One of the many curiosities about one of the city’s most famous churches
We are inside the Church of San Marco, in the Brera district, one of the most legendary and curious churches in the city of Milan.
Its construction dates back to 1254 and is dedicated to the patron saint of the ‘Serenissima’ as a gesture of thanks from the Milanese to the Venetians for helping them in their fight against Federico Barbarossa.
Recently, among the various mysteries concealed within the walls of the church, another was discovered by a group of experienced speleologists.
Hidden under the feet of the statue depicting the Madonna della Cintura, kept inside a shrine placed above the altar of the first right side chapel, is a trapdoor, well out of sight and hardly noticeable.
In fact, the trapdoor is well concealed by the parquet flooring decorated with geometric motifs that camouflage the two iron hinges and the small handle for opening very well.
But what is inside this trapdoor?
Once opened, it is possible to access a lower compartment that is located inside the altar and that is lined with masonry.
Descending further to the base of this compartment, thanks to seven stone steps protruding from the masonry, one can access a second compartment from which it is conceivable that there is a burrow opening.
And where does this burrow lead?
Unfortunately it is not known at the moment, there are several hypotheses as to its function.
It is oriented towards the interior of the church and is almost completely underground, which is why it is impossible to know its end and the way out.
However, it has been noted that the room is subject to water stagnation and this could suggest a connection with the canal that once flowed in via Fatebenefratelli (nowadays buried) and that its function could therefore have been a simple escape route.
Another hypothesis is that it is a tunnel with the function of a direct connection to the Castello Sforzesco and that it was once used to transport provisions.
Unfortunately, in order to corroborate these hypotheses and discover the route of the tunnel, it would be necessary to proceed with the excavation.
Who knows, maybe one day we will find out!
