Pisa Charterhouse, Carthusian monastery in Calci, Italy
Pisa Charterhouse is a Carthusian monastery in Calci, Italy, built on the slopes of Mount Pisano and composed of several interconnected wings. The site displays baroque marble work, cloisters, small chapels, and maintained gardens arranged around spacious courtyards.
The monastery was founded in the 14th century and underwent extensive baroque renovations over the following centuries. During the Napoleonic period, French monks took refuge here and brought their own traditions with them.
The complex is known locally as Certosa di Pisa, a name derived from the Latin Carthusian order that once shaped daily life within these walls. Visitors can sense how the spaces were designed to support solitude and contemplation, with quiet corners and enclosed courtyards that encouraged withdrawal from the outside world.
The site houses part of the Natural History Museum of the University of Pisa, displaying geology and zoology collections. Visitors can walk through several rooms and courtyards, though some areas are accessible only during guided tours.
Monks were buried in a small cemetery without coffins or headstones, erasing their earthly identities after death. This practice reflected the Carthusian emphasis on strict asceticism and the rejection of personal ownership or remembrance.
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