Santa Maria degli Angioli, Lugano

The church was initially part of a Minorite monastery. It houses the best known Renaissance fresco in Switzerland. The monastery was founded in 1490, but construction of the church only began in 1499. It was consecrated in 1515. After the monastery was dissolved in 1848, a hotel was built on its site from 1852 to 1854. Extended by two more storeys in 1903, the establishment became the famous Palace Hotel. Only one wing of the monastery with two cloisters one built on top of the other has been preserved. The church was restored in 1929/1930.

The fresco is a masterpiece by Bernardino Luini and depicts the Passion and Crucifixion of Christ. The centre vault shows Saint Rocco and Saint Sebastian (1529) while the prophets can be seen above the arcade. The lively fresco with many faces and figures covers most of the wall. The motif of the Passion of Christ obviously dominates the scene. In the foreground, we see Jesus on the cross, with the two thieves to the right and left. The soldiers on horseback are surrounded by a large and exited crowd. At the foot of the cross, we recognise Mary Magdalene and to the left of Saint John. To the south of the main scene is a group of pious women comforted by Mary, mother of Christ, shown here as Our Lady of Sorrows. On the other side of the cross, Roman soldiers throw dice for the garments of Christ. Angels watch above the cross. On the centre panel above the Passion scene, we have two colonnades, showing doubting Thomas in conversation with the other apostles, the trial of Jesus, the carrying of the cross and the lamentation of the dead. In the background, we see a landscape at the centre, the prayer in Gethsemane to the left and the ascension of Christ to the right. Also by Luini is the fresco on the south wall of the nave (which originally was a refectory) of the Last Supper. Another work by Luini is found on the east wall of the first side chapel, depicting the Madonna with Child and Saint Giovannino. Both pictures clearly show the influence of Leonardo da Vinci on the painter.