Abbazia di Chiaravalle
Abbazia di Chiaravalle
4.5
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM, 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
3:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
3:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
3:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
3:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
3:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
3:00 PM - 6:00 PM
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The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Zone 5
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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles778 reviews
Excellent
472
Very good
255
Average
36
Poor
11
Terrible
4

Alessandro F
Milan, Italy26,346 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2022
Ancient abbey with annexed Cistercian monastery still in use, in the seats of the choir next to the main altar, I could see an old monk sleeping or in prayer with his eyes closed .... he looked like a statue.
Beautiful church which represents one of the first examples of Gothic architecture in Italy. It was consecrated way back in 1221.
Immediately noteworthy as soon as you arrive in the vicinity of the Abbey is the beautiful tower, called Ciribiciaccola.
The nolar tower rises starting from the tiburium, to a height of 9 meters, with two octagonal sections, the first 4.14 meters and the second 12.19, to then become conical for 11.97 metres. From here to the end of the cross, placed on a globe, the height of 56.26 meters is reached.
Each of the zones is in turn divided into two parts which are characterized by the abundance of hanging arches of various shapes, with worked frames and accompanied by white conical pinnacles which delimit the zones. The mullioned, three and four-mullioned windows are made of Candoglia marble (the same as that of the Milan Cathedral), while the single-lancet windows are in terracotta.
The exact date of construction is not known, but it has been dated 1329-1340 and attributed to Francesco Pecorari of Cremona due to the similarity of this work with the other better known ones: the Torrazzo of Cremona and the bell tower of San Gottardo in Milan.
Even the tower was remodeled over the years like the rest of the abbey, and only in 1905 were the eighteenth-century additions removed.
The nolar tower houses the oldest bell mounted in the Ambrosian system, cast by master Glaudio da San Martino in 1453 [15] and still today operated manually by the Cistercian monks, via a rope that hangs in the middle of the intersection between the transept and the nave center of the church. The bell rings to summon the chapter of monks for the liturgy of the hours and during the sanctus of the conventual masses. In honor of San Bernardo di Chiaravalle, the bell is called Bernarda
A plaque in the cloister mentions: «In the year of grace 1135 on 22.1, this monastery was built by the blessed Bernardo, abbot of Chiaravalle: in 1221 this Church was consecrated by Signor Enrico Archbishop of Milan, on 2 May, in honor of S. Maria di Clairvaux."
Over the centuries the church grew, especially the monastery, which saw the birth of two cloisters and several cells for the monks.
In the fifteenth century thanks to the powerful Sforza Visconti family, with artists such as Bramante and Amadeo they built the Chapter and the Great Cloister.
During the Renaissance many painters wanted to leave their traces on these walls, frescoing various works of art. In that period Bernardino Luini also tried his hand,
In the early seventeenth century the Fiammenghini executed other important frescoes.
In 1861, to make room for the railway, the cloister of Bramante was destroyed......
Access to the complex is through a sixteenth-century tower, built at the behest of Louis XII of France, next to which stands the oratory dedicated to San Bernardo where you can admire the fresco of Christ before Pilate, once attributed to Flemish Hieronymus Bosch and today assigned to the Swiss Hans Witz, who was court painter in the years of Galeazzo Maria Sforza.
The square in front of the church gradually widens as one approaches it, while it is narrow immediately after the entrance. Note, on the left, a small church dedicated to San Bernardo, dating back to 1412 and later adapted to an apothecary following the construction in 1762 of another church, also dedicated to the saint, on the opposite side attached to the old guesthouse.
The facade of the church is the one prior to the seventeenth-century renovation, in fact restored in 1926 to bring to light the original project. In the current structure and in particular in the two side entrances, the signs of the renovation and some architectural elements that are not well integrated with the rest of the structure can still be seen. The seventeenth-century entrance narthex is still preserved. It replaces the thirteenth-century original, of which the side walls are preserved.
It has the traditional hut shape, with the frame supported by small terracotta arches; the white stone of the seventeenth-century facade still remains, clearly out of tune with the rest of the project. The three arches are aligned with the entrances.
After passing the thirteenth-century door, you immediately notice the Latin cross plan, arranged on three naves with a cross vault, supported by small terracotta pillars on the sides, and with a flat apse. The main body is made up of four bays, while a smaller fifth forms the presbytery. The arms of the transept are formed by two rectangular bays, while the crossing is deformed by the dome of the tower. Once you reach the fourth span, you can see the rectangular pillars connected to a wall that supports the choir.
The choir is a wonderful example of wooden art
He enters it
Written 4 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

