The Abbey of Chiaravalle della Colomba (Italian: ''Abbazia di Chiaravalle della Colomba'') is a 12th-century

Cistercian The Cistercians, () officially the Order of Cistercians ( la, (Sacer) Ordo Cisterciensis, abbreviated as OCist or SOCist), are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Saint ...

monastic complex near the town of

Alseno Alseno ( egl, label= Piacentino, Alsen or ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Piacenza in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about northwest of Bologna and about southeast of Piacenza. Alseno borders the following mu ...

, in the Province of Piacenza, Region of

Emilia-Romagna egl, Emigliàn (man) egl, Emiglièna (woman) rgn, Rumagnòl (man) rgn, Rumagnòla (woman) it, Emiliano (man) it, Emiliana (woman) or it, Romagnolo (man) it, Romagnola (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title ...

, Italy.

History

The founding documents for the Abbey date to 11 April 1136, when Arduino, the bishop of Piacenza, granted the monastery its lands. The abbey was also patronized by the Marquises Oberto Pallavicino and Corrado Cavalcabò. One tradition holds that the name ''Colomba'' or pigeon was attached due to a legend that a white pigeon had selected the site. But more likely the title ''Santa Maria della Colomba'' derives from the pigeon used to symbolize the annunciation of Mary's pregnancy. The abbey was founded soon after the other ''

Abbey of Chiaravalle The Abbey of Santa Maria di Rovegnano (Latin: ''Sanctæ Mariæ Clarævallis Mediolanensis'') is a Cistercian monastic complex in the ''comune'' of Milan, Lombardy, northern Italy. The '' borgo'' that has developed round the abbey was once an ...

'', also called ''Chiaravalle Milanese'' was founded near Milan. The monastery was sacked and burned in 1248 by Frederick II of Swabia during his siege of Parma. In 1769, the abbey was suppressed by the Duke of Parma, and the remaining monks were moved to the Abbey of San Martino de' Bocci. The order was able to repurchase the abbey some 8 years later. However, by 1805, Napoleon's rule had again led to suppression of the order. In 1810, the surrounding properties were assigned to the Civil Hospital of Piacenza. The archive, library, and much of the property was dispersed and sold. Cistercian monks were only to return in 1937; and the property has joint ownership with the state. The cloistered monks maintain limited agricultural efforts.

Architecture

The church was erected during the 12th and 13th centuries, but was refurbished during the 15th century. The belltower was added in the 16th century. In the 19th century, restorations encountered buildings in near ruin. The church has

Gothic architecture Gothic architecture (or pointed architecture) is an architectural style that was prevalent in Europe from the late 12th to the 16th century, during the High and Late Middle Ages, surviving into the 17th and 18th centuries in some areas. It e ...

and

Romanesque architecture Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of medieval Europe characterized by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque style, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 11th century, this lat ...

elements. It retains the tomb of Oberto Pallavacino (died 1148). The square 13th-century cloister has a proliferation of arched openings, flanked by rose marble paired columns.

References

Monastery official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chiaravalle della Colomba Cistercian monasteries in Italy Monasteries in Emilia-Romagna 1136 establishments in Europe 12th-century establishments in Italy Christian monasteries established in the 12th century Churches in the province of Piacenza Gothic architecture in Emilia-Romagna Romanesque architecture in Emilia-Romagna