Montecassino, September and November 2002 |
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Many of you will remember the World War II photos of the monastery of Montecassino, high on a hill, nothing but a black pile of rubble after the Allied bombings. In the 1950s it was stunningly restored to replicate its original beauty and now is well worth a visit to see its artistic treasures. |
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Montecassino seen from a distance ...
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Signboard shows the way
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Arrived!
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Getting closer ...
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Going in
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Staircase in interior courtyard
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Foot of staircase
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Ascending the staircase
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Looking back down
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Hours of masses (when you cannot roam freely in the church)
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The basilica
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The basilica
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The courtyard garden
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The courtyard garden
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The monks' vegetable garden
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View from the terrace
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The Polish cemetery, behind the monastery
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The Polish cemetery
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Another interior courtyard
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Mosaic outside the basilica
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Cherubs' heads and marble inlay
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Marble inlay work
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More marble inlay work
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Ivory cherubs playing lutes
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A jewel-encrusted bishop's miter
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Ecclesiastical embroidery
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Ecclesiastical embroidery
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Another jewel-encrusted bishop's miter
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A medieval-era painting in the hallway
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A medieval-era map in the hallway
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Illuminated medieval songbooks
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More illuminated medieval songbooks
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Illuminated manuscript
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Illuminated manuscript, a gloss on Dante's Inferno
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Illuminated manuscript
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And last but not least, the crypt under the basilica, with its vaulted ceiling decorated in dark blue and gold mosaic to look like a starry starry night
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Many thanks to Renzo Gattone, my knowledgeable guide, who has driven me to so many beautiful places and explained the history, architecture, and art of all the places we have visited. Thank you, Renzo! |
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Copyright © Lynn Anderson 2007. All rights reserved. Tutti i diritti riservati. All text, photos, and other images on this Web site are the exclusive property of Lynn Anderson. Do not use them without written permission. If you would like to request permission, please feel free to e-mail me  |