Le Mouth | Discovering A Hidden Skull Church In Milan

Image of a city guide banner for an article about eating and drinking in that particular place.

SAN BERNARDINO ALLE OSSA

SECRET SKULLS IN MILAN

Invariably when one thinks of a bone church, the Sedlec Ossuary in the Czech Republic springs to mind. Countless metal band photos have been taken in odd poses, generally with long black hair obscuring their faces and hands held in gripping grimace of unknown torments. What very few people realise is that Milan has a worthy representative in the bone-church academy. Tucked in a non-descript building beside the Basilica di Santo Stefano Maggiore, the 13th century San Bernardino Alle Ossa, is the perfect place to let some darkness in on a day of sight-seeing, after witnessing the selfie-spectacle of the Duomo square and feeling mild contempt for humanity.

Whittle your way down Piazza Fontana, cross the road, and enter the realm of the dead. The church tends to be vacant at most times, only a few curious (morbid?) souls find it and sit for a moment to take in the awe.

As you gaze up at the ceiling you'll immediately notice the incredible artwork. The vault was frescoed in 1695 by Sebastiano Ricci, and adds a regal umbrella to the grotesque memory of human frailty below.

This is one of Milans best kept secret, and after years of asking locals far and wide, almost no Italian I met has ever heard of this place (including an old beatnik in Tangier who claimed to have lived 10 minute walk from it and never knew of its existence). Perhaps Italians like to keep death at an arms length, perhaps the Churches marketing team are as lifeless as the wall decor, or perhaps this really did manage to slip through the cracks. Whatever the reason, The Mouth loves a place that is not filled with screaming children or tiktok clowns, so we hope it stays quiet for a few decades to come.

May we suggest after having emptied your soul of emotion and empathy, you hop on the old tram number 24 at Piazza Fontana (buy a ticket at Tabaccheria Valori Bollati), and head to the Prada building to sip a coffee at Wes Andersons Bar Luce which he designed. Having seen his last few movies, the bar may be the best thing he has done recently.

Their homepage with opening times:

Monday - Friday / 10am - 1 pm and 2pm to 6pm.

FOLLOW BAR LUCE

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