Santa Chiara, Baroque monastery in Sulmona, Italy.
Santa Chiara is a baroque monastery stretching from Piazza Garibaldi to the eastern section of the city's 14th-century walls, forming a four-sided compound. The structure contains multiple courtyards, residential spaces, and a chapel that now houses the diocesan museum collection.
The monastery was founded between 1260 and 1269 by Blessed Floresenda from Palena. After major earthquakes in 1456 and 1706, the building underwent significant reconstruction and took on its current baroque appearance.
The name honors Saint Clare of Assisi, founder of the Poor Clare order whose nuns inhabited this place for centuries. Visitors can still see the heavy stone grilles in the chapel where the sisters once spoke with the outside world.
The site is partially in use as a cultural center and residential space, so access to certain areas may be restricted. Visitors should check in advance which sections are accessible, especially if wanting to view the museum collection in the chapel.
The nuns developed specialized confetti-making techniques within these walls, which transformed Sulmona into an internationally known center for this craft. This skill originated entirely within the monastery and continues to shape the local artisan tradition.
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