Church of San Vittore al Corpo

The church of San Vittore al Corpo, located in via San Vittore in Milan, represents one of the hidden treasures of the city, rich in history and art. The current building, built at the beginning of the 16th century by the Olivetan monks, stands on a site of extraordinary historical importance: an imperial mausoleum from the 4th century, probably intended to house the remains of Emperor Maximian. This ancient mausoleum, over the centuries, became the burial place of important Christian figures, including the saints Victor and Satyr. The original church was expanded in the 8th century to house the relics of the saints, an event that transformed San Vittore into an important pilgrimage site. During the 12th century, the complex was entrusted to the Benedictine monks of San Vincenzo in Prato, who built an adjacent convent with the funds raised. However, it was only with the arrival of the Olivetans at the beginning of the 16th century that San Vittore al Corpo underwent a radical transformation, led by architects such as Vincenzo Seregni and Pellegrino Tibaldi. Seregni’s project, started in 1533, was completed in 1568 by Tibaldi. The church has an incomplete facade that, despite its simplicity, does not foreshadow the richness of the interiors. Inside, the church is a triumph of Baroque decorations, with stuccoes and frescoes adorning the vaults and side chapels. The vaulted ceiling is particularly remarkable, with frescoes by artists such as Guglielmo Caccia, known as il Moncalvo, who painted the dome in 1617, and Daniele Crespi, author of the canvas “Death of Saint Paul the Hermit” in the chapel of Saint Anthony. The transept of the church houses important works of art: on the left side, a cycle of canvases from the early 17th century depicting the “Stories of Saint Benedict” by Ambrogio Figino; on the right side, three altarpieces by Camillo Procaccini. Other chapels of the church are decorated with paintings by artists such as Pompeo Batoni and Giovanni Battista Discepoli, making San Vittore al Corpo a true treasure trove of Lombard sacred art. During the Napoleonic wars, the monastery complex was transformed into a military hospital and later into a barracks, suffering significant damage during the bombings of 1943. After the war, from 1947, the structure was restored and used as the headquarters of the National Museum of Science and Technology “Leonardo da Vinci”, which now occupies the ancient monastery. This museum is one of the most important in Italy in its kind, and the fact that it is located in a historically significant complex adds an additional level of interest for visitors. One of the peculiarities of San Vittore al Corpo is its connection to early Christian tradition and Roman imperial architecture. Under the current church are the remains of the 4th-century imperial mausoleum, a site of exceptional archaeological value that testifies to the importance of Milan as the capital of the Western Roman Empire. These remains, although partly destroyed during the reconstructions of the 16th century, are still visible and represent a fascinating window into the city’s past.