The Devil's Column

In front of you is a solitary column holding up nothing at all, made of cipollino marble with a Corinthian capital. It looks like something left behind in the square. Step closer and look halfway up: you will see two round holes, barely a hand's width apart. They gave the column its name.

1The legend

According to tradition, the devil tried to tempt Saint Ambrose right here. The bishop sent him packing with a kick, and the furious demon charged at him horns first. He missed, and his horns stuck fast in the column. After struggling for hours he finally broke free and vanished through the holes, which were said to be a doorway to hell. Another version says he meant to gore the saint and, once trapped, fled in terror.

People say that if you put your nose to the holes they smell of sulphur, and if you press your ear to them you can hear the roar of hell.

2What the stones say

Scholars believe the column came from Milan's Roman imperial palace of the late 3rd century. Excavations in 1883 showed it was not in its original place: it stood on a base that did not belong to it and marked a grave in an old Christian burial ground. The chronicler Galvano Fiamma, in the early 14th century, wrote that emperors crowned with the Iron Crown had to embrace it as a symbol of justice. How the holes got there remains unexplained.

3What to look for

• The two holes, polished by centuries of curious fingers.
• The veined marble, typical of Roman cipollino.
• The base, which is not the column's original.