Santa Maria presso San Satiro

Santa Maria presso San Satiro is a parish church in Milan with a central nave, a transept under a hemispherical dome, and classical columns along the walls. The architecture combines several periods, with the interior mainly from the Renaissance and a small ninth-century chapel attached to the side.

Archbishop Anspertus founded a small sanctuary in 879 honoring Saint Satyrus of Milan, brother of Saint Ambrose. Centuries later, Donato Bramante was commissioned to transform the structure into a larger church between 1478 and 1483.

The high altar holds a painting by Giuseppe Peroni from 1764 showing the Ecstasy of St Philip Neri, reflecting the baroque devotion of this parish. Visitors can also see the fresco above the entrance, which explains the church's name through its depiction of the Madonna and Child.

The church stands near Via Falcone in central Milan, with the entrance set slightly back from the main street among surrounding buildings. Visitors should look for the small forecourt and can usually enter the interior freely during daytime hours.

Donato Bramante created an optical illusion in the choir using trompe-l'oeil techniques to overcome space limitations imposed by the existing street. The perspective design creates the illusion of a deep apse, though in reality only a few centimeters of depth exist.

Location: Milan

Inception: 16 century

Architects: Giovanni Antonio Amadeo, Donato Bramante

Architectural style: Renaissance architecture

Address: Via Torino

GPS coordinates: 45.46261,9.18803

Latest update: December 5, 2025 16:35