Nestled between the Allegrezza forest and the Benaglia hill, the Val d’Astino infuses those who visit it with a feeling of peace and quiet.
It must have been no accident that back in 1107 the Vallombrosian monks chose to build their monastery and the attached church, called the Holy Sepulchre, right here.
A very close bond was created between these religious buildings and the territory, to the point that the name Astino is used indiscriminately to refer to the valley or the monumental complex that stands there.
The organization of space in this glimpse of paradise also dictates the scanning of time, making it eternal.
Sitting on the wide lawn that surrounds the monument complex, you will be overwhelmed by the beauty and tranquility of the landscape that unfolds before your eyes.
Surrounded by forests, hills, and fields, you can travel the dense web of streets that revolve around the monastery: east toward the Longuelo district of Bergamo, west toward the San Martino valley, and north toward San Sebastiano and the Bastia and San Vigilio hills.
The monastery of Astino in the second half of the 15th century acquired land throughout the province.
In 1170 the church was consecrated, and from about 1540 until the end of the century it was renovated and refurbished: the east wing, the inner rooms of the south wing, and the mighty southwest corner tower, which still stands tall in the middle of the valley, were completed.
The adjoining church, of the Holy Sepulcher, has a distinctive commissa cross structure (plan with a single nave ending in the transept) modified by the addition of a deep chancel during the Renaissance.
You’ll find not one, but three altars: the high altar, in a slightly elevated position, then the altar of St. Martin and the altar of the Evangelists, both predating 1140.
The history of the complex took a turn with the arrival of Napoleon in 1797: it was suppressed and turned first into an asylum and then into a farm; in 1923 it was finally sold to private individuals.
In 2007, it was purchased by the Congregation of the Misericordia Maggiore, which fully restored the church in 2013 and is completing the restoration of the monastery, bringing to light the beauty of many of the monastery rooms and frescoes hitherto hidden under a thick layer of white plaster spread between the 19th and 20th centuries.
On the occasion of the EXPO 2015 event, the monastery once again became a lived-in and much-visited place: in fact, it was the venue for numerous events, exhibitions and initiatives related to the theme of food, wine and nutrition in general, which were attended by many people.
The wide meadows around the religious buildings were peacefully invaded by those who wanted to enjoy the enchantment of this valley, while the surrounding fields provide an excellent example of how biodiversity can be a practically viable avenue in modern agriculture.
Curiosities
The exquisite Last Supper, executed for the monastery’s refectory by Florentine Alessandro Allori, has finally returned to its place after careful restoration.