Santuario della Verna, Franciscan monastery in Chiusi della Verna, Italy
The Santuario della Verna is a Franciscan monastery on a mountain peak in the Tuscan Apennines, reached by a winding road through forests and rock formations. The complex includes several chapels, a cloister, a museum, and lodgings for pilgrims and visitors.
Count Orlando gave the mountain to Francis of Assisi in 1213 as a place for retreat and prayer. The first chapel was built shortly after, and over the centuries the monastery grew with new buildings and artworks.
Most visitors come here because of its connection to Francis and walk through the same stone corridors and chapels where monks have prayed for centuries. The name Verna comes from the rough mountain on which the shrine stands, and the feeling inside the walls remains secluded and quiet even today.
The road up winds through tight curves, so plan for about an hour of driving from Arezzo. Sturdy footwear helps, since many areas connect through uneven stone paths and stairways.
In a rock cleft beside the main chapel, an old tree has grown for centuries with roots drilling deep into the stone. Many visitors touch the trunk because tradition says the tree has stood there since the time of the saint.
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