Santa Maria di Corazzo Abbey

Carlopoli, Italy

The Abbazia di Santa Maria di Corazzo was founded in the 11th century in a valley near the Corace River, today, within the town of Carlopoli. Originally a Benedictine monastery, the Corazzo Abbey was reconstructed by the Cistercians in the 12th century, and shortly thereafter would be where Gioacchino da Fiore became a monk and then, an abbot. There, he began writing La Genealogia (The Genealogy), his first of many works.

As a Cistercian Order, the Corazzo Abbey would have been self sufficient. From agricultural endeavors to the construction of mills, the monks worked tirelessly. To aid the fertility of their fields, they diverted the course of the Corace River, built an aqueduct and studied the chestnut tree, an important food source for the local population.

Through contact with the Knights Templar, the Corazzo Abbey is said to have housed precious church relics, such as a piece of Christ’s cross and a lock of Mary Magdalen’s hair. Another legend tells of the abbey serving as a hiding place for the Templar’s last Grand Master. In the Renaissance, Bernardino Telesio, the 16th-century philosopher and naturalist from Cosenza, found inspiration inside the abbey’s books and walls.

Plague, earthquakes, wars and schisms all contributed to the monastery’s decline over several centuries. The final blow was suffered during the French occupation when the Cistercian Order and the monastery were suppressed in 1807-1808. At that point, the abbey was stripped of its riches, a number of which can be found in area churches, such as the marble altar, holy water font and wooden candelabras in the Parrocchiale San Giovanni Battista (Parish Church of St. John the Baptist) in nearby Soveria Mannelli.

References:

Comments

Your name



Details

Founded: 11th century
Category: Religious sites in Italy

Rating

4.7/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

ANTONIO FERRAGINA (17 months ago)
Mystical and religious place. It is an ancient Benedictine abbey that dates back to the 11th century. It is located in the municipality of Carlopoli immersed in the greenery of the Presila woods. Unfortunately it is in a state of slight abandonment. Something could be done to enhance it more! There are also benches nearby for resting as well as a few tables with chairs for eating. Comsogloato
Paola Ziarelli (2 years ago)
Evocative place full of history. Visiting it in autumn is truly magical with the backdrop of autumn foliage as a backdrop. As soon as we arrived there was also a bit of fog which contributed to making the place even more evocative. When the sun came out it brought out the colors more and it was a sight, albeit a different one. Worthy of note are the small room with fireplace and flue still visible.
Mudra81 CZ (3 years ago)
Lovely place, worth visiting at least once. It is not well cared for but is maintained well. What emerges is the third floor of the abbey and is already very impressive. It is about 200 meters from the road, under the parking area, but you can also get there by car, not knowing it, I went down on foot. There was a very kind lady on site who, out of pure love for the place, guided me around the various parts of the abbey and explained a bit of the history. I hope that local administrators know how to enhance it and take care of so much beauty
carlo curcio petronio (3 years ago)
Finalmente ripulita dalle erbacce, un luogo bellissimo in una zona stupenda dove un verde riposante si accoppia ad un profumo Intenso di tiglio e si respira un'aria pulita, leggera oltre a quella della storia.
ISABELLA PARADISO (3 years ago)
A magical place surrounded by greenery and which deserves to be more cared for and protected, enhanced to be enjoyed by all easily!
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Historic Site of the week

Bengtskär Lighthouse

Towering 52 meters above the sea, Bengtskär lighthouse is the tallest one in Scandinavia. The building started in in 1905 after the shipwreck of S/S Helsingfors and was completed in 1906. The lighthouse was designed by architect Florentin Granholm. On December a special petrol lantern, designed and built in Paris, was brought to Bengtskär and installed atop the tower.

German fleet bombarded Bengstkär in the First World War in 1914. Since the Gulf of Finland was heavily mined, it was not until 1919 that the surrounding seas were declared safe for shipping, that the light was lit again.

After the war the military value of Bengtskär increased as part of the defence system of independent Finland. In Second World War (1941) Soviet Union made a suprise attack to island. After a bloody battle, the small Finnish garrison emerged victorious. Intermittent repairs to the facility continued during the post-war period.