Colonne di San Lorenzo

Sixteen Corinthian columns stand in a row before the Basilica of San Lorenzo. They are the most prominent Roman relic in Milan, dating back to the third century. These marble survivors originally supported the portico of a public bathhouse. When the church was being built, builders dismantled the baths and hauled the stones here to provide a grand entrance for the faithful. The stone remains carry deep grooves from when they were repurposed to serve as a gate for the medieval city wall.