Monastero di Santa Maria in Valle

The Monastery of Santa Maria in Valle in Cividale preserves a long history of women's religious life and includes the eighth-century Tempietto Longobardo, a major monument of Lombard art.

Why it matters

Founded for Benedictine nuns in the mid-seventh century, the monastery developed around the Tempietto and other sacred buildings of Cividale's episcopal quarter. The complex is part of the UNESCO World Heritage property 'The Longobards in Italy: Places of the Power,' inscribed in 2011. Benedictine and later Ursuline communities maintained a female religious presence here until 1999.

What to notice

The complex includes the church of San Giovanni, the refectory and its picture collection, a cloister with a portico frescoed by Francesco Colussi in 1795, and an archaeological area. The cloister's irregular plan reflects the buildings that grew around it. Its historic walls partly enclose the Tempietto, where Lombard stucco work contrasts with later painted decoration. The nearby Belvedere vineyard is associated with the monastery's landscape above the Natisone gorge.

Context and history

Established in the mid-seventh century, the monastery underwent additions and restorations after invasions and earthquakes. Its present appearance largely reflects changes around 1511. Ursuline sisters took charge in 1841 and remained until 1999. The complex, together with the Tempietto and episcopal quarter, became part of the UNESCO listing in 2011. Later cultural interpretation projects have added new layers to the site's presentation.