A Cistercian Gothic abbey still inhabited by monks
In the countryside of Veroli, in the Ciociaria, the Abbey of Casamari is one of the finest examples of Cistercian Gothic architecture in Italy, together with Fossanova. Founded as a Benedictine monastery in the eleventh century and passed to the Cistercians in 1140, it was rebuilt in the following decades following the rules of St Bernard: simple forms, no superfluous decoration, light and proportion.
The church, consecrated in 1217, has a bare, luminous interior with pointed arches and rose windows. Around the cloister, with its twin columns, open the chapter house, one of the most beautiful in Italy, and the other monastic buildings. Unlike many abbeys, Casamari is still a living monastery, with a community of monks who keep its ancient pharmacy, a library and a small museum.
Tip: the monks produce and sell liqueurs, chocolate and herbal products; the abbey is also a stop on pilgrim routes through Lazio.
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