The beating heart of faith and memory, the Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio recounts centuries of Milanese history. Its stones, frescoes and architecture preserve the saint's legacy and the living dialogue between past and present. Explore the main points inside:
THE BASILICA: A CROSSROADS OF SPIRITUALITY, ART, AND CULTURE.
Visits to the Basilica are free of charge, subject to the schedule of religious services.
Ticket
Buy OnlineMap of Ambrosius
DownloadThe Basilica is the beating heart of Ambrosius
Atrium of Ansperto and the bell towers
The Romanesque atrium of the basilica stands where Archbishop Ansperto (†881) had built the previous one, as early as the 9th century. His epigraph recalls that 'He built the atrium and the nearby doors'. Porticoes on three sides of the atrium are joined to the large narthex that stands against the façade, where in the past catechumens and penitents gathered. In medieval times, it hosted pilgrims, markets, public assemblies and served as a cemetery, as the tombstones on the walls indicate.
Mail Portal
The Main Portal is decorated in early medieval marble, with the Mystical Lamb on its lintel. It preserves the original iconographic program dedicated to King David, possibly conceived by Saint Ambrose. The two wooden panels illustrating scenes from the life of David and the bronze lion-head door knockers are exceptional. The portal was restored in 1750, and the narrative order of the scenes changed at that time.
Sarcophagus of Stilicho and Medieval Ambo
The 'Sarcophagus of Stilicho' (4th century), one of the few examples of its kind in the Ambrosian basilica, is still in its original position. It is decorated with Christological and biblical scenes, and belongs to the 'sarcophagi at the city gates'. In the 12th century, it was incorporated into the Romanesque ambo or pulpit, and decorated with symbolic figures. It was damaged in 1194, and restored in the early 13th century by Guglielmo de Pomo.
Golden Altar
The high altar is a reliquary ark, a masterpiece of Carolingian art commissioned by Archbishop Angilbert II (824–859) to contain the bodies of Ambrose, Gervasius and Protasius. It is composed of a wooden case covered in gold and gilded silver and decorated with scenes from the lives of Christ and Ambrose, as well as Milanese saints and Carolingian symbols. The workmanship is of the highest quality and was executed under the guidance of Magister Volvino, depicted next to Ambrose in the central medallions.
Ciborium
The ciborium, a cover surmounting the altar and supported by columns in porphyry, dates back to the Carolingian period. It was decorated with polychrome stuccoes at the end of the 10th century. The side to the west shows the Traditio legis while the side to the east shows the election of Ambrose, flanked by Saints Protasius and Gervasius. The north and south sides, which are difficult to interpret, may allude to the Ottonian dynasty, with symbolic scenes that pay homage to the Church and Ambrose.
Crypt
In 386, near the church of Santi Nabore e Felice, Ambrose found the bodies of the martyrs Protasius and Gervasius, and had them placed beneath the altar of the Ambrosian basilica in the tomb prepared for him. Upon his death in 397, he was buried next to them. A survey from 1864 identified the porphyry sarcophagus that had housed the reliquaries since the 9th century. The three bodies were discovered side by side when it was opened in 1871. In 1897, a crystal and silver urn was made, where the holy bodies are still kept today.
Apse Mosaic
The apse mosaic, restored several times up to the 20th century, depicts Christ Pantocrator with the martyrs Protasius and Gervasius crowned by the archangels. In the 11th century, the medallions of Marcellina, Satiro, and Candida were added. On either side are two rare scenes: Ambrose asleep in Milan and, at the same time, in Tours at the funeral of St Martin. The work reflects late Byzantine influences and a Carolingian project of political and religious integration. Its current appearance is the result of restoration work following the bombings of 1943.
