Abbey of Santa Maria in Sylvis, Benedictine abbey in Sesto al Reghena, Italy
The Abbey of Santa Maria in Sylvis is a Romanesque church with three naves and an elevated choir area. Below the church lies an underground crypt with twenty columns that divide the space into smaller chambers.
The abbey was founded in the early 730s and received protection through Charlemagne's diploma in 781, which confirmed its lands and properties. This grant freed it from secular control and secured its independence.
The name references the woodland that once surrounded this place, and the monastic community shaped the village's life for centuries. Visitors can still sense the connection between the abbey and the settlement built around the same central plaza.
The complex sits on Piazza Castello and includes the church, an entrance tower, and a former abbot's residence now serving as town hall. Visitors should allow time to explore both the upper church and the underground crypt thoroughly.
The underground crypt holds an urn of Saint Anastasia carved from a single block of Greek marble, a rare connection to early Christian tradition. This ancient treasure shares the space with later artworks such as a 15th-century Austrian Pietà.
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