Abbazia di Santa Maria di Sitria, Romanesque abbey in Scheggia e Pascelupo, Italy
Abbazia di Santa Maria di Sitria is a Romanesque Benedictine abbey near Scheggia e Pascelupo, set within the natural setting of Monte Cucco park. The structure consists of a single-nave church with barrel vaulting and an elevated altar area ending in a half-round apse, along with an underground crypt section containing original elements.
San Romualdo founded the monastery in 1014 on the grounds of an earlier hermitage where he spent his final years in meditation. The abbey developed as an important religious outpost in a mountain region where Benedictine monks later expanded their monastic presence.
The chapel displays Romanesque features combined with a plain, functional design suited to monastic life. The interior feels intimate and focused, as it was meant to be a place where monks gathered for quiet prayer.
Access to the site requires advance notice and the location sits within natural countryside that is reached on foot. Visitors should wear appropriate footwear since the path crosses hilly terrain and openings are not always regular.
A Roman column with a Corinthian capital from the 6th century supports the underground crypt vault and shows that earlier structures were reused on this sacred site. This discovery reveals how religious worship continued through different historical periods.
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