A visit to the Duomo, Milan’s 15th century cathedral, is on the list for most visitors who travel to the northern Italian city. But not many visitors know that beneath the ground floor of this Gothic masterpiece lies a secret chamber that escapes even the most savvy travelers. Designed by architect Pellegrino Pellegrini to hold the relics of St. Ambrose, Milan’s patron saint, the Duomo’s octagonal crypt is an architectural marvel.
The Milanese patron saint, who served as Bishop of Milan from 374 to 397, is a Doctor of the Church, famous for his defense of the Church against imperial authority as epitomized by his decision to forbid entry in Milan to Roman Emperor Theodosius I after the ruler had authorized a massacre in the Greek city of Thessaloniki.
Pellegrini, known to be St. Charles Borromeo’s favorite architect, chose a circular design with a reliquary at the center surrounded by eight columns of pink and white marble. The vault is adorned with an elaborate decoration in stucco and fresco, depicting symbols of the Eucharist, the Passion, and angels, while the floor is designed with blocks of red, black, and white marble arranged according to elegant geometric patterns.
This octagonal space is surrounded by stunning circular wooden choir stalls that host Milanese canons during winter ceremonies. On top of serving as an ideal “winter chapel,” this underground crypt also hosts the Duomo’s treasure, including a crucifix that belonged to Milan’s 10th-century Archbishop Ariberto of Intimiano.
Right next to the Jemale chapel lies the even tinier and more secluded “scurolo di San Carlo,” an octagonal space built in 1606 to hold the remains of St. Charles Borromeo, who served as Archbishop of Milan from 1564 until his death in 1584.
Be sure not to miss this other well-kept secret room as St. Charles’s remains, which at the time of his death attracted pilgrims from all over Europe, are kept in a silver urn considered to be a Baroque masterpiece.
In recent years, the Cappella Jemale has undergone a contemporary art refurbishment, with the addition of a permanent video installation by British artist Mark Wallinger whose work “Via Dolorosa,” depicting the Passion of Christ, plays on loop on a screen near the chapel’s entrance. Wallinger’s work, like the rest of the chapel’s outstanding works of art, are not just mere decoration but serve as active sources of inspiration to the Milanese canons who still actively worship in this secret chamber, more than 400 years after its construction.
To access Milan’s “secret crypt,” whose entrance is included with the main Duomo ticket, walk towards the main altar of the Cathedral and follow the steps that start from the rear of the presbytery. Access to the a cappella Jemale is allowed Monday-Friday 11:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Saturday 11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. and Sunday 1:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m..
