Claro Abbey ( it, Monastero di Santa Maria Assunta supra Claro) is a Benedictine community of nuns, dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, situated twenty minutes by foot to the east of the village of Claro in the

Canton of Ticino Ticino (), sometimes Tessin (), officially the Republic and Canton of Ticino or less formally the Canton of Ticino,, informally ''Canton Ticino'' ; lmo, Canton Tesin ; german: Kanton Tessin ; french: Canton du Tessin ; rm, Chantun dal Tessin . ...

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

.It is also possible to access the monastery from the village by road or, when it is running, using a cable car.

History

The abbey was founded in 1490 on the initiative of Scolastica de Vincemalis, a Benedictine religious of Milan who on 13 May 1490 became the establishment's first abbess. The monastery grew rapidly, and by 1516 was home to 16 nuns. In 1559, the religious were charged by decree of Pope Paul IV to relaunch and supervise Seedorf Abbey in the

Canton of Uri The canton of Uri (german: Kanton Uri rm, Chantun Uri; french: Canton d'Uri; it, Canton Uri) is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland and a founding member of the Swiss Confederation. It is located in Central Switzerland. The canton's territ ...

. Intended for the education of girls, the buildings were enlarged several times during the 17th century, and again in the second half of the 20th century. The abbey is registered as a cultural asset of regional importance.

References

Sources

Website of the Monastero di Claro

Dizzionario istorico della Svizzera: Claro

History

References

Sources

Further reading