Abbey of Sant’Antimo
Sant'Antimo Abbey stands isolated in the countryside at the foot of the hill on which the village of Castelnuovo dell'Abate in the municipality of Montalcino (SI) is nestled.
All that remains of this ancient Benedictine abbey is the church, which is one of Tuscany’s most suggestive Romanesque monuments and was erected in the 12th century under Cistercian influence.
The façade is characterised by a rich portal surmounted by an architrave with capitals and friezes.
The Cistercian influence can be seen in the typical floor plan of the basilicas, with alabaster corridor and travertine with radial chapels, the only one of its kind in Tuscany and among the few present in all of Italy.
The hand of the French school can also be recognised in the capitals with scenes of Daniel in the lion's den and in the two stylised lions at the entrance.
However, the presence of other capitals and the Lombard-style bell tower lead experts to believe that two distinct schools worked on the abbey’s construction - one French and one Lombard (probably from Pavia) - or that perhaps the latter was heavily subjected to French influence.
These unique traits and the beautiful surrounding panorama make Sant'Antimo Abbey one of the most unique sites in all of Tuscany.
Abbazia di Sant'Antimo
Via Borgo di Mezzo, 64
53024 Montalcino (SI), Italy
Tel. +39 0577 835659
abbazia@antimo.it
www.antimo.it
