S. Ambrogio
| Department | Archive |
|---|---|
| Collection | Byzantine Research Fund |
| Reference No. | BRF/01/05/05/001 |
| Level | Item |
| Place |
Milan |
| Dates | August 1888 |
| Donor/Creator |
Weir Schultz, Mr Robert Barnsley, Mr Sidney Howard |
| Scope and Content | Elevation of pulpit. The drawing is initialed (RWS) and dated in pencil at the bottom. |
| Further information | The church of S. Ambrogio, Milan, was built on the ruins of a three-aisled basilica with galleries. This fourth-century building was covered exclusively by vaults. Construction work must have begun around 1080 and the monument was completed in 1117. A vaulted atrium was attached to the east side of the new three-aisled basilica. Two belfries flank the newly-constructed narthex. Both the main and the side aisles are covered by vaults while a big slightly later octagonal dome supported by eight arches dominates the area in front of the holy bema. Worth noting is the lavish decoration of the interior: the sculpture is typically Lombard, Byzantine-influenced mosaics with Greek inscriptions decorate the walls. The monument, an excellent example of Lombard church-architecture, was used for the coronation of Lombard kings. |