As I mentioned in yesterday's post, Anagni Cathedral was a real highlight, thanks to its castle-like appearance and magnificent frescoed crypt. Anagni was the birthplace (and frequent residence) of four popes in the 1200s and its cathedral reflects that importance.
We found lunch at this friendly little restaurant ("Taverna of the Popes") next to the cathedral.
Today: San Benedetto in Subiaco
Today we made a morning trip to Subiaco, about 45 minutes northeast. Just outside the town on a mountain cliff is San Benedetto, a monastery built around the cave where St. Benedict spent three years meditating in the 600s AD. It required a steep walk up a few switchbacks, but it was absolutely worth it.
San Benedetto has an exceptionally beautiful and peaceful location built right into the rocks of the mountainside and, like Anagni, it's filled with medieval frescoes.
There are two levels to the monastery church, the Upper Church and Lower Church.
The churches were mostly built and frescoed in the 13th through 15th centuries. The subjects of the paintings are mainly biblical scenes, various saints, and scenes from the life of St. Benedict.
The stairway in the lower church led to the monk's cemetery and is decorated with grim subjects reflecting this:
Finding lunch was, as usual in Italy so far, an astonishingly difficult task. There was a restaurant next to Santa Scholastica but it was closed. So we drove into the town of Subiaco, all the way to the top of the hill and back down again, but didn't find a single open restaurant. Finally, as we were preparing to give up, we spotted the perfect place near the bus station!
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