Last updated on April 7th, 2021 at 12:37 pm
“The Last Supper” by Leonardo Da Vinci is undoubtedly one of the most famous artworks in the world. The mural painting, dating back to 15th century depicts the scene of the last Supper of Jesus along with his 12 apostles the day before his crucifixion. The theories and stories around it make it even more enigmatic. No wonder, the painting has intrigued writers for ages (remember Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code?)!
“The Last Supper” adorns one of the walls of the church Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy. If you are visiting Milan, you just cannot afford to miss visiting this masterpiece.
1| Visit the Official Website for “The Last Supper” tickets
Let me start with a word of caution! Getting tickets to visit “The Last Supper” is very challenging!
The tickets get sold off even 2 months prior to the date of visit. This is exactly what happened to me in spite of logging in to the website every single day checking for availability.
The official Website for The Last Supper opens up the tickets for booking two months prior to the visit date.
But in the most probable situation, the website will show that there is no ticket available for the day. However if you are that lucky person who managed to get one, book the ticket immediately for any of the available time slots.
2| What can you do if there are no available tickets?
I didn’t get the tickets from the official website in spite of trying repeatedly prior to two months. So, I looked up for the tours offered by Viator.
Fortunately, they had a walking tour available which covers some of the interesting locations in Milan and the tour ends with a visit to the Last Supper. The tickets to the artwork is included in the tour.
It was a no-brainer for me. I booked the tickets for myself and my family.
Tip: Viator keeps on updating their trips and tours. So, look up the website or Viator App for the details of the tour.
3| Experiencing the Last Supper
Yes – it is indeed an experience! It is not just standing in front of a century old masterpiece and admiring its beauty. The entire experience of entering the premises of the church and then the hall which has the painting. is an affair to remember.
We were part of a walking tour in Milan which lasted for 3 hours – our last destination was this painting.
The walking tour was made even more enriching experience by our very knowledgeable tour guide.
As we were approaching the Church, the tour guide showed us a fairly large building (almost a small palace) which hosted Da Vinci. It is just at a 500 m distance from the Church.
Entry to the premises
The church has timed entry tickets. There are two levels of security and only 15- 20 people are allowed at a time to enter the premises which hosts the mural. This is to ensure that optimum temperature and humidity are maintained which are critical to the maintenance of the painting. Also, you are allowed to stay inside only for 15 minutes!
The hall is a rectangular one with two paintings at each end, opposite to each other. There are a few sitting arrangements available. You can sit there and admire the masterpiece. Our tour guide explained the historical significance of the painting and also shared some interesting facts about it.
5 interesting facts about “The Last Supper“
- The church Santa Maria delle Grazie was destroyed in World War 2. The only thing that survived the heavy bombings was the wall with the Mural painting. Isn’t that a miracle!!
- The painting is a dry fresco painting – meaning, Da Vinci painted it over a dry wall. It started chipping off within 6 months.
- Since its inception, the painting has been constantly touched up to avoid any deterioration. It was restricted for public viewing for 20 years. Italy government undertook a massive restoration work and it was opened up to public in 1997.
- The knot at the end of the table on the right hand corner is actually Da Vinci’s signature.
- The landscape you get to see though the window behind the supper scene is a typical Tuscan landscape. Note that Leonardo was from Tuscany.
When you come out of the hall towards exit, you will pass through a gift shop. You can pick up something from there as a memento if you feel like.
Final Thought
That’s a wrap. If you are in Milan, ensure to visit The Last Supper. If you are an art lover, this is unmissable!
Have you visited The Last Supper? Share your experience in the comment section below.
The Last Supper painting, exploring Milan looks like an exciting option. I was unaware of the landscape depicted in the painting is Tuscan. Thanks for giving a thumbs up around the ticket availability.
inspiring article and inspiring blog btw. I love the colors vibe and everything! 🙂
I’ve been fortunate enough to visit Milan and see the painting – one of my favorite things about Italy is its vast amount of art work !!
Wow, I never knew it survived WWII and was the only mural that survived!! That’s incredible and definitely a miracle.
I was in Milan for half a day and I cannot wait to go back! I had no idea The Last Supper was there, thanks for sharing. Now I have to add it to my list of things to do when I return to Italy 🙂
When I visited Milan as part of my Italy itinerary, I could not visit the museum or see Last Supper. Exactly the same reason, the tickets were sold out and it was super crowded! Would love to visit back Milan sometime and explore these paintings!
Very detailed and informative article. I had no idea it was so hard to see the Last Supper. I saw it once on a school trip over 10 years ago, so I guess it helped that my school organized everything for us in this case! Beautiful photos by the way.
I was in Milan last November and I could not get tickets to the Last Supper! Even the tours were sold out. I was disappointed to say the least. I intent to visit Milan as soon as I can once travel becomes norm again. Lovely post.
“The Last Supper” is still on my bucket list. I was in Milan, but there was no ticket available during my trip. So I want back. I love your guide on how to enjoy and adore this masterpiece.
Wonderful accounting of the trip and the painting. We’ve had a few occasions in the past where Viator gave is options that traveling on our own would not. I hope our travels take us bask to Italy in the future so we can explore Milan.
The Last Supper would be interesting to see for real, esp with the intrigue that surrounds it. I did catch a version of it in the Louvre, Paris, but of course the original would be a masterpiece in itself, the fun facts are quite amazing!