2019 marks 500 years since Leonardo da Vinci’s death and several events and exhibitions have been planned in Italy and abroad to celebrate the anniversary. You may find even more crowds at the sites guarding Leonardo’s most popular works. One such site is the Cenacolo Vinciano in Milan, home of The Last Supper.
The ‘Cenacolo’ was once the refectory of the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie where the monks gathered for their meals. The Last Supper was commissioned to Leonardo by Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan, as part of a plan to refurbish the monastery and the church. This was an important project for Ludovico, as the painting would be the centerpiece of his mausoleum (tomb).
What strikes the most as one enters the Cenacolo is the size of the painting: 460 cm height × 880 cm length (180 in × 350 in); it covers the entire end wall. Because of the technique that Leonardo used, The Last Supper began fading a few years after it was completed. From 1978 to 1999, it was the subject of the longest restoration in history.
Advance reservation is mandatory to see Leonardo’s Last Supper. The only official site of the Cenacolo Vinciano is the ‘Polo Museale della Lombardia’. To buy your ticket online, click on ‘Tickets’; you’ll be redirected to the ‘VivaTicket’ website.
You can buy up to five tickets, but only for a limited period – for example, reservations are now open until March 31. To book, say, one date between April and May, you have to wait until the site opens the next reservation slot (currently they don’t indicate when that is). Most days get fully booked almost right away; you should monitor the website so that when a new reservation slot opens, you can purchase your ticket as soon as possible.
All tickets purchased through the website must be collected at the Museum’s ticket office. An ID of the person who made the reservation must be shown to collect the tickets.
The cost is €12 (€10 ticket + €2 advance reservation). Guided visits in English are available at 9:30 am and 3:30 pm for an additional €3,50.
To purchase tickets for Leonardo’s Last Supper, you may also call the following number: +39 02 92800360.
Tickets for Leonardo's Last Supper can be bought here.
Check out our articles about Leonardo here.
