Monte Oliveto Maggiore, a suggestive place in the silence of the Crete
The tour of the Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore takes you on a journey to explore a place immersed in the silence of the Crete Senesi, surrounded by a sort of “lunar desert” given by the milky color of the clay – which makes up this part of the territory – but where you can enjoy of a relative coolness given by the copious forest of cypresses and pines in which the monastery is located, the mother house of the Olivetan monks, white-robed Benedictines who have lived in this strip of land since the 14th century, withdrawn from the bustle of the world.
In addition to being an extraordinary place of spirituality, the Abbey of Monte Oliveto is also an ancient complex in which one of the most significant artistic testimonies in the land of Siena has been preserved – thanks to the magnificent cycle of frescoes created by Signorelli and Sodoma between the end of fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries – and one of the most wonderful examples of the art of Renaissance wooden inlay that you can see in the abbey church; Monte Oliveto also offers the visitor the opportunity to discover some important examples of ancient manuscripts and printed books, displayed in the monastic library.
An entrance like a mighty castle
Our visit to the Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore will begin from the large entrance door that welcomes the visitor; here an imposing brick structure presents, as well as a decoration with refined Della Robbia statues, a still well-preserved moat which, as we will see, had a particular function due to the particular role played by the monastery.
Once we have crossed the threshold of the imposing structure, we will descend through the suggestive avenue shaded by pines and cypresses; during this pleasant walk, we will find what appears to be a large swimming pool but which, as we will see, actually played an essential role in the life and needs of the monastic community.
Before reaching the churchyard of the monastery, we will retrace the events of the foundation of the monastery by the Sienese San Bernardo Tolomei, events that took place right in the vicinity of the chapel that we will see together.
Once you finally arrive in Abbey Square, you will be able to admire the grandeur of the monastery and the church, where elegant Renaissance shapes decorate the exterior of the complex.
The cloister magnificently frescoed by Signorelli and Sodoma
Crossing the entrance threshold, the sense of quiet and peace that you perceived outside will be amplified at the sight of the stupendous fifteenth-century cloister, still entirely decorated with the thirty-eight scenes frescoed by Signorelli and Sodoma with the stories of the life of Saint Benedict of Nursia, where time will truly seem to have stopped in the period in which these paintings were created.
Walking along the four sides of the cloister, you will not only have the opportunity to appreciate the most extensive cycle of frescoes dedicated to the life of the founder of Western monasticism but also to appreciate one of the largest painted works created in the history of Sienese art.
The hilarious prank on the abbot!
As we continue with the story of San Benedetto, I will tell you what the secrets are that hide behind the execution of these frescoes, in particular, that which concerns the painter Giovanni Antonio Bazzi, better known as Sodoma who, an artist with a particular prankster character, who was the protagonist of a hilarious prank played on the abbot of the monastery while he was busy painting on the walls of the cloister.
We will continue our tour of the Monte Oliveto Maggiore abbey with a visit to the library, once the custodian of precious illuminated manuscripts, now preserved in the Diocesan Museum of Chiusi, but which nevertheless preserves precious codes which are exhibited in rotation between the naves of this evocative space – among the most interesting monastic complexes in the Siena area, together with the adjacent monastic pharmacy. In the passageway between the library and the cloister, we will then have the opportunity to see one of the most elegant stairways built in the Baroque period, which is decorated with very lively wall paintings.
Gregorian chant: significant spiritual experience
We will conclude our tour of the Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore with a visit to the abbey church, a majestic structure decorated with stucco in the Baroque period, which today preserves interesting altarpieces together with one of the masterpieces of the entire tradition of Renaissance wooden inlay: the choir stalls, masterfully carved and inlaid by Fra’ Giovanni da Verona at the beginning of the sixteenth century, a superb work by two of the most esteemed masters in the history of this art.
If the visit to the complex has already immersed you in a profound ‘spiritual’ dimension, also due to its isolated position, what makes Monte Oliveto a mystical place is the presence of the Olivetan monastic community and the fact that the monks still officiate today liturgy by singing Gregorian chant, makes participation in the celebrations even more emotionally engaging, making your visit to the Abbey of Monte Oliveto – should you decide to take part in the monastic celebrations, even regardless of what your beliefs may be – a truly meaningful spiritual experience.