Abbazia di Santa Maria Assunta a Conèo, Romanesque monastery in Colle di Val d'Elsa, Italy
The Abbazia di Santa Maria Assunta a Conèo is a Benedictine monastery featuring a rectangular nave with a transept and dome, complemented by traditional stone monastery buildings. The interior displays Romanesque characteristics with stepped arches and a presbytery divided into three distinct sections.
This monastery was founded around the year 1000 and stood at the intersection of two major medieval pilgrimage routes, the Via Francigena and the Via Volterrana. In the 15th century, Cardinal Alessandro Farnese, who would later become Pope Paul III, received the abbey in commendam.
The interior follows the Vallombrosian church design with stepped arches and a presbytery divided into three distinct sections.
This monastery remains closed most of the time and is not normally accessible to visitors. To see the interior, you will need to arrange a visit in advance through local contacts or the municipal office.
The monastery features a remarkable architectural layout combining Romanesque design with functional monastic buildings that visitors often overlook. This integration of church and living quarters reveals how medieval Benedictine communities lived and worked in close quarters.
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