Heart of structures with ingenious design and nourishment for eyes distracted by the urban landscape, the cloisters are secret spaces, open to anyone who understands spirituality as an intimate and personal moment.
But cloisters are also for those who want to walk with their eyes and feet in architectural jewels, that have hosted authentic dialectical and meditative marathons over the centuries.
The itinerary among the places of meditation in Emilia starts in Piacenza from the cloisters of the Church of San Sisto; it was a beloved place to the Farnese family and inside there is the funeral monument to Margherita d’Austria and a copy of the famous Madonna Sistina by Raffaello, the original one was sold in 1754 to Augusto III King of Poland.
The cloister is a Renaissance temple and the first work by Alessio Tramello.
Visitors can cross the entrance door through a large colonnade with twenty-one arches in the centre; above the arches, ancient frescoed medallions are still visible, depicting eighteen images of emperors and abbots.
As you venture into the Trebbia Valley, in Bobbio—one of Italy’s Most Beautiful Villages—theAbbey of San Colombano is definitely worth a visit. It stands out for its majestic cloister, which also serves as the setting for the Bobbio Film Festival directed by Marco Bellocchio.
The Abbey, known above all as a source of inspiration—with its scriptorium, which today is unfortunately largely lost—for Umberto Eco’s *The Name of the Rose*, was one of the most important monastic centers in Europe during the Middle Ages—the last one founded in Italy by Saint Colombano in 614—and remains the cultural heart of the village to this day.
To know
Tip
For hiking enthusiasts, a stop in Bobbio is the starting point for exploring the historic Via degli Abati, also known as the Via Francigena di Montagna, which runs from this village in the Piacenza area all the way to Pontremoli.
The Abbey of Chiaravalle della Colomba in Alseno, roughly halfway between Piacenza and Parma, was founded around 1136 by Saint Bernard, Dante’s final guide in *Paradiso*.
The well-preserved condition of the 14th-century square cloister, which forms the heart of the structure, allows visitors to appreciate its architectural, decorative, and mystical-symbolic qualities typical of the Middle Ages—and above all, the captivating harmony of its parts. The transitions and contrapuntal rhythms of the elements—which multiply to combine into a whole of sublime coherence—are masterful.
Especially during the softest hours of daylight, a stroll along the 40-meter-long cloistered walkway evokes a past of monastic meditation, enhanced by the contrast between existential rigor and artistic splendor.
The abbey is now part of two Council of Europe Cultural Routes: the Via Francigena and the Route Européenne des Abbayes Cisterciennes.
Curiosity
The abbey’s name derives from the legend that it was a white dove that marked out the perimeter of the future building by depositing specks of straw in front of the monks.
Tip
The best time to visit is likely between May and June, whenthe Infiorata del Corpus Domini takes place and a magnificent floral carpet is laid out along the central nave.
A majestic cloister dating back to the 16th century opens up to marvel at the Certosa di San Girolamo, better known as the Certosa di Parma.
Reopened for visits from January 2022, this architectural complex, whose name inspired Stendhal for the title of his famous novel, was founded by Carthusian monks in 1285 on the outskirts of the city, but over the centuries it has been completely transformed, showing today the Gothic church rebuilt in 1722 in Baroque style, the neoclassical façade dating back to 1847, the ancient sacristy and splendid Renaissance furnishings, including frescoed or sculpted altars, capitals, frescoes and altars.
The sacristy and the main cloister date from the 16th century, while the smaller cloister dates from the 15th century.
Among the best-kept secrets within the mighty walls of the 10th-century Benedictine complex are three cloisters—a true oasis of peace in Parma’s historic center—accessible to the right of the church’s exit.
As soon as you enter, what strikes you is the silence. The Benedictine rule welcomes visitors: “Ora et labora,” we read along the wall of the first cloister, known as the Cloister of St. John or the Cloister of the Gate, which is actually the most recent one.
Built between 1537 and 1538, it features a portico with Ionic columns, a central fountain inaugurated in 1589, and remnants of late 16th-century frescoes, such as those by Leonardo da Monchio and Ercole Pio, dated 1579.
A door on the right leads to the Monumental Library, divided into three naves, with two rows of five Ionic columns that, together with the perimeter walls, support the ceiling composed of eighteen round arches.
Beneath the loggia of the next cloister —the oldest and, not coincidentally, known as the Chapter Cloister—lies the chapter house.
The largest of the three, however, is the Cloister of St. Benedict, built between 1508 and 1512 and characterized by an extremely elegant design that lends a sense of lightness to the portico of 36 columns, each of which is separated from the next by 26 roundels depicting saints, created by Giovanni Battista Merano and Tommaso Aldrovandini in the late 17th century.
