Expiatory Chapel of Monza

The Expiatory Chapel is a national memorial chapel in Monza featuring a 35-meter stone stele, circular base with a bronze Pietà sculpture, and decorative interior mosaics. A Greek cross-shaped crypt lies beneath the chapel and can be accessed through the garden at the rear of the site.

King Vittorio Emanuele III commissioned this chapel at the location where anarchist Gaetano Bresci assassinated his father, King Umberto I, on July 29, 1900. The structure was built as a national response to this tragic event.

The interior displays bronze crowns from around the world sent as tributes to King Umberto I, arranged alongside symbols of the Savoy dynasty. These gifts from different nations show how people honored this moment and this royal family.

You can reach the crypt by walking through the public garden behind the chapel, accessed via Via Matteo da Campione. Wearing comfortable shoes is recommended since you will need to descend several flights of stairs to reach the underground spaces.

A black marble monument marks the exact spot where King Umberto I was assassinated, situated in the crypt beneath intricately decorated mosaic vaults. This precise marking allows visitors to understand the historical tragedy at its exact point of origin.

Location: Monza

Architects: Giuseppe Sacconi

Official opening: July 29, 1910

Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible

Phone: +39039380772

Email: drm-lom.cappellaespiatoria@cultura.gov.it

Website: http://polomuseale.lombardia.beniculturali.it/index.php/cappella-espiatoria

GPS coordinates: 45.59146,9.26875

Latest update: December 8, 2025 19:45