Cloisters of Sant'Ambrogio, Renaissance cloister at Catholic University campus, Milan, Italy
The Cloisters of Sant'Ambrogio is a Renaissance cloister complex on the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore campus in Milan, composed of two square courtyards with classical columns. One courtyard features Doric columns while the other displays Ionic columns, creating visual balance through architectural refinement.
Cardinal Ascanio Sforza commissioned architect Donato Bramante in 1497 to design four cloisters, though only two were built due to prolonged delays in construction. The ambitious original plan was scaled back over time, yet still shaped the site's development.
The cloisters display frescoes by Callisto Piazza from 1545 showing the Wedding at Cana, originally placed in the former dining space and now part of the university's Great Hall. These artworks reflect the artistic decorations that once characterized the religious life of the monastery.
The cloisters are part of an active university campus and can be visited during the institution's operating hours, with standard access rules in place. It is best to check in advance for any restrictions, as the site primarily serves the university's educational functions.
Archaeological excavations in the 1980s uncovered beneath the cloisters remains of a Roman necropolis and a circular brick structure thought to have been the monastery's ice house. These underground discoveries reveal how different historical periods occupied the same location.
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