Fossanova Abbey

Located at the feet of the Lepini Mountains in the commune of Priverno, province of Latina, Fossanova Abbey is one of the most important examples of Cistercian monastic architecture in central Italy. Around 1135, Cistercian monks put in a type of vault on the remains of a Roman villa in a previous Benedictine cenoby from the 9th century, and in 1187 they began the reconstruction of the abbatial complex in Burgandy style. The locality took its name of "fossa nova" from a new drainage canal that the monks dug to direct the waters of the Amaseno. Equipped with a solid city wall, of which today only the entry and tower remain, different buildings are included, the most important of which are grouped in a large quadrilateral, according to the typical scheme of Cistercian abbeys. It is interesting to note how these buildings, apart from the stylistic differences due to prolonged construction times, are always substantially homogeneous; in fact, the definitive design was imposted from the beginning, and the foundations of the complex were laid down, whose parts were realized according to the economic availability over the following years.
All of the building are in light-colored limestone, a type of travertine, which makes the sober elegance of the shape and beauty of the sculpted parts stand out and creates an atmosphere of austere serenity and peace.
The church, with three naves, has a basilica structure and is illuminated by the splendid rose window of the façade from the side windows and from the three mounted above the apse by a rose window with eight lobes as well as by the "triburio", a tower-lantern, replacing the original which was destroyed by lightning.
The large cloister, a beautiful area with strong, spiritual character, is surrounded by a portico with elegant coupled small columns on three sides in Romanesque style with rounded arches and simple equal small columns; the fourth side is Gothic style with pointed arches and different columns.
The majestic interior spaces are the grand capitular hall, whose pavement is around one meter below that of the cloister, and the vast refectory located one meter higher, both covered by large vaults. In front of the other door of the refectory, in the cloister, there is a kiosk which was restored by Cardinal Piero Aldobrandini in 1595 with washbasin where the monks washed their hands.
A little further from the abbey is the infirmary, placed a distance away to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, which were very common in the Middle Ages. Also out of the abbey but still within the circle of the wall was the lodge, where pilgrims stayed. Here, in a small chapel on the first floor, St. Thomas d'Aquino spent his last hours and died here in 1274.