About
Saint Benedict himself founded this breathtaking monastery 1,500 years ago.
Dramatically located in the mountains of Lazio, this beautiful abbey was the first monastery of the Benedectine Order. It was established in 529 by Saint Benedict of Nursia, the patron saint of Europe, who is considered the founder of monasticism in the West. In nearly 1,500 years since then, Montecassino Abbey has experienced more than its fair share of traumatic events. Less than 50 years after its construction, it was sacked by invading Lombards and the residing monks fled to Rome. The abbey was reestablished in 718 but it was abandoned again in 833 after being sacked and burned down by the Saracens (a medieval term for Muslims). The abbey was then rebuilt—again—at the behest of Pope Agapetus II in 949. During the 11th and 12th centuries, it became one of the most important religious buildings in Italy, acquiring a large secular territory. One of the richest libraries in medieval Europe was housed here during this time, and some of the oldest testimony of the Italian language come from this period and were written in this monastery.
