Certosa di S. Lorenzo

Our 2003 travel through Italy our friends Chris and Carmen Grant captured us walking along the the endless chiostro of the Certosa di San Lorenzo, located outside of Padula, Italy.

The certosa is an example of Southern Baroque (17-18th Century) architecture. Construction actually started in the 14th Century and was completed sometime in the 19th Century.

The monastery is the second largest charter house in Italy. The largest being in Parma. There are 320 rooms and halls in the monastery. While the charter house may be the second largest, the cloister the the largest in the world, having 12,000 square meters. There are 84 columns along the square.

1 2 3 4 5 6 Cloisters Certosa di San Lorenzo, Padula, Italy Kitchen, Certosa di San Lorenzo, Padula, Italy Large cloister garden, Certosa di San Lorenzo, Padula, Italy Large cloister garden, Certosa di San Lorenzo, Padula, Italy Cloister, Certosa di San Lorenzo, Padula, Italy Grand staircase led up to the library, Certosa di San Lorenzo, Padula, Italy

Dedicated to St. Lawrence, the Certosa was first founded in 1306. The main sections of the large complex reflect the Baroque style of architecture. In Italy, the house of the cloistered monastic order of the Carthusians is called a certosa. Charter house is another term used for a Carthusians monastery.   I am not sure what I was expecting, but when we arrived. the large almost imposing Certosa is like a cathedral. Inside are a series of yards and one small one had the more traditional "cloister" appearance. The other inner yard, referred to as a cloister, was massive. Some 84 columns along the sides.

We stayed nearby at the Agriturismo La Fonte, which was a real find. Friendly owners, good clean accommodations. There on the property are the remains of the early Christian baptistery of San Giovanni in Fonte from the 5th-6th Century. The font is fed by a spring and the Maria and Michela have a set of trout breeding ponds.