Convento di Montesanto, Franciscan monastery near Porta Orvietana, Todi, Italy
Convento di Montesanto is a Franciscan monastery on a western hill outside Todi's city walls, featuring a church and cloister from medieval times. The site displays typical religious architecture with a church consecrated in 1633 and historic buildings arranged around the inner courtyard.
The site was originally built in the 13th century as a defensive structure against Orvieto, later expanded with a church in the 14th century. Religious communities changed over time: Poor Clares arrived in 1325, and Franciscans eventually took control of the complex.
The convent houses a collection of manuscripts and rare books that are now part of Todi's Municipal Library. Visitors can explore these works, which reflect the intellectual heritage of the region across different periods.
The site sits on a hill west of Todi and is accessible on foot via paths around the city. The grounds now include a conference hall in a medieval hall, so access may vary depending on events taking place.
In the 1830s, the so-called Mars of Todi was discovered at this location, an ancient statue from Etruscan times. The find reveals that the ground was once an ancient burial site with religious structures, long before the monastery was built there.
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