The Carmelites began building on this site in the 14th century, and despite a vault collapse soon after completion and a Baroque remodel of the presbytery in the 1600s, the church that stands today is still recognisably Gothic: three brick naves on thick circular pillars, pointed arches, and a rose window above the main portal. The current facade dates only to 1880, the work of Carlo Maciachini, but it follows the same Gothic lines as the rest of the building.
The piazza outside is one of Brera's natural gathering points, ringed by cafes and used as a staging area for the third-Sunday antiques market. Step inside for a few minutes of quiet brick and stone before rejoining the crowds on Via Fiori Chiari.