Basilica di San Nazaro in Brolo
Basilica di San Nazaro in Brolo is one of the four early Christian basilicas founded by Saint Ambrose in Milan, built around 382 AD to house relics of the Apostles. It stands in the historic centre of the city near the Corso di Porta Romana and is distinguished by its Trivulzio Chapel, a Renaissance funerary monument added at the entrance in the early 16th century. The basilica preserves the cross-shaped plan of its Ambrosian origin and contains important artworks spanning more than fifteen centuries of Milanese religious history.
At a glance
- Type
- Early Christian basilica
- Period
- Founded c. 382 AD; Trivulzio Chapel added 1512–1250
- Style
- Early Christian (original); Renaissance (Trivulzio Chapel)
- Location
- Via Filippo Corridoni 9, 20122 Milan, Italy
- Coordinates
- 45.4588° N, 9.1927° E
Overview
San Nazaro in Brolo is the oldest of the four Ambrosian basilicas in Milan, dedicated by Saint Ambrose himself to the Holy Apostles. The church was later rededicated to Saints Nazarius and Celsus after their relics were transferred here. Today it functions as an active parish church and is considered one of the key monuments of early Christian architecture in northern Italy.
History
Saint Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, ordered the construction of the basilica around 382 AD as part of his programme of monumental Christian architecture for the imperial capital. He himself was buried here briefly before his remains were moved to Sant’Ambrogio. In 1512, Gian Giacomo Trivulzio, Marshal of France and one of the most powerful men in Lombardy, commissioned Bramantino to design a funerary chapel at the entrance — the Cappella Trivulzio — which became a landmark of Lombard Renaissance architecture. The church suffered damage over the centuries and was partly rebuilt in the early modern period.
What you see
The basilica retains its original cross-shaped plan, rare among surviving Ambrosian foundations. The Trivulzio Chapel at the entrance presents an octagonal domed space with classical pilasters and the famous tomb of Gian Giacomo Trivulzio, whose effigy rests beneath a Latin inscription. Inside the nave, frescoes, altarpieces, and funerary monuments from the medieval and Renaissance periods line the walls, while the apse preserves traces of early decoration. The brick exterior is sober and characteristic of the Milanese Romanesque tradition overlaid on the original Late Antique structure.
Cultural significance
As one of the four basilicas built by Ambrose to define the ceremonial axes of Roman Milan, San Nazaro holds a foundational place in the city’s Christian heritage. The Trivulzio Chapel is regarded as one of Bramantino’s masterpieces and an outstanding example of the fusion of humanist ideals with Milanese patronage. The church is protected as a national monument under Italian heritage law.
Practical information
- Address
- Via Filippo Corridoni 9, 20122 Milan, Italy
- Opening hours
- Check official website for current visiting hours
- Admission
- Free entry (active parish church)
Getting there
The basilica is a short walk from Missori metro station (Line M3, yellow line) in central Milan. It is also reachable on foot from the Duomo (approximately 10 minutes south along Corso di Porta Romana). Several tram lines serve the surrounding streets.