Pomposa Abbey

Pomposa Abbey is a complex of buildings that constitute one of the most illustrious Benedictine monasteries of the Middle Ages.
It is a key presence in the Po Delta Park and it is part of the UNESCO World Heritage.
The Basilica, the Refectory, the Chapter House and the Court are the most important part of the abbey. To these was added, in a later period, the majestic bell tower. The architectural style is peculiar and boasts both Romanesque and Byzantine style details.
It was located on an insula, in an area of swamps, rivers and sea and it was a Benedictine monastery with origins, seemingly, in the 6th century.
From the very beginning, there was an important connection between the monastery and the so-called Via Romea because it was a road commonly used by medieval pilgrims.
The highest moment for this complex was during the priory of the abbot Guido, depicted in the frescoes. The monastery was well known and respected in the north of Italy; Guido d'Arezzo, who was the inventor of the modern system of music, lived here. The Abbey was a destination for illustrious people throughout history; among the most famous, we remember Dante Alighieri and Barbarossa.
Pomposa splendour started to decline in the 13th century due to a physical phenomenon called subsidence but also to the growing swamps in the surrounding area; one of the biggest battles the monks fought was against malaria. In 1663 the Pope suppressed the monastery; all the monks slowly left the abbey and everything was carried to another monastery in Ferrara, leaving the monastery abandoned.
At the beginning of the 19th century, the monastery was sold to a noble family of Ravenna who transformed everything into a farm. However, one century later, a process of expropriation then of restoration took place.