Montecassino Abbey
Visiting the Abbey of Montecassino offers a journey through history, spirituality, and art. From the majestic monastery of Saint Benedict, to the richly decorated chapels and the crypt with mosaics, to the Polish Military Cemetery, every corner tells of heroism, faith, and rebirth after the bombings. A unique experience for adults and children, immersed in European and Italian history.
Angela: we are ready for a very special journey this time.
Piero: that’s right. We are dedicating our day to a place that is a symbol of spirituality.
Angela: a true symbol of Christianity, also famous for some important historical events.
Piero: we are talking about Montecassino and its Abbey.
Angela: the monastery stands on the hill overlooking the town of Cassino, in the province of Frosinone, at 516 meters above sea level.
Piero: its grandeur is impossible to miss even when driving along the Autostrada del Sole between Naples and Rome.
Angela: from the highway exit, you drive about a dozen kilometers—mostly along winding hairpin bends—to reach this white, squared building that towers above the valley of the Liri River.
Piero: the structure rises on the foundations of a pre-existing Roman fortification of the municipium of Casinum. The name of the city comes from the Oscan word cascum, which meant “ancient,” a clear sign of the settlement’s remote origins. Over time, the town changed its name several times: until 1863 it was called San Germano, due to the presence of relics of Saint Germanus, bishop of Capua, kept in a church dedicated to him in the city.
Angela: on the mountain, during Roman times, there once stood a temple dedicated to the god Apollo, with an area reserved for sacrifices.
The Abbey and Saint Benedict
Piero: its worldwide fame, however, comes precisely from the monastery, founded in 529 AD by Saint Benedict. The Saint was born in Norcia around the year 480 into a noble family and pursued his studies in Rome. Disgusted by the rampant corruption of the city, he withdrew to Subiaco to live as a hermit, seeking only to please God. After founding other small monasteries, he moved south with a group of disciples, to the very place where the Abbey now stands.
Angela: the Saint, in addition to his great spirituality, was also endowed with a strong practical sense. In a short time, he adapted the old pagan temple into an oratory and repurposed the surrounding buildings—some to house monks and pilgrims, and others to host all kinds of work activities. From these two key aspects of Saint Benedict, his spirituality and practicality, the Rule of the Benedictine monks was born: ora et labora, “pray and work.” Alongside the Christian vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience, it added the obligation of labor. A rule at once simple yet powerful, considered by many the foundation of modern European culture.
Piero: despite the persistence of strong pagan traditions, in such a remote place the Saint, through his care for the needy and his message of welcome, had the strength to establish the first great monastery in Italy—a well-organized Christian community, where everyone could find the dignity they deserved through prayer and work.
Angela: according to tradition, Saint Benedict died here on March 21, 547 AD, only a few days after the death of his sister, Saint Scholastica. Sensing the end of his life was near, he asked to be carried into the oratory; with his arms raised toward heaven, supported by the monks, he passed away. This moment is commemorated by a bronze statue (a gift from Konrad Adenauer), placed at the center of the garden where the oratory once stood. Saint Benedict, besides being the patron of engineers and speleologists, was proclaimed by Pope Paul VI as Patron of Europe, because he was “a messenger of peace, a promoter of unity, a teacher of civilization, and above all, a herald of faith and initiator of monastic life in the West.”
The Monastery through its many rebuildings
Piero: what we see today is certainly very different from the original construction envisioned by the Saint. The history of the monastery is marked by continuous sackings, destructions, earthquakes, and successive reconstructions.
Angela: the first destruction dates back to 577, carried out by the Lombards. It was then rebuilt in the 8th century, entering a period of great splendor, so much so that it was even visited by Charlemagne.
Piero: in 883, it was the Saracens who sacked and set the monastery on fire, with reconstruction only taking place in the 10th century. The monastery regained its former splendor in the High Middle Ages, led by great abbots, some of whom would rise to the papal throne.
Angela: in 1349, the third destruction occurred, this time due to an earthquake.
Piero: the subsequent reconstruction, with additions and enhancements, brought the monastery to the grandeur and beauty that distinguished it until February 15, 1944. The monastery and Cassino were, in fact, on the front line between German and Allied forces at the end of World War II. During the Battle of Cassino (also celebrated in a recent film), the monastery was bombed by the Allied forces and reduced to a pile of rubble, from which only the statue of the Saint and a few other elements survived.
Angela: thanks to the work of Abbot Ildefonso Rea, the monastery was rebuilt “where it was and as it was” after the Great War, over the course of a decade, recovering many materials from the rubble.
Entering the Monastery
Piero: even arriving at the parking lot, you can sense the strong spirituality of this place. Silence and reflection will accompany us throughout our visit.
Angela: you immediately enter the entrance cloister, where in the past stood the temple of Apollo, which Saint Benedict had adapted into an oratory dedicated to Saint Martin. Here, as mentioned, the Saint died, and right here, at the center of the garden, stands the bronze statue depicting the moment of his death.
