Santa Maria di Real Valle monastery, Medieval Cistercian monastery in Scafati, Italy.
Santa Maria di Real Valle is a Cistercian monastery featuring a large Angevin cloister, stone halls with pillars, and Gothic single-lancet windows in its various structures. The complex preserves buildings and architectural elements from multiple periods, blending French Gothic and Baroque details.
The monastery was established in 1274 to commemorate a military victory by King Carlo I against Manfred and received substantial royal support from the Angevin rulers. This patronage gave it greater wealth and influence than other monastic communities in the area.
French monks from Royaumont Abbey guided the construction of this complex, bringing Cistercian design principles that shaped how the buildings were arranged and built. The collaboration shows how religious communities from different regions shared architectural ideas and construction methods.
The site is located in Scafati and features well-preserved external structures and architectural elements that showcase different building periods. Visitors can walk through the complex to understand the layout of monastic buildings and observe the mix of Gothic and Baroque details throughout.
This monastery received more royal favor and larger endowments than its sister abbey Santa Maria della Vittoria during the Angevin period. This preferential treatment resulted in more elaborate architectural development and richer decorative elements visible in the complex today.
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