Montecassino abbey. Central cloister.
The Abbey of Montecassino was founded by St. Benedict around the year 529 AD on the ruins of a pagan citadel. A temple dedicated to Apollo originally stood in the area which corresponds to the present cloister entrance. St. Benedict transformed this space into an oratory which he dedicated to St. Martin of Tours. The monastic community’s buildings were situated to the south of the entrance, while atop the mountain, where today the basilica stands, a sacrificial altar stood. In its place, Benedict built a large oratory which he dedicated to St. John the Baptist. It is here that pilgrims may find the buried remains of St. Benedict and his sister St. Scholastica. read ()
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Keywords: abbey, benedict, cassino., italy, lazio, lugris2, montecassino, st, travel
