Overview
Near the Amaseno River stands the imposing Casamari Abbey. Founded by Benedictine monks in the 11th century, in the early 13th century it passed to the Cistercian monastic order, modernising and expanding the structure. Today, one of the most remarkable monuments of Cistercian-Gothic architecture still intact.
Among the sculptures in the wooden choir, one notices the figure of a small inlaid swan carving its chest with its beak. On the lunette of the Portale dei Conversi, the emblem of the Tree of Life is depicted flanked by two Templar crosses. A peculiarity of Cistercian architecture is the near absence of decorative elements, aimed at not distracting the faithful from prayer. Despite this, on one of the capitals of the cloister, three faces depicting Frederick II of Swabia, his chancellor Pier delle Vigne, and possibly Joachim of Fiore are reproduced, highlighting the close relationship between the Emperor and the Cistercian monks.
