MILAN: The Devil's Column...

In the 14th century, the Dominican friar Galvanus Flame, recounts in his Chronichae that the emperors of the Holy Roman Empire, had to embrace the column present in St. Ambrose Square in order to be crowned. The column, made of cipollino marble, was precisely called the Imperial Column because of this use.

 

<< […] L’imperatore giurerà che sarà obbediente al Papa e alla Chiesa Romana nelle cose temporali e spirituali. […] Ciò fatto l’Imperatore deve abbracciare quella colonna dritta di marmo per significare che la giustizia in lui sarà dritta…>>

(Galvanus Flame, Chronichae)

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The column, dating from Roman times, is located in St. Ambrose Square near the Basilicata of the same name but originally belonged to the Roman Imperial Palace of Mediolanum, erected by Emperor Maximian at the end of the third century.

Found during archaeological excavations in the 19th century, it is immediately noted for two peculiar holes at the bottom.

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It did not take long for a rather peculiar legend to be formed over it, renaming it the "Devil's Column."

The Devil wanted to meet St. Ambrose at all costs to tempt him to evil. His repeated attempts were to no avail, for the saint, losing his patience, kicked him to drive him away. The evil one lost his balance by going to stick his own horns into the column next to them getting stuck there for a whole day. He finally used the holes created by his horns as a portal back to Hell.

 

Popular culture has it that as you approach the holes, you can hear the sounds of the boiling of the infernal river Styx and smell sulfur coming straight from Hell.

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Column holes

 

Basilica St. Ambrose

Photo 122524944 © Antanovich1985 / Dreamstime.com

 

Devil's Column

Ph: G.dallorto, Attribution, via Wikimedia Commons

 

Milan Photos

Photo 61042008 © Xantana / Dreamstime.com.