A Romanesque abbey high above the trabocchi sea
On a hill overlooking the Adriatic, in the municipality of Fossacesia, along the Costa dei Trabocchi, stands the Abbey of San Giovanni in Venere, one of the most important monuments of Romanesque architecture in Abruzzo. Its name recalls its origins: the abbey was built on the site of an ancient Roman temple dedicated to Venus Conciliatrix, the goddess who reconciled couples, and some remains of the temple are incorporated in the structure. A Benedictine monastery was already here in the eighth century, but the present church was built in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries by the abbot Oderisio II, when the abbey was at the height of its power, with lands and castles throughout the region.
The façade, in light stone, is dominated by the splendid Portale della Luna, the Moon Portal, framed by marble reliefs with stories of Saint John the Baptist and other biblical scenes, of great refinement. The interior, with three naves, austere and luminous, reflects the influence of Cistercian architecture, and the raised presbytery leads to a beautiful crypt with ancient columns and fragments of frescoes of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. The three apses, visible from the outside on the side facing the sea, are among the most beautiful in Abruzzo. Around the abbey, a park with olive trees and a terrace offers a breathtaking view of the coast, the trabocchi and, on clear days, the Tremiti Islands. In summer, the abbey hosts concerts and events.
Tip: visit at sunset, when the stone turns golden; combine the abbey with dinner in a trabocco on the coast below.
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