Italy

A Visit to the Church of San Fedele in Milan

A Visit to the Church of San Fedele in Milan

I love visiting churches in Europe. There is so much depth behind the history and we can uncover so many stories inside solely based on the architecture, the art, etc. If you are in Milan and want to see a unique church that meshes religion and Milan culture/history, you need to visit the Church of San Fedele.

Located in Piazza San Fedele, just steps away from La Scala and the Duomo, the church itself is quite brilliant. However, to see the really interesting stuff, spend €5 to access the sacristy, hidden chapels, and the crypt.

Sacristy

The first stop of your journey begins in the sacristy where liturgical vestments will likely be on display. Be sure to admire all o the detailed wood carvings in here.

Chapel of the Ballerinas

This room stole the show in terms of unique history for me. Back in the day, the ballerinas performing at La Scala Opera House (which is on the other side of the piazza) would come into this chapel to pray before each performance. They would leave roses at the statue of Mary before heading to their performance via a secret, underground tunnel. Today, it has a wall with artwork featuring ballet slippers to represent this unique piece of history.

The Crypt

Next, you’ll head downstairs to explore the crypt. It is fairly large and there is a good amount of religious artifacts along with art to observe. There is also another room attached that displays some more modern art pieces (I didn’t take many pictures though because I prefer the older, more historical pieces).

The Relics

Do relics freak you out? Fortunately (or unfortunately depending on your stance), the relics you will see in the crypt are very teeny-tiny. BUT, they are certainly unique because they showcase relics for the 365 saints on the Catholic calendar year. They used to be displayed so visitors could have a specific saint to pray to depending on the day.

Take a look at the photos below to get an idea on how this works and how they are displayed – it covers an entire wall! It is quite unique and shows the status the church had to obtain all of these; you must visit San Fedele to see it for yourself.

Now that you’ve concluded seeing the “extras,” be sure to take some time to wander through the nave of San Fedele church after you visit all of these other rooms. There are so many fun details to spot; I recommend checking out some of the very detailed wood carvings you can find.

I hope I inspired you to plan a visit to the Church of San Fedele in Milan! There is plenty of art and history to enjoy considering the price.

If you need more help planning your Milan trip, you’ll be interested in these guides:

Don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter to stay in touch with all Italy-themed content!