MILAN (AP) — Tourists in Milan during the Winter Olympics hoping to see Leonardo da Vinci’s “Last Supper” got an unpleasant surprise: Access to the masterpiece is closed to the public for 3 1/2 days.
The painting, created between 1494 and 1498 by the Italian Renaissance artist, is on a wall inside the refectory of Santa Maria delle Grazie, a Dominican church and monastery still used by monks. It is a major attraction for art appreciators and devout Catholics alike.
Tourists stuck at the police cordon on the street leading to Santa Maria delle Grazie were disappointed. Antonio Rodríguez, who traveled from Spain with friends, said they would not get another chance to see the painting or the adjacent church because they only traveled for the weekend.
“We didn’t know we were going to face this,” Rodríguez said, adding that he had no plans to participate in Games-related events. “We would have gone somewhere else in town.”
A sign on the wall outside Il Cenacolo Vinciano said access to the landmark would be closed all day on February 5, 6 and 7 and the morning of February 8, without giving a reason. Staff there told an Associated Press reporter they were not authorized to release any information.
VIPs still allowed in on Saturday
Unbeknownst to frustrated visitors, several groups of VIPs were exempted from restrictions on Saturday.
Among them were US Vice President JD Vance and his family, according to a statement from the vice president’s office. They were visiting the morning after he met Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and attended the opening ceremony of the Games.
Vance converted to Catholicism in 2019, which he said brought him a sense of spiritual fulfillment. He visited Rome and the Vatican during Holy Week last year and was among the last world leaders to meet Pope Francis before his death. They sat down together on Easter Sunday after a long-distance spat over the Trump administration’s migrant deportation plans.
In addition to Vance, many foreign delegations have visited the Last Supper and the Brera Art Gallery in recent days, including those from China, Poland, Hungary and Bulgaria, Angelo Crespi, director of the Grande Brera who oversees both institutions, said in a statement.
“We play our role responsibly, not only in terms of tourism, but also in terms of international relations,” he said.
On Saturday, traffic in the area around the religious objective was diverted. People walking on nearby streets said public transport was also disrupted.
“The trams were changed without any notice,” said Fedeli Gioia. “This whole area is locked down because someone is going to see Il Cenacolo? And where does that leave us citizens?”
A painting that – with care and luck – has survived for centuries
The Last Supper – described by renowned writer Giorgio Vasari as “a beautiful and wonderful thing” in his writings – is kept under strict preservation conditions.
Instead of creating a fresco that would have allowed the paint to be absorbed by the plaster, Leonardo used a dry technique that made it much more vulnerable to damage. Environmental damage and repeated restoration attempts have altered its appearance and prompted ongoing conservation efforts.
Currently, visits last about 15 minutes for a maximum of 40 people at a time, and temperature and humidity are strictly controlled.
Leonardo’s painting depicts the moment after Jesus told his apostles: “One of you will betray me.” The composition of the scene had other interpretations by earlier artists, but Leonardo reinterpreted it, placing Jesus in the center and placing the apostles in four groups of three figures.
In addition to conservation problems derived from the dry technique used by Leonardo, the mural suffered damage when the refectory was used as a stable in the late 1700s during the French occupation of Milan by Napoleon’s troops. It was later badly damaged when Allied bombing raids hit the Santa Maria delle Grazie complex in 1943 during World War II.
It made a somewhat controversial appearance at the 2024 Paris Olympics. A scene in the opening ceremony evoked the painting and included DJ Barbara Butch – an LGBTQ+ icon – wearing a silver halo-like hairstyle while flanked by drag performers and dancers.
France’s Catholic bishops said it mocked Christian symbolism, and the Vatican said it “deplores the offense” caused to Christians by the scene.
Tourists watch from afar
A group of Japanese tourists were among the would-be visitors behind the police cordon on Saturday. They photographed the church from a distance and listened to the explanation of a guide in the middle of the street.
Luisa Castro, a Filipina who has lived in Milan for 20 years, was hoping to visit Santa Maria delle Grazie with friends.
“We are Catholics from the Philippines and we rarely have time to visit such a church,” she said. “Unfortunately, the Vice President of America came to see the Last Supper and I couldn’t get in.”
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Associated Press writers Colleen Barry and Michelle Price in Milan contributed to this report.
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AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
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Associated Press religion coverage receives support through AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from the Lilly Endowment Inc. AP is solely responsible for this content.