The Last Supper
Milan, Italy
Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan
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Photo: Giovanni Dall'Orto, Attribution, Wikimedia CommonsFit in nearby today
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- Free (the church)
- Opening hours
- Mornings and afternoons, closed midday
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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
- The Last Supper
- Separate, timed reservation
- Highlights
- Bramante's tribune, the cloister, frescoes
- Time needed
- 20–30 minutes
- Metro
- Conciliazione (M1), 5 minutes
Key facts
1463–1482built by Guiniforte Solari for the Dominicans
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English Wikipedia1492Bramante began the new domed tribune
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English WikipediaLudovico il Moropatron of the tribune and the Last Supper
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English Wikipedia1980church and refectory joined the UNESCO list
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UNESCO World Heritage List, no. 93ChiostrinoBramante's small cloister beside the church
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English WikipediaA short history
The church and convent were built for the Dominicans in 1463–1482 to designs by Guiniforte Solari — a Gothic brick church trimmed with terracotta, named after a miraculous image of Our Lady of Graces venerated in a small chapel here.
Then Duke Ludovico Sforza, "il Moro", decided to make it his family's great shrine. In 1492 architect Donato Bramante — later the first designer of St Peter's in Rome — pulled down the old apse and raised a new tribune with a vast dome, while in the refectory next door Leonardo da Vinci painted the Last Supper.
Gothic meets Renaissance
You can see the two eras from outside. The long nave and façade are Lombard Gothic — warm red brick, round windows and terracotta patterns — while Bramante's Renaissance tribune rises above them as a pale, many-sided drum ringed with arches. Inside, the contrast is even stronger: the dark, painted Gothic nave opens into a bright, airy space under the dome, all circles and squares.
What to see inside
Side chapels hold frescoes from the 15th and 16th centuries; the most revered is the Chapel of Our Lady of Graces with the image that gave the church its name. From the left of the tribune you can step into Bramante's small cloister (chiostrino), a quiet colonnaded garden with a fine view of the dome.
The Last Supper is entered not from the church but from the square to its left, and only with a timed ticket. No ticket? The church belongs to the same UNESCO site and is well worth the visit on its own. During Mass visitors are asked not to walk the nave, so weekday mornings are best.
What to see
- Bramante's tribune — the light-filled space under the dome.
- The façade — Lombard Gothic brick and terracotta.
- The small cloister — a colonnaded courtyard.
- Chapel of Our Lady of Graces — with its revered image.
- Nave frescoes — 15th–16th century.
- The dome outside — best seen from the square.
How to get there
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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
- The Last Supper is about 4 min away on foot.
- Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio is about 13 min away on foot.
- Sforza Castle is about 14 min away on foot.
More tips
- Metro M1 to Conciliazione, 5 minutes on foot.
- Metro M1 or M2 to Cadorna, 10 minutes on foot.
- Tram 16 from Piazza del Duomo to the Santa Maria delle Grazie stop.
- From the Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio, 10 minutes' walk.
Is Santa Maria delle Grazie worth it?
Yes, especially if you're seeing the Last Supper: the church is next door, free, and shows who Leonardo was working for and when. Even without a refectory ticket, come for Bramante's tribune — one of the finest pieces of early Renaissance architecture in Milan. Cover shoulders and knees, and note the midday closure.
Before you go
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Milan's churches: compare and choose
Churches and basilicas in Milan rated by YesGo. Click a column header to sort.
| The Last Supper | 72 | 30 min | Paid, booking only | 3 min walk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milan Cathedral | 63 | 1 h 30 min | Paid | 27 min walk |
| Santa Maria delle Grazieyou are here | 53 | 30 min | Free | — |
| Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio | 47 | 40 min | Free | 9 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 Supper30 min · Paid, booking only
- 3 min walk from the previous stopSanta Maria delle Grazieyou are here30 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
- The church is free.
- The refectory has its own entrance.
- Step into the small cloister.
- Leonardo's vineyard is opposite.
Questions
Is Santa Maria delle Grazie free?
Yes, the church is free; the Last Supper needs a separate timed ticket.
Where is the Last Supper in Santa Maria delle Grazie?
In the former refectory to the left of the church, entered from the square.
Who built Santa Maria delle Grazie?
Guiniforte Solari in 1463–1482; Donato Bramante added the domed tribune from 1492.
How long does a visit take?
20–30 minutes.
What is Leonardo's vineyard?
The garden of the Casa degli Atellani opposite, where Leonardo was given a vineyard in 1498; open with a ticket.
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, Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan
- UNESCO World Heritage List, no. 93
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