Background
The refectory of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie forms an integral part of this architectural complex, begun in Milan in 1463 and reworked at the end of the 15th century by Bramante. On its north wall is The Last Supper, which UNESCO calls the unrivalled masterpiece painted between 1495 and 1497 by Leonardo da Vinci, whose work was to herald a new era in the history of art.
Duke Francesco Sforza ordered the convent on the site of a chapel of St Mary of the Graces; Guiniforte Solari's Gothic nave was finished by 1469, and Ludovico Sforza rebuilt the cloister and apse as the family burial place after 1490, with the apse attributed to Bramante. On the night of 15 August 1943 an Allied bombing raid destroyed much of the refectory, but the wall with the painting survived.
- 1463Francesco Sforza begins the church and convent
- 1469Solari's nave is completed
- After 1490Ludovico Sforza rebuilds the apse, attributed to Bramante
- 1495–1497Leonardo paints The Last Supper in the refectory
- 1943Bombing wrecks the refectory; the painted wall survives
- 1980Inscribed as World Heritage
Find Your Way Around
The main parts of the site, in the order most visitors see them
- 1The Last SupperLeonardo's mural on the refectory's north wall, seen in small timed groups.
- 2Santa Maria delle GrazieSolari's Gothic nave and Bramante's Renaissance tribune.
- 3The CloisterThe small cloister beside the tribune, with a fresco by Bramantino.
- 4Sant'AmbrogioMilan's great Romanesque basilica, a short walk away; the GoGo guide pairs the two.
Know Before You Go
From Wikivoyage and the GoGo guides
Leonardo and Sant'Ambrogio
From the GoGo Milan guide · Open the Milan Guide ›
- 09:00Milan Cathedral Rooftop Terraces90 minAmong the spires.
- 10:00Leonardo's Last Supper30 minThe refectory of Santa Maria delle Grazie.
- 11:00Sant'Ambrogio Basilica75 minThe Romanesque basilica nearby.
- 14:00Sforza Castle Museums90 minMichelangelo's last sculpture.
- 19:00Aperitivo on the Navigli2 hrsSpritz along the canals.
Best Time to Visit
Best months: May–Jun, Sep–Oct.
Typical highs
Climate: NASA POWER
Pair It With
Other World Heritage sites nearby, by distance
