Hidden within a Milanese garden stands the Chiesa di Santa Maria della Pace. Its facade a secret only revealed to those who seek it. This unassuming church holds a rich history. A history marked by both glory and hardship.
The Chiesa di Santa Maria della Pace’s story begins in the 15th century. During the Sforza dynasty’s reign Milan flourished architecturally. A Franciscan community was founded by Amedeo Mendes da Silva. A nobleman of Iberian descent. He arrived in Milan and established a community. The Duchess Bianca Maria Visconti and her son Galeazzo Maria Sforza supported this. They gifted them land. Land that then lay on the city’s edge. Here the church and convent were built. The church’s consecration was in 1497. It was dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Named Santa Maria della Pace. A symbol of hope during turbulent times for Milan.
The architectural style mirrors other Milanese churches. San Bernardino alle Monache for example. The facades of the two churches are strikingly similar. Yet the Chiesa di Santa Maria della Pace is unique. It has a single aisle. This design was typical for preaching orders. It allowed for a direct connection between preacher and audience. A crucial feature before microphones and amplification systems. The church has a remarkably wide ribbed vault. This gives the nave an even greater sense of spaciousness. The architect remains a mystery. Some believe Pietro Antonio Solari created it. Others credit his father Guiniforte Solari. The architect behind Santa Maria delle Grazie.
The Chiesa di Santa Maria della Pace endured significant hardship. In 1805 Napoleon’s forces desecrated the church. The monastery was suppressed. Its property confiscated. The church served various purposes. It was an artillery warehouse a stable a hospital. Even a riding school. The building’s current form is thanks to a major restoration. This took place in 1997. Led by the Foundation Opera for the veneration of the Holy Sepulchre and the Holy Places. The foundation owns the building today. The restoration followed earlier partial renovations. These renovations unfortunately altered the building’s original appearance both inside and out. Many changes occurred throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. The damage incurred during World War II further contributed to the changes.
Sadly most original frescoes and paintings were lost. Some survive in Milan’s Pinacoteca di Brera and the Sforza Castle’s Museum of Ancient Art. Many others are gone forever. In 1906 the Sisters of Mary of Reparation acquired the church. They restored it and returned it to its original purpose in 1907. Archbishop Andrea Carlo Ferrari presided over its rededication. In 1967 the church and a part of the convent passed to the Foundation Opera for the veneration of the Holy Sepulchre and the Holy Places. This organization works closely with the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem.
Today some frescoes remain. In the choir’s vault frescoes of the Virgin Mary’s life are visible. Painted by the Fiammenghini. The apse’s vault boasts Tanzio da Varallo’s work. His Annunciation to the Shepherds and Adoration of the Shepherds are masterpieces. Also noteworthy are the 16th-century decorations in the sixth and seventh chapels. Sadly these are currently inaccessible. They are representative offices of the Lieutenancy for Northern Italy of the Equestrian Order. The recently restored remains of a structure. A structure once separating the choir from the nave. It served as a small stage. These remains are a testament to the building’s layered history. Finally there’s the church’s valuable organ. Built by Pietro Bernasconi in 1891. Restored in the late 20th century.
Though much is lost. The Chiesa di Santa Maria della Pace’s beauty and charm remain. It evokes a sense of what this magnificent church once was in its prime. A testament to faith. Perseverance. And the enduring spirit of Milan.