Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio

About this place

The Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio, officially known as Basilica romana minore collegiata abbaziale prepositurale di Sant'Ambrogio, is an ancient Romanesque-style, Roman Catholic church located in the center of Milan, in the region of Lombardy, Italy. One of the most ancient churches in Milan, it was commissioned by Saint Ambrose in 379–386, in an area where numerous martyrs of the Roman persecutions had been buried. The first name of the church was in fact Basilica Martyrum. When St Ambrose arrived in Milan to assume the bishopric, churches in the region were in conflict with each other over the dispute between Arianism and the Nicene Creed as well as numerous local issues. As you explore, compare the building itself with its decoration and later additions. Differences in materials, forms and imagery can reveal successive periods of patronage, making the visit a way to understand how religious places evolved over time.