New Camaldoli Hermitage, Benedictine monastery in Big Sur, Monterey County, United States
New Camaldoli Hermitage is a Benedictine monastery in the Santa Lucia Mountains near Big Sur, located at an elevation of about 1,300 feet (400 m) with views across the Pacific Ocean. The compound includes a shared building for services and meals, along with scattered residential cells that serve as private retreats for the monks.
The monastery was founded in 1958 by two monks from the Camaldolese motherhouse in Tuscany after searching for two years to find the right location. This coastal mountain setting in California was chosen as an ideal place for contemplative living.
The monks live in separate cottages called cells, divided by high walls and each with a small garden for growing plants. This way of living shapes daily life and creates a rhythm between community and quiet solitude.
Visitors must book in advance to participate in retreats that include daily prayers and meditation sessions. The best time to visit is spring or fall, when the weather is mild and the remote mountain road is easy to drive.
The monastery operates a bookstore and produces handcrafted goods that support its operations while also maintaining two sister communities in Berkeley and San Luis Obispo. This economic activity allows the monks to sustain themselves while supporting other monastic settlements.
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