Several miles from Milan lies the monastery in Viboldone with walls hiding the secrets of mysterious Medieval order of Humilati.
The works on the church started in 1176 it became the principal site of newly formed monastic order Umiliati (Humiliati). The name ‘humiliated’ refers to the simple life dedicated to physical labour, wearing simple clothes and sharing the exceeding wealth with poor ones. Umiliati were subdivided into three groups:
The first order consisted of clerical, monastic brotherhood of monks and nuns, The second group of lay men and women organized into groups of community life,
and the third group among them were principles of order lived with the families and practiced a limited form of voluntary poverty.
In Lombardy Umiliati introduced the new irrigation systems and became know of production of woolen cloth.
The presence of the order extended to the entire northern Italy, particularly Lodi and Brescia.
After a suppression of Umiliati in 1571 their properties were shared among other orders and the monastery in Vobondone passed into the hands of Olivetans.
In 1773 the church was abandoned by Olivetans, who were also suppressed this time by Austrian Empress Maria Teresa and deteriorated until the World War II, where it became habited by Benedictine nuns – Comunità di Madre Margherita Marchi.
From the original monastery today there is left the church and house of prior with Renaissance ceilings and frescoes. Adjacent convent cloisters were rebuilt in 1960′s.
The building of the church and the belfry were finished in 1348 in Romanesque style with strong Gothic influence. The interior is kept as simple as possible according to the order rules.
The small windows in the abside give some light into the church. The mensa of the altar is a plain block of white Candoglia marble supported by four ancient columns. Also the pulpit is supported by a single, old column. The inner walls feature the frescoes commissioned by Lombardian artists at the end of 14th century. The frescoes in the main nave depict the life of Christ starting from Annunciation to Pentecost.Three walls on the las bay show the apocalyptic moments of Last Judgement. On the vaultings of right nave there are frescoes with figures of Apostels or Prophets.
Abbazia di Viboldone
San Giuliano Milanese
Opening Hours:
daily 5.25 -12.30 and 14.00 – 18.30
[photo courtesy of ho visto nina volare]
