Italian Cistercian Abbeys

THE CISTERCIANS IN ITALY

Introduction to the Paradoxplace Cistercian History and Photo Pages Link to the early years of the Cistercian Order Link to Saint Bernard and the Cistercians' Big Leap Forward
CISTERCIAN ABBEY PHOTOS
FRANCE	ITALY (THIS PAGE)
THE FOUNDATION ABBEYS IN FRANCE
BRITAIN	SPAIN & PORTUGAL
Books on Cistercian Abbeys Chronology Entry Link to all Abbey and Cathedral Pages in Paradoxplace

On this page are:

NORTH ITALY

Chiaravalle della Colomba **

Fontevivo

S Martino de' Bocci

Morimondo

Pavia (Certosa) **

TUSCANY & LE MARCHE

San Galgano **

Florence (Certosa)

Chiaravalle di Fiastra

LAZIO

Casamari **

Fossanova **

** must visits

* highly recommended

If it's Cistercian Abbey photos you want, this is THE coffee table book

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Links to other books on the Cistercians and their Beautiful Abbeys

Abbazia di Sant'Antimo

Sant'Antimo in South Tuscany is not Cistercian,

but it is the most beautiful abbey in Italy!

The Cistercian Abbey of San Galgano (managed ruin) was Tuscany's first major gothic church and a model for Siena Cathedral. It was built late in the Cistercian building cycle, between 1224 and 1288, in the lee of the hill housing the pilgrims' shrine where the hermit Galgano plunged his sword into a rock in 1180 (and it's still there). If you go there make sure to visit the Eremo on the hill (and be aware that you can drive up and park outside!), which is a beautiful little Etruscan style beehive (plus the sword in the rock of course) .... and don't forget the best pasta in Tuscany available for lunch nearby!

LINK TO NEW SAN GALGANO PHOTO PAGE

LINK TO OLD SAN GALGANO PHOTO PAGE

LINK TO SAN GALGANO HERMITAGE PHOTO PAGE

The Abbey of Casamari (Active) (consecrated 1217, Infiorata preparation photographed on the day before Corpus Domini, June 2004) - south east of Rome and still an important working Cistercian monastery

LINK TO CASAMARI PHOTO PAGE

LINK TO PHOTOS OF CASAMARI INFIORATA (JUNE 2004)

The Abbey of Fossanova (Active) (consecrated in 1208 by the powerful medieval Pope Innocent III). Located just south of Rome, it is also still a working monastery (though nowadays belonging to Franciscan Friars Minor). Fossanova was said to be very close in appearance to the now imprisoned Clairvaux, Saint Bernard's monastery in Burgundy.

LINK TO FOSSANOVA PHOTO PAGE

CHIARAVALLE DELLA COLOMBA PHOTO PAGES

This Chapter House window and door settings in Chairavalle della Colomba (active but unenergetic!) (1135, photographed in June 2005), near Fidenza in Northern Italy, would not be out of place amongst the Moorish architecture of Sicily or Southern Spain and forms part of one of the most beautiful cloisters in Italy. The abbey was founded as a daughter of Clairvaux (Chiaravalle is Clairvaux in Italian), and not finally suppressed until 1810. Nowadays it is back to being a Cistercian Abbey, though a pretty low energy level one.

The night time photo of the facade was taken from Dom P's room in the excellent Hotel Palazzo della Commenda which is in the restored palazzo of the Commendatory Abbot.

LINK TO CHIARAVALLE DELLA COLOMBA WEB PAGES (ITALIAN)

LINK TO CHIARAVALLE DELLA COLOMBA WEB PAGE (ENGLISH)

San Martino de' Bocci

There were in fact several Cistercian Abbeys established in the mosquito infested marshlands of the Po valley. Draining marshes was what the Cistercians did.

On the right is l'Abbazia di S Martino de' Bocci (43100 Paradigna (Parma)), a daughter house of Chiaravalle della Colomba. The cypress lined drive you can see links with the SP 343R (via Colomo) near Borghetto just to the north of the A1 Autostrada del Sol north of Parma.

The Abbey contributed to history the earliest document relating to the production of Parmesan Cheese (dated late 1290s, though the cheese itself is referred to in accounts written in Roman times). It is now a state owned monument but access may be difficult.

Fontevivo

Above - The facade and rural apse of the Cistercian Abbey of San Bernardo di Fontevivo in Emilia-Romagnia (Church), established in 1142 to the east of its mother abbey, Chiaravalle della Colomba. Another watery name - fonte is a spring, and vivo is living. Like the other Cistercian abbeys in the Po Valley, it was active in draining the marshes and laying the foundations of what is now a rich agricultural area (think "Parma" and "Parmesan" and a pervasive though not unpleasant smell of dairy and pig farming!). It is now a parish church.

Below left - The huge larger than life polished porphyry sepulchral plate (now wall mounted) of Guido Pallavicino - Marchese and Cavaliere Templare (Knight Templar) - who died in 1301, only a decade before the Knights Templar were finally dissolved by King Philippe IV "Le Bon" and Pope Clement V in 1312. The Pallavicino family were protectors of the abbey, though that did not stop it being sacked by the army of Frederick II in 1245.

Below right - the recently restored cloisters, now in part a hotel, and the refectory, now appropriately a restaurant.

Morimondo

Above and below - The Cistercian Abbey of Morimondo (Church), founded in 1136 as a daughter of Morimond in France. Located in Lombardy near Vercelli to the SW of Milan. Another drainer of marshlands and builder of agricultural wealth. Now a parish church with (2005) the monastic buildings inaccessible whilst they are converted to commune offices.

CERTOSA DI PAVIA

The famous Carthusian Certosa di Pavia is now lookad after by Cistercians (as is the Certosa di Firenze below)

Certosa di Firenze

The Cistercian monks who now look after the Carthusian Abbey of Florence (La Certosa di Firenze - that's the one on the hill that millions of drivers see from the Certosa junction of the A1 and the 4-Coursie to Siena, but very few ever visit) have produced a web site which amongst other things lists the details of every Cistercian abbey ever built, with a huge amount of accompanying information about the Cistercian order now and then.

THE CISTERCIANS' WEBSITE

Certosa di Firenze - Large Cloister and Monks' Cemetery - each of the (24 or so) little cottages you can see around the cloister housed one Carthusian hermit monk.

Chiaravalle di Fiastra

Above and below - Heading east into Le Marche, the Cistercian Abbey of Chiaravalle di Fiastra (Active), dates from 1142 when 12 monks from Chiaravalle Milanese (aka Abbazia di Santa Maria di Rovegnano) set it up as a daughter house with funds and land from the Duke of Spoleto. Undistinguished architecture by the exacting standards of Cistercian Abbeys, but it is set in an attractive park reserve and the monks have now returned to join the sunbathers, card players and other recreationalists.