath the floor of a church or other building. It typically contains coffins, Sarcophagus, sarcophagi, or Relic, religiou ...
, located under the high altar, was built in the 9th century to house the remains of three saints venerated here: Ambrose, Gervasus and Protasus. The remains of the saints were already in a crypt in the area, although their position has since been lost over the centuries. In the 9th century bishop, Angilbert found them and had them put in a single porphyry sarcophagus. The current appearance of the crypt dates from the 18th-century restoration commissioned by cardinal Benedetto Erba Odescalchi and to others from the following century, in which the bodies of the three saints were moved to a silver urn in a space under the ciborium.
Myth
Immediately beside the church, there is a white marble column with two holes. According to tradition, these were made by the Devil
A devil is the mythical personification of evil as it is conceived in various cultures and religious traditions. It is seen as the objectification of a hostile and destructive force. Jeffrey Burton Russell states that the different conce ...
hitting the column with his horns because he could not seduce St. Ambrose into temptation. Thus, this column is called the Devil's Column.
Others
*Royce Hall
Royce Hall is a building on the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Designed by the Los Angeles firm of Allison & Allison (James Edward Allison, 1870–1955, and his brother David Clark Allison, 1881–1962) and completed ...
and Powell Library, at UCLA
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school then known as the southern branch of the C ...
(University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school the ...
), are modelled after Sant'Ambrogio.
See also
* History of medieval Arabic and Western European domes
The early domes of the Middle Ages, particularly in those areas recently under Byzantine Empire, Byzantine control, were an extension of earlier Roman architecture. The domed church architecture of Italy from the sixth to the eighth centuries fol ...
* Early Christian churches in Milan
Early Christian churches in Milan are the first church (building), churches built immediately after the Edict of Milan (''Edictum Mediolanense'') in February 313, issued by Constantine the Great and Licinius, which granted tolerance and Freedom o ...
References
External links
Official website
3D pictures and panoramas of the Basilica and altar
Images and map
{{DEFAULTSORT:Basilica Of Sant'ambrogio
Ambrogio
Church frescos in Italy
11th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy
Buildings and structures completed in 1099
Churches completed in the 1090s
1099 establishments in Europe
11th-century establishments in Italy
Burial sites of the Herbertien dynasty
Coronation church buildings
Palaeo-Christian architecture in Italy
Romanesque architecture in Milan
Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio
Tourist attractions in Milan