Abbey of Pomposa

Description

A masterpiece of Romanesque art, the Abbey of Pomposa in Codigoro (FE) suddenly appears to the visitor with its bell tower, which dominates the surrounding countryside and discloses unexpected treasures of art and history.

The Abbey dates back to the 6^th-7^th century A.D. when a Benedictine settlement was built on what was the Insula Pomposia, a wooded island surrounded by two branches of the Po river and protected by the sea. After the year 1000 a season of great splendor began when the Abbey became a flourishing monastic center devoted to a life of prayer and work. Its fortune was tied to the figure of abbot San Guido. The monastery welcomed illustrious figures of the time, including Guido d'Arezzo, inventor of the modern musical notation.

The Basilica of Santa Maria hosts a precious cycle of Giotto-inspired frescoes and a beautiful mosaic floor with precious marble inlays placed between the 6^th and 12^th century.

Position on map