Badia di Passignano, Romanesque abbey in Barberino Tavarnelle, Italy.
Badia di Passignano is a fortified medieval monastery complex in Tuscany with a church, towers, and cloisters built on a hilltop. The buildings stand among cypress trees in the Chianti region, surrounded by vineyards and olive groves.
The monastery was founded in 890 and later became central to the Vallombrosa movement, a monastic reform community. Its growing importance led to architectural additions and the transformation into a fortified complex.
The monks cultivate the land around the abbey, shaping how the countryside looks and functions today. The monastic way of life here follows traditions that have remained largely unchanged since the community began.
The complex is home to active Vallombrosa monks and visits are only by advance reservation for group tours. Visitors should book ahead and plan for scheduled tour times during the week.
The refectory displays frescoes by Domenico Ghirlandaio, one of the great Renaissance artists. Inside the church stands a wooden partition made in 1549 with inscriptions in Greek and Hebrew.
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