Santa Maria delle Grazie
Milan, Italy
Leonardo's Last Supper in Milan
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Photo: Leonardo da Vinci, Public domain, Wikimedia CommonsFit in nearby today
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- Paid, timed reservation only
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Opening hours
- Tuesday to Sunday, closed Monday
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Time on site
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A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 30 min
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- Visit
- 15 minutes, small group
- Tickets
- Official site cenacolovinciano.org, well ahead
- Location
- The refectory beside Santa Maria delle Grazie
- Metro
- Conciliazione or Cadorna (M1, M2), 5–10 minutes' walk
Key facts
1495–1498the years Leonardo worked on the mural
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English Wikipedia≈ 4.6 × 8.8 msize of the painting on the refectory wall
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English WikipediaNot a frescotempera and oil on dry plaster
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English Wikipedia1978–1999the last major restoration took 21 years
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English Wikipedia1980church and refectory joined the UNESCO list
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UNESCO World Heritage List, no. 93A short history
The mural was commissioned by Milan's duke Ludovico Sforza, "il Moro", who planned to make the Dominican convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie his family's resting place and decorate it with the finest artists. Leonardo da Vinci worked on the wall of the friars' refectory — their dining hall — from 1495 to 1498. Witnesses recalled him painting from dawn to dusk, then coming for days only to stare at the wall and add a stroke or two.
Leonardo disliked true fresco, which forces you to paint fast on wet plaster, so he used tempera and oil on dry plaster to work slowly and revise. The paint didn't bond well and began flaking within decades. After centuries of repainting, a scientific restoration lasting 21 years (1978–1999) removed later layers to reveal what remains of Leonardo's own hand.
What the painting shows
Leonardo chose the Gospel's most dramatic instant: Christ has just said "one of you will betray me", and the apostles react — rising, arguing, asking "is it I?". The twelve sit in four groups of three, with Christ calm at the centre against a bright window that acts as his halo. The room is built in strict linear perspective, every line meeting at Christ's head; a tiny nail hole there is thought to be where Leonardo fixed strings to lay out the lines. Judas sits among the others, leaning into shadow and clutching a purse.
What to look for in 15 minutes
- Christ at the centre — the window behind him as a halo.
- Groups of three — the apostles' gestures and faces.
- Judas — in shadow, purse in hand, to Christ's right.
- The table — bread, fish and glassware.
- Perspective — lines converging on Christ's head.
- Opposite wall — Montorfano's Crucifixion of 1495.
How the visit works
Arrive 15–20 minutes early to collect your ticket and pass through a series of glass chambers that filter the air and humidity to protect the mural. Groups are usually capped at around 30–35, and you get exactly 15 minutes. Photos are usually allowed without flash.
The hall is cool, quiet and bare — the Last Supper on one wall, the Crucifixion on the other. Many visitors are surprised how faded it looks in places: that's the honest result of a restoration that kept only original paint. An audio guide or tour helps with the details.
How to get to the Last Supper
Tap a route to highlight it on the map.
Where are you starting from?
We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.
On foot
- Santa Maria delle Grazie is about 4 min away on foot.
- Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio is about 16 min away on foot.
- Parco Sempione is about 17 min away on foot.
More tips
- Metro M1 to Conciliazione, 5 minutes' walk.
- Metro M1 or M2 to Cadorna, 10 minutes' walk along Via Boccaccio.
- Tram 16 from Piazza del Duomo to the Santa Maria delle Grazie stop.
- From Sforza Castle, 15 minutes on foot.
Is the Last Supper worth it?
Yes, if you can get a ticket: seeing one of the world's most famous paintings in the very room it was made for is Milan's greatest art experience. Fifteen minutes sounds short, but in the hush of the near-empty hall it's enough to read the faces. Afterwards, step into the neighbouring church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, which is free.
Before you go
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Milan's museums: compare and choose
Museums and galleries in Milan rated by YesGo. Click a column header to sort.
| The Last Supperyou are here | 72 | 30 min | Paid, booking only | — |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Siro Stadium | 58 | 1 h 30 min | Paid | 3.9 km |
| La Scala | 51 | 1 h | Paid | 25 min walk |
| Sforza Castle | 48 | 2 h | Courtyards free, museums paid | 15 min walk |
| Pinacoteca di Brera | 37 | 2 h | Paid | 25 min walk |
| Pinacoteca Ambrosiana | 37 | 1 h 30 min | Paid | 21 min walk |
Leonardo and the Renaissance
The Last Supper by reservation, Santa Maria delle Grazie, the Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio and Sforza Castle.
- The Last Supperyou are here30 min · Paid, booking only
- 3 min walk from the previous stopSanta Maria delle Grazie30 min · Free
- 9 min walk from the previous stopBasilica of Sant'Ambrogio40 min · Free
- 17 min walk from the previous stopSforza Castle2 h · Courtyards free, museums paid
4 places · about 4 h 9 min with walks · 29 min on foot in total
Nearby and on the way
How to do it right
- Book as soon as tickets drop.
- You get exactly 15 minutes.
- Closed on Mondays.
- The church next door is free.
Questions
How do I get tickets for the Last Supper?
By timed reservation on the official site cenacolovinciano.org; if it's sold out, through a guided tour.
How long can you see the Last Supper?
15 minutes per slot, in groups of up to around 30–35.
Where is the Last Supper?
In the former refectory of the convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie, 15 minutes' walk from the Duomo.
Why is the Last Supper so damaged?
Leonardo used tempera and oil on dry plaster instead of fresco, and the paint began flaking in his lifetime.
Can you take photos?
Usually yes, without flash.
When was the Last Supper painted?
Between 1495 and 1498, for Duke Ludovico Sforza.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- English Wikipedia, The Last Supper (Leonardo)
- UNESCO World Heritage List, no. 93 — Church and Dominican Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie with The Last Supper
- Official site cenacolovinciano.org
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