Santa Maria Presso San Satiro

Saint Satyrus, confessor and brother of Saint Ambrose and Saint Marcellina, is the patron saint of the Santa Maria San Satiro church. The church is really located on the site of an ancient temple that was constructed in 879 AD. Instead, the existing one was constructed between 1472 and 1478 and was designed by Giovanni Antonio Amadeo and Donato Bramante.

Some historians contend that Bramante only played a modest role and that Amadeo actually did the most of the work. The false apse in the Church is renowned and is regarded as one of the earliest uses of trompe l'oeil. It is notable for its altar pieces, terracotta paintings, and interior with a gold plating.

Standing at the building's entryway, one gets the feeling that the area is considerably deeper and extends farther than it actually does behind the altar. The interior lighting of the structure also contributes to the optical illusion, which naturally vanishes as soon as one moves away from the church's central axis. In any event, seeing Bramante's Santa Maria presso San Satiro church accurately depends entirely on perspective and faith, just as religious belief itself. In Milan, there aren't many locations like this that are little, somewhat hidden, and ready to expose themselves only to those who know how to find them, so it's worth a visit.

Location: Milan, Italy

Time: 1472-1482