Santa Maria delle Grazie (Milan)
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Santa Maria delle Grazie is a famous church in Milan, a Unesco world heritage site. The church is also famous for the mural of the Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci which is in the refectory of the convent.
History
The duke of Milan Francesco I Sforza ordered to build a Dominican convent and a church in the place where a small chapel dedicated to St. Mary of the Graces was. The main architect was Guiniforte Solari, the convent was completed by 1469 while the church took more time. The new duke Ludovico il Moro decided to have the church as the Sforza family burial place and rebuild the cloyster and the apse which were completed after 1490. Ludovico's wife Beatrice was buried in the church in 1497.
The apse of the church is widely believed to be by Donato Bramante. Howevere there's no real evidence of the fact, but that Bramante lived in Milan at the time and he is once quoted in the acts of the church (a marble delivery in 1494).
The night of August 15th 1943 the anglo-american bombers hit the church and the convent. The refectory was grounded but for some walls including the one that hold the Last Supper.
References
- Milano Italian Touring Club 2003 ISBN 88-3652-766-3
- Guido Lòpez, I Signori di Milano, Newton & Compton 2002 ISBN 88-8289-951-9
See also
- The last supper by Leonardo
External links
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