Abbazia di San Giovanni in Venere
12th-century Benedictine abbey on a promontory over the Adriatic, with a three-aisled church, frescoed crypt and cloister.
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About the museum
The abbey stands on a promontory overlooking the Costa dei Trabocchi, at Fossacesia. According to tradition, a temple dedicated to Venus once stood on the site, from which the name derives; on its ruins Benedictine monks founded a small monastery in the 6th century. Over the centuries the complex depended first on Montecassino and then on Farfa, and became autonomous at the beginning of the 11th century.
Between the 10th and 11th centuries the Lombard counts Trasmondo I and Trasmondo II made rich donations and enlarged the church. The present building was begun in 1165 at the wish of the abbot Oderisio II: it has three naves supported by piers, pointed and round arches and a raised presbytery. At its height the monastery housed over eighty monks and owned lands, castles and churches in several regions.
Invasions, sacks, an earthquake and a plague led to decline between the 14th and 15th centuries; the Benedictines left the site and the complex passed to other orders. In 1881 it was declared a national monument. Since 1954 the Passionist fathers have lived there and rebuilt the religious house; the crypt preserves frescoes of the 12th and 13th centuries, restored in 2009, and the cloister was partly rebuilt in the 1930s.
Highlights
- Three-aisled abbey church
- Portal known as the “Porta della Luna” (Gate of the Moon)
- Crypt with medieval frescoes
- 13th-century cloister, partly rebuilt
- Panoramic position over the Costa dei Trabocchi
- Operated by
- Ministero della Cultura (Direzione regionale Musei nazionali Abruzzo); comunità dei padri passionisti
Admission & discounts
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Accessibility
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Kids & families
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Getting there & parking
The complex is on the outskirts of Fossacesia, in a panoramic position over the sea.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
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Events & venue rental
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Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Guided tours are possible by booking, by phoning the abbey. The route includes the church, the crypt and the cloister. |
