Restored Scurolo of San Carlo Reopens in Milan Cathedral

After two years of restoration, the Scurolo of San Carlo, a richly decorated underground space within Milan's Duomo, reopens to the public. The space, designed by Francesco Maria Richini in 1606 and completed by 1610, houses the remains of Saint Charles Borromeo. The restoration, supported by the Veneranda Fabbrica, the Metropolitan Chapter of Milan, and the Lombardy Region, removed patinas, deposits, oxidation, and woodworm damage, and updated the lighting systems. The Scurolo features an octagonal plan with a pseudo-pronaos, marble inlays, 19th-century fabric panels reworked in the 20th century with silk, gold, and silver embroidery, and a crystal and silver urn designed by Il Cerano and donated by Philip IV of Spain. The embossed silver decoration alone took over 50 years. The space will be inaugurated on November 3, 2023, by Archbishop Mario Delpini and open to visitors from November 11. A volume by Silvana Editoriale documents the restoration. The archpriest of the Duomo, Gianantonio Borgonovo, expressed a long-held desire to restore this hidden gem.