punto di interesse

Abbey of San Nicolò

Chiesa

point of interest

Abbey of San Nicolò

Chiesa

Near the old town of San Gemini, next to the Botanical Garden Alberto Violati and Porta Romana, in what is known in the middle-age like  “collis de ficu nigra”, means hill of the black fig, there is a place which seems came out directly from the pen of Umberto Eco : the Abbey of San Nicolò.

The Abbey of San Nicolò of San Gemini

The structure of the building is dating from the first years of the XI century, even if the Church seems to have been founded by the same Patron of San Gemini, Santo Gemini in ‘800 and dedicated to the cult of San Nicola, whose name was then contracted in Nicolò. 

After the destructions made by Federico II in 1228 and in 1239, the monastery was rebuilt and modified.The apse was transformed in a square shape and non more semicircular, becoming the extension of the naves, thereby increasing even the choral space and was even built the facade and the bell tower. 

The XIV century marks the decadence of the abbay and only in 1775 was again consecrated by Carlo Maria Fabi, bishop of Amelia, after finding the sarcofag where there was the body of San Nicolò, during the works of the increasing of the sacristy. 

In 1900 the church was completely degrated so much so that in 1910 the portal of the same church was taken off for fear of an eventual collapse. In 1936 was transported in the United States for the benefit of the antique dealer Joseph Brummer and even now preserved in the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Cloisters di New York.

The monastery was then brought back to life in 1965 thanks to the lawyer Alberto Violati, owner of the building at the time.

Near the old town of San Gemini, next to the Botanical Garden Alberto Violati and Porta Romana, in what is known in the middle-age like  “collis de ficu nigra”, means hill of the black fig, there is a place which seems came out directly from the pen of Umberto Eco : the Abbey of San Nicolò.

The Abbey of San Nicolò of San Gemini

The structure of the building is dating from the first years of the XI century, even if the Church seems to have been founded by the same Patron of San Gemini, Santo Gemini in ‘800 and dedicated to the cult of San Nicola, whose name was then contracted in Nicolò. 

After the destructions made by Federico II in 1228 and in 1239, the monastery was rebuilt and modified.The apse was transformed in a square shape and non more semicircular, becoming the extension of the naves, thereby increasing even the choral space and was even built the facade and the bell tower. 

The XIV century marks the decadence of the abbay and only in 1775 was again consecrated by Carlo Maria Fabi, bishop of Amelia, after finding the sarcofag where there was the body of San Nicolò, during the works of the increasing of the sacristy. 

In 1900 the church was completely degrated so much so that in 1910 the portal of the same church was taken off for fear of an eventual collapse. In 1936 was transported in the United States for the benefit of the antique dealer Joseph Brummer and even now preserved in the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Cloisters di New York.

The monastery was then brought back to life in 1965 thanks to the lawyer Alberto Violati, owner of the building at the time.

scorcio-abbazia-san-nicolò

What see inside the Church

Today the building has inside three naves separated by rounded arches , sustained by pillars and columns with capitals, which arrived to the apse, whose walls are frescoes with two paintings , one represent the Madonna col Bambino in trono dating in 1295 and the other represent San Gregorio Magno. 

The portal instead is an exact copy of the original made by the sculptor Fernando Onori from Roma. 

Today the Abbey of San Nicolò is a private property but thanks to its beauty are more the people who decided to have their wedding in this magnifique location, even the famous italian actress Maria Grazia Cucinotta who in 1995 has married in this place.

What see inside the Church

scorcio-abbazia-san-nicolò

Today the building has inside three naves separated by rounded arches , sustained by pillars and columns with capitals, which arrived to the apse, whose walls are frescoes with two paintings , one represent the Madonna col Bambino in trono dating in 1295 and the other represent San Gregorio Magno. 

The portal instead is an exact copy of the original made by the sculptor Fernando Onori from Roma. 

Today the Abbey of San Nicolò is a private property but thanks to its beauty are more the people who decided to have their wedding in this magnifique location, even the famous italian actress Maria Grazia Cucinotta who in 1995 has married in this place.





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Abbey of San Nicolò
Strada Statale 3 ter, 05029, San Gemini