Milan
Ancient Romanesque church
The church of San Celso stands at the back of a small garden next to the large church of Santa Maria dei Miracoli on Corso Italia.
The story goes that the church stands on the place where Sant'Ambrogio found the bodies of Saints Nazaro and Celso. The small Romanesque church with 3 naves became a Benedictine monastery in 992.
Following the addition of a new Baroque facade in 1651, the first two bays of the church were demolished in 1881 following the suppression of the monastery in 1783. The purpose of the demolition was to enlarge the sanctuary of Santa Maria dei Miracoli (16th c.) next door.
In 1851, it was decided to built a new facade, designed by Luigi Canonica, on the remaining span. Several ancient elements, including the Romanesque portal, were to be combined with new elements that were in line with the architectural fashions of the day but in Romanesque style.
Worth examining is the simple and massive Romanesque-Lombard, four-sided bell-tower made from brick that stands behind the church. It is one of the oldest bell-towers in the city.
| Neighborhood: | Downtown |
| Address: | Corso Italia, 37 |
| Milan, 20122 |
| Phone: | +39 0258313187 |
| Nearest train: | MM3 Missori |