If you are not very clear about what difference there is between a church, a chapel, basilica, abbey or monastery, I will clarify your ideas a bit: an abbey is a particular type of monastery that has managed to become an autonomous institution. It is a complex made up of several buildings in turn surrounded by territories that are directly under their control. The one who commands everything is the abbot.
In the Middle Ages abbeys flourished throughout Europe and in the case of the beautiful Italian Tuscany there are many to review. But naturally, there are some more beautiful than others and since it is impossible to visit them all here we have gathered the three best old abbeys in Tuscany. Choose one and don't miss it:
- Monte Oliveto Maggiore Abbey: This abbey is in Asciano and is one of the oldest monastic centers in all of Italy. It stands on a rocky promontory on a rather sharp cliff and has spectacular views of the land around it. The complex is accessed by a drawbridge and crossing a beautifully lined path with cypress trees. The church is decorated with beautiful frescoes and its library houses 45 thousand volumes.
- Sant 'Antimo Abbey: It is in Montalcino and is one of the most photographed old abbeys in this charming part of Italy. It is simple on the outside but on the inside it is a charm of candles and mystical atmosphere. And if you go and the monks are singing Gregorian Chants it will be even better.
- Monastery of Santa Anna: It is in Camprena-Pienza and more than an abbey it is a beautiful monastery in the south of Siena. The path that leads here is also lined with cypress trees and seems to disconnect you from the modern world as you get closer. You can sleep in the monastery since today it is oriented to the agritourism. It has a beautiful garden, you can see it in the movie The English Patient, and a beautiful refectory with valuable frescoes.