Leonardo's Last Supper

Leonardo painted it between 1494 and 1498 for Ludovico Sforza on the wall of the Dominican friars' dining hall. He used tempera on dry plaster rather than true fresco so he could work slowly, which is why it began to flake in his own lifetime. In 1943 a bomb brought down the refectory roof, but the wall, shielded by sandbags, survived. The last major restoration ran from 1978 to 1999.

It shows the moment Jesus announces that one of the apostles will betray him, each reacting in his own way. On the opposite wall is a Crucifixion by Donato Montorfano. Next door, the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, with Bramante's dome, is free to visit.