San Benedetto, also known as Northern Montecassino, is the birthplace of the ancient Benedictine monastery. The monastery, built by the Canossa family in 1007, later transferred to the Abbey of Cluny, is an important center of culture, religion, and agriculture. Here begins the Gonzaga dynasty.
This city was chosen as the original burial place for Matilda of Canossa, from where she was transported to Rome, to St. Peter’s Basilica. Visiting the church at the monastery, which was restored with the participation of Giulio Romano, the ancient Church of Santa Maria (the burial church of the monks) with ancient mosaics, three internal monastery courtyards, a worship hall, a spacious refectory with a huge fresco by the young Correggio, and semi-basement rooms (in autumn also the monastic cells and the ancient library-scriptorium), immerses one in the atmosphere of bygone times in this ancient monastery, among the guests of which was Martin Luther himself. In 1600, San Benedetto was the most important center of Catholic evangelism. Recently, the entire complex has been beautifully restored.
