Abbazia di Fiastra

Located just south of Macerata in the Marche Region of Italy is the Abbazia di Fiastra. This is considered one of the great Cistercian abbeys founded under the wing of Clairvaux in France.

 

 

The Abbey of Clairvaux Fiastra was founded in 1147 when land was donated to the Cistercian monks of the Abbey of Clairvaux in Milan. The monks traveled from Milan and became construction of the monastery using material from the ruins of the Roman town of Urbs Salvia which was nearby.

The cloister was rebuilt in the 15th Century. The cloister is the symbol of monastic life.

• The well in the center was used to draw water from a cistern which collected rainwater.
• The side which runs next to the church was used for prayer. In the early 19th Century this area was demolished to make room for the Palazzo Giustiniani Bandini.
• The west side of the cloister is the cellarium which was used as a warehouse.
• On the north side is the Hall of Oil cruets which was originally used by the monks to store oil. It nows houses the Archaeological Collection Abbazia Fiastra.
• The south side of the cloister is not occupied by the Palazzo Giustinaiani Bandidi
• On the east side there is the entrance to caves used to keep food.