Must-see
The stunning pictorial program by Abbot Stefano Cattaneo da Novara includes 5 maps, the genealogy of Christ, and 3 chronologies, four panels illustrating archetypal structures from the Old Testament, the celebration of the victory at Lepanto, the grotesque decorations on the vaults, and those on the lunettes above the two doors.
Founded by Pier Maria Rossi in 1471 around the pre-existing church dedicated to Our Lady of the Snows, the Abbey of Santa Maria della Neve is located in Torrechiara, a village in Langhirano, a few kilometers from Parma, known above all for its spectacular castle.
The capitals of the 15th-century cloister echo those found in the main courtyard of the nearby castle, while the original bell by “Magister Antonius” and a terracotta panel depicting the Flagellation—based on a marble work by Amedeo (1481–84), offer delightful views through the harmonious arches of the quadrangular perimeter.
Here, step by step, you can catch a glimpse of the rooms hinted at by the walls: among them, a small oratory adorned with a fresco depicting the Madonna and Child in a Mandorla.
Must-visit
The splendid Torrechiara Castle, where you can visit the Golden Chamber attributed to Benedetto Bembo and the bridal chamber—places that reveal the love story between Pier Maria Rossi and his beloved Bianca Pellegrini.
To taste
Discovering these wonders is also an opportunity to sample the culinary delights of the region and of Parma, a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy. Stop at a restaurant to savor traditional dishes such as tortelli or anolini in broth—round-shaped and stuffed with braised meat, topped with Parmigiano Reggiano, and served with a selection of cured meats, including Prosciutto di Parma, Culatello di Zibello, Salame di Felino, and others.
A wonderful example of a monumental complex of the Renaissance, in the historic centre of Reggio Emilia: the unique style of Giulio Romano meets Ionic columns, arches, gables and seventeenth-century statues of saints of the Benedictine order.
The structure is based along the two recently restored cloisters.
The smaller one - perhaps designed by Alessio Tramello - is a triumph of architectural elements.
The red and white marble columns by Clemente and the wall decorations by Moresino complete this oasis of peace next to the chaos of the city.
Alongside the Emilian elegant miniature there is the late Mannerist sculptural grandeur of the large cloister.
Today it is an exhibition space, a cultural centre of international importance and a place for talks and meetings, for sociability and innovation; it is also a co-working place with comfortable workstations, IT services and coffee breaks in the cafeteria space.
The Monastery is the oldest place of devotion in the city; it was built between 1233 and 1236 during the preaching period of the monk Giacomino of Reggio.
Inside the complex there are two cloisters with a very original history.
The friars' cells overlooked the largest one, built during the sixteenth century, while in the small one the past meets the contemporary of Robert Morris's "Less Than" sculpture.
Between the first and second courtyard, two lunettes suggest the presence of a seventeenth-century fresco.
The southeern part of the cloisters is now an exhibition space, while the first floor is headquarters of A. Peri Musical Institute.
A picturesque spot in the heart of Reggio Emilia, the“ Chiostro della Ghiara”—accessible through the entrance of the Ostello della Ghiara on Via Guasco—has been restored to the city as a gathering place where visitors can enjoy cultural events, musical performances, and exhibitions, as well as sample the specialties of traditional Emilian cuisine.
It is part of the complex adjacent to the magnificent Basilica of the Blessed Virgin of Ghiara, from which it takes its name. The basilica’s origins are linked to the Servites of Mary, who settled in the city in 1313, building the convent and the dedicated church in a gravelly area—the ancient bed of the Crostolo River, which had been diverted outside the city walls.
A new sanctuary was inaugurated in 1619 with a festive ceremony featuring allegorical floats, which marked the beginning of the Giaréda festival. A feast for the eyes and the spirit, the frescoes and decorations were entrusted to the most talented painters of the era, such as Leonello Spada, Ludovico Caracci, and Guercino.
Must-see
A visit to the cloister and then to the basilica is like a journey through a gallery of Emilian art from the first half of the 17th century, with the key difference that the paintings are still visible in the very place and setting for which they were conceived, including Guercino’s “Crucifixion of Christ with the Virgin Mary at His Feet and Saints Mary Magdalene, Saint John, and Saint Prospero.”
Just a few kilometers from Reggio Emilia, the town of Rubiera is home to the Corte Ospitale, a 16th-century monumental complex where visitors can admire the main cloister at the entrance and then explore a second, smaller cloister.
To know
Following a careful restoration, the Ospitale has served as the region’s cultural hub and theater center since 2000, featuring fully equipped auditoriums, as well as guest quarters and exhibition spaces for shows and events. Inside, you’ll also find a deconsecrated church.
Must-visit
The theater season at the Teatro Herberia in Rubiera, one of Emilia’s historic theaters.
Designed in the late Art Nouveau style and inaugurated in 1926 with a performance of Puccini’s opera *La Bohème*, it was later converted into a movie theater. After a long period of closure, it was restored and reopened in 1998 with state-of-the-art technology.
