Places of worship

Abbey of Casamari in Veroli

From France to Ciociaria: the Cistercian Gothic

The Abbey of Casamari is considered one of the foremost expressions in Italy of the Cistercian Order and of the Gothic style of French origin that they brought with them. A “vertical” style, of which the common denominators are simplicity, almost total absence of decorative elements and of a bell tower, a construction of monastic buildings on a common plan, of which Casamari is an obvious and magnificent example. Casamari id one of the few remaining complete examples of the spatial organisation created by Bernard of Clairvaux, founder of the Cistercian Order. A jewel of Gothic Italian architecture, the building dates back to 1096 when it was constructed by the Benedictines on the remains of the Roman town Cereatae Mariane, birthplace of the famous Roman condottiere Caio Mario, reflected today in the name of the abbey ( from the Latin for “House of Mario”). The abbey itself initially saw great economic development, but at the beginning of the XII century it was the victim of a severe crisis, leading the monastery, along with other Benedictine monasteries in Italy, to join the Cistercian Order, which was started in France in that period by St. Bernard of Clairvaux. Except for brief periods of time, the abbey has been run by the Cistercian Order since the XIII century. The changes and extensions begun by the Cistercians in 1203 respected the simple and austere style dictated by the head of the French order in Citeaux. 

Guided visit

The Abbey, situated in the valley of the River Amaseno, is almost completely hidden by the thick vegetation at the bottom of the valley, which was reclaimed by the monks themselves. A large portal leads into the courtyard, lined by trees and on a slight incline. At the end of the courtyard a staircase leads to the church and the entrance to the monastery. Currently it is possible to visit: the Church with its three naves and rectangular apse, dedicated to the Lady of Assumption and consecrated by Pope Honorius III in 1217, the Cloister (to the right according to Cistercian rules), the Chapter House, the Refectory, the fields and the workshops. Inside there is also a well-stocked Library and a Museum Gallery, which houses archaeological finds and several canvases from the 1500s.