Abbazia di San Pietro

The Abbey of San Pietro is a Benedictine complex at the end of Borgo XX Giugno in Perugia. Its basilica, cloisters, bell tower and gardens preserve layers of religious and artistic history stretching back to the early Middle Ages.

Why it matters

Founded in 966 by Abbot Pietro, the abbey stands on the site of a sixth-century cathedral and an earlier Etruscan-Roman sacred area. It was Perugia's first episcopal seat and became one of Umbria's most powerful Benedictine monasteries.

What to notice

The basilica retains its early three-nave plan. The bell tower rises from the base of a Roman mausoleum, with its upper stage redesigned in the fifteenth century by Bernardo Rossellino. The church contains frescoes by Alessandro Allori and Domenico Cresti, known as il Passignano, as well as an inlaid wooden choir made between 1525 and 1535. The complex includes three cloisters, among them Galeazzo Alessi's Chiostro delle Stelle, and a botanical garden.

Context and history

The abbey's church was remodelled over the centuries, including a major campaign from the late sixteenth century. Its library and archive preserve manuscripts and codices. The complex belongs to the Fondazione per l'Istruzione Agraria, which continues the abbey's association with agricultural learning.