Piero: from this first cloister, you move to the second, perhaps the most spectacular and imposing: it is known as the Cloister of Bramante, because the original design is attributed to the Renaissance architect. At the center stands an octagonal cistern, flanked by columns that support a beautiful entablature. The two long sides are lined with elegant arcades; the cloister ends to the west with a splendid balcony, from which you can enjoy a wonderful view of the entire Liri Valley, and, if you look to the right, you can glimpse the Polish military cemetery.
Angela: on the opposite side, before reaching the imposing staircase that leads to the third cloister in front of the basilica, stand the statues of the saints and siblings, Benedict and Scholastica: the first is the original, which survived the bombings, while the second is a faithful reconstruction.
Piero: after climbing the staircase, you reach the Cloister of the Benefactors, named so because it houses 24 statues of popes and monarchs who have historically supported the monastery. From here, the view of the cloister below is simply breathtaking.
Angela: we are now ready to enter the basilica. The facade is certainly austere and harmonizes perfectly with the overall architectural line: the only decoration is found in the tympanum, featuring the symbol of Montecassino, composed of a rampant lion, a tower, and two cypresses, with the inscription “Benedicti numine sancta”—“holy the basilica by the will of Benedict.” The church is accessed through three bronze doors: the central one is the oldest, dating back to the 11th century, while the side doors were a gift from President Einaudi.
Piero: the basilica was rebuilt following the Renaissance style that existed before the bombing. Some decorations and frescoes have been lost forever: the vaults of the basilica were once finely decorated and painted, while today they appear empty; the original sketches and the beautiful images can now only be admired in the museum.
Angela: the side chapels on the left nave are truly beautiful, dedicated to Saint Gregory the Great, Saint Joseph, the Blessed Sacrament, and Saint Abbot Bertarius, martyr of the Saracen raid.
Piero: at the center stands the wonderful main altar, completely restored to its former splendor. Beneath the altar lies the bronze urn where Saint Benedict and his sister Saint Scholastica were buried.
Angela: above the altar is the beautiful dome, finely frescoed, while behind it lies the choir, also restored to its former splendor.
Piero: to the left is the sacristy, which can only be glimpsed through the glass door. At the end is the chapel of relics; from here, a side staircase leads up to the presbytery, where the funerary monument of Piero de’ Medici, son of Lorenzo the Magnificent, is located. Opposite is the Chapel of the Pietà.
Angela: behind the main altar are the stairs leading down to the crypt, carved into the rock in the 16th century. Accompanying us on the descent are the bas-reliefs depicting a procession of monks.
Piero: the entire crypt is adorned with wonderful mosaics. It is divided into three areas: the central chapel, which houses the statues of Saint Benedict and Saint Scholastica, and on the sides, the two chapels of Saint Benedict’s disciples, Saint Maurus, his favorite, and Saint Placidus.
Angela: ascending, we find ourselves in the right nave, which houses four more chapels: that of Saint Victor, that of Saints Peter and Paul, that of Saint John the Baptist, and that of the Holy Archangels.
Angela: exiting the basilica, on the right is the museum. It is interesting to visit because it collects a variety of objects and artifacts, but above all because it has an archaeological area that displays findings uncovered during the reconstructions. There is also a section of miniatures and prints, featuring very precious examples.
Piero: the monastery also includes, although inaccessible to the public, the archive, where extremely important documents about the life of the monastery are kept, and above all the library, considered a national monument, where rare and ancient works are preserved. Finally, the abbey also houses an herbalist shop, where one can purchase products made according to the ancient Benedictine recipes.
Piero: in the same silence with which we arrived, we now leave the monastery. This place offers visitors a wonderful sense of serenity. We had the opportunity to visit the monastery on a very quiet, cloudy, and cool afternoon; only a few people were present, which allowed us to fully enjoy the uniqueness of this sacred site.
The Polish war cemetery
Angela: not far from the monastery, after walking just a few hundred meters along the road back to Cassino, is the Polish Military Cemetery that we had seen in the distance from the balcony of the abbey.
Piero: as mentioned earlier, Cassino was the scene of an important battle at the end of World War II. For this reason, the Polish cemetery is only one of five military cemeteries in the area.
Angela: the cemetery houses over 1,000 soldiers (the entrance list records 1,051) of the Second Polish Corps who lost their lives in the fighting leading up to the liberation of Montecassino. It also contains the tomb of Władysław Anders, the Polish general who died in 1970, but according to his wishes is buried here with his men.
Piero: the hill above the cemetery is crowned by a travertine obelisk; on its four sides is the significant inscription: “we Polish soldiers gave our body to Italy, our heart to Poland, and our soul to God for our freedom and that of others.”
Angela: we also conclude our visit to this place, which reminded us of the barbarity and cruelty of war: it is incredible to read on those graves the ages of those young soldiers and their dates of death, all within the span of just a few days.
Piero: our day at Montecassino concludes in this way: a day dedicated to spirit and history, which even children can easily appreciate.
Angela: only in part can this short video convey the feelings we experienced.