GiuseppeG7651YS
Naples, Italy91 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2019 • Solo
The abbazzia is a magic place. The Church is full of istory, for me the most interesting is the istory of Guglielmina di boema, a fantastic woman That changed the point of view of many person. Is necessary to read same book to understand the huge quantity of spirituality and passion of this place. A place to visit!
Written 3 November 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Philo_on_the_go
Zurich, Switzerland67 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2019 • Business
This monastery is one good example of gothic Italian architecture! The area is very peaceful and you can walk freely within the building. The richness of different paintings within the church is astonishing and the cloister walk really creates a peaceful moment. Not easy to park near by, you need a little chance.
Written 24 February 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Nico D
Frankfurt, Germany110 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2019 • Family
At the southern periphery of Milan, but not far from Rogoredo train station, is a place to be visited. Not easy to park, despite a small free parking area. It is in the middle of green and gives a sense of piece.
Very nice wall paints inside.
Written 5 January 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Dishaa S
New Delhi, India1,363 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2018 • Couples
you need to travel on the outskirts of milan to abbazia and only makes sense of you have more than 3 days in milan.
Written 28 November 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

phandil
Cebu Island, Philippines5 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2017 • Couples
I took the local bus out from the southern side of Milan to Chiaravalle. It's obviously suffering from the years of misuse in its recent history, but enough remains to make this interesting. It's a beautiful Abbey, those walls hide almost a thousand years of history. It's decorated with beautiful affreschi from different periods and inside you can feel a mistic sensation.
Written 23 August 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

momsuptoolate
Texas Gulf Coast, TX597 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2017 • Couples
Local friend recommended this and Eyewitness Guide described a beautiful, historical Abby, and said we could hear monks chanting. The hotel concierge verified times by calling, however it was pretty tricky to get inside here, due to lack of signage, language difficulties, and the monk's vow of silence. But Very Worthwhile-Some tips:

We took an Uber car, driver delivered us right to the Abby.

Persevere- gift shop told us it was closed, monk ignored us. No signs, no help.

We noticed a guided group simply go in the Church, so we did the same.

And, just as our hotel concierge had verified, the monks did appear and did their morning chanting! And we could see the beautiful Church! The carved wood choir stalls is most amazing!

We love history and churches, so this was well worth the drive to the outskirts of Milan! Highly recommend!!

Written 16 April 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Marie H
Zbiroh, Czech Republic201 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2016 • Friends
The abbey is simply beautiful. Surrounded by nature, with church, monastery, cloister... The main "square" with arcades it's just lovely. It's a nice stop outside busy Milan. And also the monks are very active - selling organic products from their gardens in a shop inside the abbey.
Written 4 October 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

vicpk
Perth, Australia442 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2016 • Business
A step back in time, it is truly breathtaking! Make sure you research before you go to understand where you are going, or it will be just photographs only
Written 24 June 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Martino B
Chelmsford, UK4,979 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2015 • Family
This Abbazia is on the outskirts of Milan so a bit of a trip to this medieval church but if you are around this area it's well worth visiting
Written 15 December 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Abbazia di Chiaravalle, Milan

Frequently Asked Questions about Abbazia di Chiaravalle

Abbazia di Chiaravalle is open:
  • Tue - Sun 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
  • Tue - Sun 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM



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