San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore

Often called the Sistine Chapel of Milan, this 16th-century church near the Corso Magenta hides a plain exterior that gives no hint of what lies within. Nearly every interior surface is covered with luminous frescoes by Bernardino Luini and his circle, showing saints, martyrdoms and richly dressed donors. The church served a Benedictine convent, and a partition once divided the nuns' choir from the public hall. The archaeological museum next door occupies former monastic buildings, making a combined visit easy.