Santuario di San Bernardino alle Ossa — Attraction in Milan

In 1145 this place was a cemetery area where to bury the dead of the nearby hospital. After a few years, the space available proved insufficient and then in the year 1210, at the bottom of the cemetery, it Was built a room to gather the bones exhumed from the cemetery itself. A few years later, in 1268, was built a small church; near the ossuary. Archiepiscopal Sanctuary of San Bemardino alle ossa The bell tower of the «Basilica di Santo Stefano», which was located in front of the charnel house, collapsed, dragging in its ruins not only the ossuary but also to the church. This was immediately rebuilt, but the charnel house was rebuilt from the ground up, and ended only in 1695, and is the one that still exists today. Sebastiano Ricci painted the ceiling of ossuary. The bones in the ossuary are from poor people died of natural causes in the old Brolo hospital, Priori and Brothers who ran the hospital. On the opposite side of the altar there are some skulls of people died violent deaths, people beheaded because they were thieves, crooks and violent. The Confraternity of the Disciplines in 1750 decided to build near the ossuary a biggest church, the current church of San Bernardino, using the old church as the new atrium. In the chapel to the right, since 1768, there is a family tomb of a few relatives, the maternal line, of Columbus. In 1738 the King of Portugal, Giovanni V, was so impressed by the ossuary who decided to copy it in every detail and he ordered to erected it equal in Evora, near Lisbon. In front of the main altar, on the floor there is a grid from which you can see ten steps that lead to a large crypt. Here is the tomb of the Disciplines. It has the shape of an irregular pentagon. Along the sides are willing twenty one, niches on which were laid the deceased confreres. Wrapped in their dress similar to that of the francisfans, with their faces covered by the can. Unfortunately, for security reasons, because the sleps are uneven, this place can...

In the historical center of Milan, not far from the crowded Duomo square, in the shadow of the parish church of Santo Stefano (famous for the fact that Caravaggio was baptized there), there is a very dark and mysterious place - the ossuary at the church of San Bernardino alle Ossa.

The building we see now was built in 1750 according to the design of the architects Andrea Biffi and Carlo Giuseppe Merlo in the Baroque and Rococo style. It belonged to the Brotherhood of the Flagellants, whose monks created the ossuary. A mystical place, surrounded by many legends and stories. The bones were left behind when the old cemetery of the Brolo hospital was demolished when it was closed in 1652. The monks of the Flagellant Order collected the bones of those who died in the hospital, as well as the bones of the monks and canons of St. Stephen, and decorated the walls of the chapel in the most macabre way possible.

If the goal was to impress, the monks certainly succeeded. The chapel was so revered that one of its visitors was John V, King of Portugal, when he was in Milan. He was so impressed by the ossuary that he ordered a similar one to be built in the city of Evora, near Lisbon: the Chapel dos Ossos. In the following years, the influx of pilgrims increased so much that the small church next to the chapel had to be expanded, creating the current building of...

If you're looking for a unique and unforgettable experience in Milan, the Santuario di San Bernardino alle Ossa should be on your list. This small church is not only a beautiful example of Baroque architecture, but it also holds a fascinating and somewhat eerie secret – a hidden room filled with human skulls and bones.

As you step inside the chapel, you'll be struck by the intricate decoration of human bones and skulls adorning the walls, pillars, and even the ceiling. While it may seem macabre to some, the history and significance behind this display cannot be ignored. The bones are believed to be from the nearby cemetery and were arranged in this manner in the 17th century.

The hidden room, known as the "Ossario," is particularly captivating, with skulls and bones arranged in an artistic yet solemn manner. It serves as a powerful reminder of our mortality and the fleeting nature of life.

While the Santuario di San Bernardino alle Ossa may not be for the faint of heart, it is undoubtedly one of the most unique and thought-provoking attractions in Milan. Don't miss the opportunity to explore this hidden gem and learn about its...