Vezzolano Abbaye
Abbazia di S. Maria di Vezzolano
Albugnano, Italy
Abbaye Vezzolano
On our 2010 visit to the Piedmont Region we drove up to see The Abbey of Santa Maria di Vezzolano (St Mary of Vezzolano). This is one of Piedmont’s best preserved structures.
The Abbaye is located at the base of one of the hills of the Monferrato region’s highest hills. A small road takes you to the abbaye with good views of the overall building.
You gain entry into the Cloisters through the Church. Through the stunning door, past the narthex and the door to the cloisters is near the front on the right.
The north side and the first archway of the east side were built at the same time as the church. The west side is the oldest, and the south side and part of the east side were built around 1630.
The frescoes date from the 13th and 15th Centuries. It is amazing at how well they are preserved. One can only imagine how impressive the entire cloister would be with the entire wall covered with such art work.
This fresco is from the 14th Century and depicts the Redeemer with symbols of the Evangelists in the upper part, Bethlehem with the holy family and the Magi, in the middle of the bottom section an open sepulchre with three skeletons emerging looked on by a fourth. This could be Charlemagne.
The capitals are carved with classical motifs.
Vezzolano was founded in 773 by Charlemagne who had suffered an epileptic fit while hunting near Albugnano. Some of the sources I ready say the abbey was founded in 1095. On his recovery, he ordered an abbey to honour the Virgin Mary.
Through the Middle Ages, Vezzolano was a rich and powerful centre.