On 6 April 1816, the last commendatory abbot of Sant'Elena gave the abbey with all its assets to the Pianesi family on a long lease, becoming the legitimate owner... #tuttitaly
The Abbey of Sant'Elena, located in the municipality of Serra San Quirico, in the hamlet of Sasso, is a well-established institution founded in 1005 by Saint Romuald. In 1180, it joined the Camaldolese Congregation, achieving significant economic and social development. At the time of the aggregation, the abbey owned about 50 churches, 10 buildings, including castles and villas, and all their assets. In the 15th century, Pope Innocent VIII took it away from the Camaldolese Congregation and appointed a commendatory Abbot, Cardinal Giovanni Colonna. On April 6, 1816, the last commendatory Abbot of Sant'Elena leased the abbey with all its attached assets to the Pianesi family, who became its rightful owners.
The abbey church, built with irregular sandstone blocks, features an elegant facade with a sail bell tower. The portal, surmounted by a lunette with a cross topped by two lions in bas-relief, is particularly striking. The church has three aisles, with the central one wider than the side ones. The clergy, elevated above the crypt, houses the painting by Pomarancio depicting Saint Helena and the Cross.
The sculptural decoration of the abbey mainly consists of the capitals of the crypt, the pillars of the aisles, and the ornamentation of the portal. The narrative capitals feature motifs from the world of medieval bestiaries and Christian sacred representations, while the antiquated ones interpret the Corinthian capital typology.
In the old monastery, currently used for ceremonies, conferences, catering, and receptions, there are rooms with brick vaults, barrel vaults, cross vaults, and stone walls. The oldest room, dating back to the 11th century, has a barrel vault and a floor with large stone slabs and is considered the first structure of the abbey.
The garden and the inner courtyard adjacent to the church have been restored through conservative recovery work.
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