October is the month when Milan seems to reveal, for a moment, its darkest side. In Sempione Park, red, orange, and yellow leaves trace ephemeral paths beneath an often-gray sky, while in the city center, the elegant buildings take on a colder, more indecipherable light. Even the Gothic silhouette of the Duomo, with its spires and shadows, contributes to that mysterious atmosphere in which the city of fashion and business offers a glimpse of something more ancient.
Milan, after all, is home to a whole repertoire of spooky places: from the ossuary of San Bernardino alle Ossa, with its walls lined with human remains, to Piazza Vetra, where tradition holds that women accused of witchcraft were burned at the stake. But there is a lesser-known place that harbors an even more unsettling secret, hidden in the heart of the city, and this year—just a few days before Halloween—it will open its doors for a spine-chilling evening.
The Church of the Heart
A short walk from the Duomo stands the church of San Fedele, an ancient place of worship in the heart of Milan, particularly dear to Alessandro Manzoni. It is said that the writer frequented the church and that it was right on its churchyard, on January 6, 1873, that he fell, sustaining the injury that would lead to his death a few months later. But this is not the most unsettling detail preserved by San Fedele.
In the church’s underground crypt, according to a tradition reported by sources linked to the site, a silver casket is said to hold the heart of Maria Carolina of Habsburg, daughter of Archduke Ranieri, who died in 1842. The young princess’s body is part of the history of the Habsburg dynasty; her heart, however, is said to have remained in Milan, separated from the rest of her and transformed into a relic hidden beneath one of the city’s busiest areas.
On October 30, for one night only, the San Fedele Auditorium —just a short walk from the church of the same name—will host a spine-tingling concert. The hall on Via Hoepli will be illuminated by thousands of candles for a special evening of classical music dedicated to Halloween. A string quartet will reinterpret some of the most iconic and eerie melodies in pop culture, from Michael Jackson ’s “Thriller” to the soundtrack of *Beetlejuice*. The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m., last about an hour, and tickets are already available.
30 October 2026 19:30
Auditorium San Fedele
