The journey through the Val d”Orcia continues with a stop at the Abbazia (Abbey) of Sant’Antimo.

There are some places that seem so spiritual that entering them can bring you to tears and make it impossible to speak in anything above a whisper (if you can speak at all). One such place is the Abbazia (Abbey) of Sant’Antimo.

 The abbey sits in the midst of olive groves, vineyards, and fields at the foot of the tiny hilltop village of Castelnuovo dell’Abato, not far from Montalcino. The setting is spectacular, especially during fall when the area is in full autumn color as it was during my visit. Driving in from the road to the village, the abbey seems to rise up, almost a surprise, in the middle of the olive trees - a great stone cathedral, with a tall square bell tower, flanked by a single cypress tree.

A church has existed in this spot for centuries – long before the current abbey was built.  The legend surrounding the establishment of the abbey’s original chapel is that the French emperor Charlemagne passed through the region only to have his troops become ill with a plague. The monks treated the men with an herbal tonic and they recovered. In thanks, Charlemagne established a chapel here, the Carolingian Chapel which was later incorporated into the larger abbey. Since that time the abbey has been enlarged (in the 1200’s) and undergone restoration (in the late 1800’s). Abandoned for many years, today a small group of monks live at the abbey where they chant prayers several times each day, teach classes, host spiritual retreats and (I kid you not) brew beer. Fortunately for us they also allow visitors who come to see the famous Romanesque architecture, to hear the Gregorian chants, to pray, to wander the grounds, and to shop in the historic herbal pharmacy.  

The exterior of the abbey is stone. The interior is simple, almost stark, with a few remaining fresco remnants.  There is a central nave, lined with arched columns, leading to a small stone altar. A carved wooden crucifix, from the 13th century, is beautiful in its simplicity especially when bathed in a single beam of light from a window high above.  A walk behind the crucifix, through the rounded apse, revealed more fresco remnants, the entry to a crypt, and a peek up into the bell tower.  The dim lighting, the simple interior, the chanting, all combined to create a sense of mystery, of spirituality, and a thread to a distant past.

Outside of the church is a peaceful courtyard garden surrounded by stone buildings and beautiful views. The perfect place for contemplation.

The garden also is home to the Farmacia Monastica (the abbey’s herbal pharmacy).  The scents draw you inside to find a variety of products – honey, teas, jams, natural cosmetics, along with the monk’s special brand of beer and their amaro (a bitter liquor). The amaro is made from the herb carlina, said to be the very herb used to treat Charlemagne’s army.  

The Abbazia Sant’Antimo is one of many fascinating places to be found in the Val d’Orcia. There is still more to see in this UNESCO World Heritage region, tune in next week to continue the tour!