Colonne di San Lorenzo

The Colonne di San Lorenzo are to be found in the centre of Milan, in the Porta Ticinese area, close to S. Ambrogio.

They are a very rare finding dating back to the Roman era of Imperial Milan and are situated in front of the Basilica of San Lorenzo. The Colonne di San Lorenzo are made up of sixteen marble columns with Corinthian-style capitals which sustained the buttress of what was once a Temple or a spa.

According to many scholars, the Columns most probably date back to the III century d.C. and were transported to their actual site in 1300 so as to realise the front of the four-doored portico in front of the Basilica di San Lorenzo which was constructed in the XIV century.

The location of the Colonne di San Lorenzo is undoubtedly an area of very high artistic and historical interest, however nowadays this place has become an important meeting point for the adolescents from Milan. In 2007 the area was cordened off to as to stop the degradation and this provoked the pacific protests of some groups of youngsters. This demonstrates how this area has become fundamental for the younsters of the city.

At the moment some precautionary measures which were taken by the ex-Mayor of Milan, Letizia Moratti, aim at preserving the integrity of this area. For those who wish to visit the Colonne di San Lorenzo, it is possible to stay in one of the many hotels in Milan. The Lombardy Region capital is rich in hotels, receptive structures, and services dedicated to the tourists who visit the city.