Montecassino Abbey

In the province of Frosinone, in the lower Lazio region, there is one of the most evocative and ancient abbeys: that of Montecassino in Cassino. Defined as the cradle of Western monasticism, the Abbey of Montecassino is a monument of fundamental importance for the history of the place and beyond. It is the oldest monastery in Italy, founded in 529 by San Benedetto da Norcia.

The Abbey is famous not only for its historical importance, but also for having been bombed during the Second World War, before the historic liberation of Montecassino in 1944. Not far away you can visit the cemetery of 1500 Polish soldiers who died a few days before the liberation. It is a very important and suggestive monument, to be seen from Cassino, which is situated under the mountain on which it stands. Its size also makes it visible from a great distance.

The History of the Abbey of Montecassino

Since 529, the Abbey of Montecassino has been a focal point for Christianity and Benedictine monks. It is located on Mount Cairo, 519 meters above sea level. This place was remote at the time and paganism raged here: St. Benedict and his followers from Subiaco reached this mountain to transform it into a place of Christian worship.

The Abbey has been destroyed and sacked several times throughout history, by both the Lombards and the Saracens. An earthquake in 1300 also destroyed much of the building, until in 1944 the bombing of the Second World War completely razed it to the ground. For the Benedictines, this was a place to welcome the needy and to live with the help of others and the whole community, for which the Abbey represents a point of reference. Many tourists come to the city just to visit this suggestive place: at the entrance, there is a cloister dedicated to prayer, and then reach the Chiostro del Bramante where the Loggia del Paradiso is located, where you can enjoy a breathtaking view. Another entrance is located in the Roman Tower, inside which is the Pope's apartment. But the focal point of the Abbey is represented by the Latin cross basilica with three naves, with a majestic reed choir which is a survivor of the original construction, and a crypt fully decorated in mosaic.

The 960 Placito Cassinese, the document that contains the first writings of vulgar Italian, is preserved in the Abbey archive. In the Library, there are very rare texts and always inside the Abbey, there is an interesting herbalist's shop, where you can buy products from the cultivations of the Benedictine monks.