Valsenio Abbey

Municipalities: Municipalities:Casola Valsenio

Contacts:
Telephone: 0546-73033 (I.A.T. Office Casola Valsenio)
Don Sante Orsani 335 6534176
Bruno Boni 347 1714411
Claudia Cavallari  335 6666744
E-mail: proloco.casolavalsenio@gmail.com

Description: Valsenio Abbey is about two kilometres from Casola Valsenio towards Riolo Terme along the SS 306. It was founded by Benedictine Monks around the year 1000. It is thought to be the first centre of habitation in the Senio valley. We don’t know how many monks lived in the monastery, but the vast size of the Church and the construction of a guest quarters about 600 metres south-west of the monastery later known as “Il Cardello” which was to become the house of Alfredi Oriani many centuries later, suggest that we are talking about a community of about fifteen under the guide of an abbot.The main feature of the Abbey is the cloister which you enter from the large door to the right of the Church. Here we find the old well with a well head dating back to 1500, this supplied fresh water to the house and to the cellars bellow the cloisters. From the cloisters you can climb the stairs into the old canons house now restored and converted into a priests house, getting rid of the capitular hall and a number of monks’ cells. On the stairs there is a shrine with a Byzantine statue of the Madonna which has now been brought inside. From the cloisters you can also enter the old vestry which today functions as the «winter chapel». In its rustic modesty this is one of the few places which has remained relatively unchanged by human interference, the old terra cotta flooring is still visible.TheRoman style Church facade has been restored after having been completely plastered over, unfortunately the Church has suffered a great deal of tampering over the centuries. The Church was originally completely un-plastered and did not have the three bare facades divided by eight columns of pillars for each part. The central nave ended in a semi-dome covered in frescos. Although the Church has undergone some unhappy changes, the original ceiling supported by the old beams is still just as it was in the past.

Additional notes: The farm life of the Benedictine monks is linked to the  “Fiera del Bestiame” (Cattle Fair) held in the Abbey each year during the month of May.