Guided tour of the Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore

This guided tour will take you to the heart of the Crete Senesi where, immersed in the quiet of the woods, stands the mother house of the Benedictine Order of the Olivetans. The large abbey complex is the setting for the important works of art that are still preserved there: the Great Cloister decorated by the great masters Sodoma and Signorelli with the stories of San Benedetto, and the church choir with wooden inlays by Fra Giovanni da Verona. Our guide will also show you the ancient library, recently restored after a disastrous collapse, which still preserves ancient codes and miniated texts, as well as the monks’ pharmacy, with vases and albarelli for the strictly natural ointments and medicines of that age. It will also be possible to have a discreet view of the refectory still used today by the members of the monastic community and a walk to the large fish pond. With this guided tour you will retrace the history of one of the largest monastic orders in the land of Siena, between art and nature.

Duration: half day

List of places we will visit during the sightseeing “Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore”:

• Chiostro Grande
• Church
• Ancient Library
• Pharmacy
• Dining Hall
• Large Fish Pool

This tour is best suited for: groups, individuals