The big building site of the Duomo of Milan from the Viscontis’ period to the present.

Guided visit to the Cathedral and to its Museum.

St.Ambrogio’s Basilica. The most beautiful example of Romanesque architecture in the Po Valle.

Guided tour of two hours to the Basilica.

This visit among the works of the Museum and the Duomo passes through the long history of the construction of the Cathedral, from the previous early Christian buildings to the late Trecento foundation of Galeazzo Visconti. It passes through six hundred years of history, architecture, art up to the recent restoration.

The time of the Monks.

The abbeys of the plain (la Bassa). The way of life, the architecture, the art of Cistercian and Umiliati monks.

Guided tour of three hours to the Abbeys of Viboldone and Chiaravalle.

St.Ambrogio’s Basilica was built in fired bricks according to Milan way. Its sobriety excited charm and awesomeness. It was founded by St. Ambrogio in the fourth century on an ancient cemetery dedicated to the martyrs. There are only few remains of the early church. The Basilica underwent a lot of changes during the past centuries. The present look is very dear to the Milanese.

In its interior, there are little known parts such as the Capitolino, St. Sigismondo’s Oratory , the Bramante’s Canonica next to very famous works.

The most superb treasure of art is Vuolvino’s Altar .It’s a valuable and rare work of the Old Medieval jeweller’s art that is situated in the centre of the Presbyter, just above the crypt where St. Ambrogio was buried in 397 next to St. Gervaso and St. Protaso.

A claustral church of Milan: St.Maurizio’s al Monastero Maggiore

Passing through the well watered grounds of the southern plain we can discover some wonderful jewels of art and faith :the abbeys of Chiaravalle and of Viboldone.

They are situated near Milan between the fertile country and degraded industrial districts. For centuries they were important monastic centres.

Chiaravalle Abbey belonged to the Cistercian Order of Clairvaux. Viboldone Abbey belonged to the Umiliati.  Now, they offer peace , quietness, terracotta architecture, valuable frescoes of the 14^th century and picturesque cloisters.

St.Eustorgio’s Basilica and Portinaris’ Chapel

Guided visit of two hours to the Basilica of the Magi and to the Chapel painted by Vincenzo Foppa.

It’s a jewel of the Renaissance  in Milan with its intact , wonderful frescoes of the 16^th century mostly painted by Bernardino Luini and the Leonardesque Painters. The rich decoration covers all the architecture, nearly in a sort of wonderful ‘horror vacui’ that surprises every visitor and dampens its austerity as it was an important enclosed convent of the Benedictine Order.

St. Carlo Borromeo’s big paintings
(‘ I Quadroni’) in the Duomo of Milan

Guided visit of two hours during the exhibition in the Duomo of St. Carlo Borromeo’s Quadroni.

The church is one of the most important places of  worship in Milan. It’s connected with the legend of the Magi. Their corpses were brought to Milan by St. Eustorgio and they were stolen by Federico Barbarossa.

Pigello Portinari’s Chapel is linked up with the Basilica . It’s completely and wonderfully painted by the Lombard painter Vincenzo Foppa.In the chapel there is St, Peter Martyr’s famous, marble sarcophagus, a masterpiece by Giovanni di Balduccio from Pisa.

Among its masterpieces, the Duomo of Milan has got a pictorial cycle that is unique of its kind.It’s of great importance for the history and for the art of the Lombard 17th century : unfortunately, it’s little known.

They are 56 large paintings ‘ a sguazo’ of (mt. 6 x mt 4,75) . They tell St. Carlo Borromeo’s life and miracles. The Quadroni of the saint favourite by the Milanese, are exhibited for a short period among the columns of the nave on the occasion of the Saint’s birthday.

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