Rotonda di Via Besana

The design is the most original of all Milanese 18th century architecture. The unique cruciform church has a dome above the central octagon and is surrounded by beautifully designed continuous arcades in a curvilinear design.

This edifice was built between 1698 and 1725 to be a church and cemetery. In 1809 Eugene Beauharnais decided to turn it into a Pantheon of the Italian Kingdom but financial factors hindered his plans. After a long time during which it was used for a variety of purposes, the municipality of Milan restored it and now the “Rotonda” is a permanent hall for contemporary art exhibitions.