Leonardo's Last Supper

Leonardo's Last Supper tickets and tours

Italy

Things to do in Leonardo's Last Supper

4.5/5 (7261)

The survival of Leonardo’s masterpiece is almost as amazing as its vision. It was already being ‘restored’ in 1726, with an ill-advised application of caustic solvents and varnish. In 1770, Giusseppe Mazza repainted much of the original in oil. In 1853, Stefano Barezzi tried to detach the painting from the wall but failed and instead glued the paint fragments to the base.

Only in 1903 was it discovered that the painting was done in tempera, not oil, and its surface was cleaned accordingly. A bomb nearly destroyed the refectory in 1943, but the work was successfully cleaned of mildew and lightened in 1947.

Modern restoration showed that the historical over-painting was eating the original and causing it to flake. The decision was therefore made to remove everything added to the mural since it was completed in 1498 – an extremely time-consuming microscopic task using advanced technology. Today, the painting is preserved by an air-filtration system, a monitored environment, and dust-filtering technology. Visitors are limited to 25 people for 15 minutes each time.

Opening times

  • 8.15am-6.45pm – Tuesday to Sunday
  • CLOSED: Mondays and public holidays 1 January, 1 May, 25 December

About The Last Supper

Duke Ludovico Sforza of Milan was behind the creation of Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece The Last Supper. The Duke had adopted Santa Maria delle Grazie as his court church and wanted to decorate it in a manner that reflected his wealth and power. This meant a great painting by a great artist.

Leonardo began work in 1495 on the northern wall of the refectory and completed the painting three years later, the complete image measuring 4.5x8.8m (15x29ft). Contrary to popular belief, it was not a fresco, which required fast and decisive work before the wet plaster dried. Leonardo liked to take his time and change his mind, so he designed a new kind of application using tempera (an egg-based paint).

Alas, the great genius Leonardo made a mistake this time. His base for the painting included pitch and mastic, which did not bond the pigment as well or as permanently as he had hoped. The aesthetic considerations, however, were sublime. Leonardo created his amazing illusions of perspective using a nail in the wall and strings radiating from it to ensure that all would be correct

The subject was a common one in churches, but Leonardo’s innovation was to create a sense of drama and movement by portraying the exact moment when Jesus announced that one of his disciples would betray him. What we see is a radiating wave of shocked reaction. He also chose to portray all attendees in a straight line so that each could receive due attention.

It’s said that the faces in the work are based on real people known to the artist. Judas may have been a real-life local prisoner or criminal and, here, Leonardo puts him among the others rather than separate (as traditional dictated). Judas is the only one who seems not to be outraged or surprised.

Address

Piazza Santa Maria delle Grazie 2, Milan

Getting there

  • By Metro: Line 2: Conciliazione
  • By tram: Line 16: S Maria delle Grazia
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Price (per adult)

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Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper guided tour with local expert guide
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Attractions & guided tours

Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper guided tour with local expert guide

Book a guided tour of the Last Supper in Milan to discover the mysteries hidden behind one of the most important works ever!

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Milan walking tour with Last Supper entrance tickets
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Milan walking tour with Last Supper entrance tickets

Discover the beauty of Milan and visit the Last Supper: you'll admire the Teatro alla Scala, the Duomo, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and more.

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Best of Milan and Last Supper semi-private tour from Duomo
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Best of Milan and Last Supper semi-private tour from Duomo

Visit the main gems of Milan with this 3-hour guided walking tour such as Duomo, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Teatro alla Scala, Brera.

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Last Supper tickets and Milan walking tour
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Last Supper tickets and Milan walking tour

Visit Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece, The Last Supper, and enjoy a guided walking tour up to the Sforza Castle.

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Last Supper self-guided audio tour on your phone without ticket
Attractions & guided tours

Last Supper self-guided audio tour on your phone without ticket

Enjoy a self-guided audio tour of the Last Supper and Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan (no entrance ticket).

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Milan self-guided audio tour
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Milan self-guided audio tour

Explore Milan at your own pace! Enjoy an app containing over 130 points of interest, famous transport routes, sightseeing itineraries and walking tours.

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Last Supper, Duomo, San Maurizio and Sforza Castle Guided Walking Tour
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Last Supper, Duomo, San Maurizio and Sforza Castle Guided Walking Tour

Discover Milan's iconic landmarks on a full-day tour with an expert guide. Skip lines, explore the Duomo, Scala Opera House, Sforza Castle, and more.

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Renaissance treasures walking tour with Da Vinci's Last Supper
Attractions & guided tours

Renaissance treasures walking tour with Da Vinci's Last Supper

Enjoy a walking tour of Milan to discover the treasures of the Renaissance! Take advantage of the skip-the-line tickets and admire the Last Supper, the Church of San Maurizio and the Castello Sforzesco!

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Da Vinci's Last Supper guided tour
Attractions & guided tours

Da Vinci's Last Supper guided tour

Admire Leonardo da Vinci's iconic Last Supper in Milan, enjoy your experience and learn surprising facts from your expert guide.

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Last-minute Da Vinci's Last Supper guided tour
Attractions & guided tours

Last-minute Da Vinci's Last Supper guided tour

Save time and money with this last-minute guided tour of Da Vinci's Last Supper in Milan. Enjoy a small group tour with an expert guide!

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Guided Tour of the Last Supper in Milan
Attractions & guided tours

Guided Tour of the Last Supper in Milan

Live an unmissable experience in Milan and uncover the secrets of Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper.

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The Last Supper self-guided audio tour
Attractions & guided tours

The Last Supper self-guided audio tour

Discover Last Supper at your own pac. eEnjoy having your personal on-demand guide provided by this digital solution and be completely independent from guides, schedules and groups,

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Leonardo's Last Supper

Leonardo's Last Supper

Milan

Italy

Reviews Leonardo's Last Supper

5/5
, 14 Jul 2016

“This was our second visit to the Last Supper - I particularly enjoyed this brief and informative tour. No messing about just straight to the point and then the viewing. Brilliant.”

4/5
, 10 Jul 2016

“Don't miss "The Last Supper", if you miss out on tickets direct from the Saint Maria delle Grazie Church, then don't despair, you can book tickets with Musement. They prices are slightly more but you have the advantage of having a guide (who was excellent) who will explain the painting in more detail which really added to the whole experience.”

5/5
, 26 Jun 2016
5/5
, 16 Jun 2016
Milan