Certosa di Pavia Monastery

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Day 6 - As we make our way from Milan to the Italian Riviera, we will stop for a visit at the 
Certosa di Pavia Monastery.

As the pilgrims did hundreds of years ago, we also will be watching for the ornately carved facade of Certosa di Pavia as it rises out of the middle of the Italian countryside,
among the rice fields and vineyards.

Enjoy this drone footage:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEmSomqJFaU





It is said that this early Gothic and Italian Renaissance masterpiece was born from a vow by Caterina Visconti to the Holy Virgin Mary in which she promised to establish a Carthusian monastery if she were blessed with a male heir. After she died in childbirth, Gian Visconti, first duke of Milan, commissioned the building of the complex on his family's hunting grounds. "Certosa" is the Italian name for "house of the monastic order of Carthusians". The church was the last of the complex to be built and would serve as the Visconti family mausoleum.




In a bit of irony, Carthusians in early centuries were known for plainness of architecture while Certosa di Pavia is renowned for its exuberance of architecture.  Begun in 1396 in Gothic style and completed in 1507 in Renaissance style, every nook and cranny is filled with elaborate detail. 










  The back of the church leads to the Small Cloister, with its garden and arcades, and then on to the Grand Cloister where the monks’ cells open out onto the central garden. The Cistercians who now occupy the Certosa di Pavia are a silent order. They live in individual two story cells around the Great Cloister. Each cell has its own small garden and a hatch by the door which allows food to be delivered to the monks without any need for communication. We will be asked to honor the silence - whisper only while touring.

The Grand Cloisters ca. 1880


The Small Cloisters


For more of the history, beautiful photos, and good information to know before we visit:
https://thesanetravel.com/places/italy/certosa-di-pavia-hidden-gem-near-milan


Photo credits in order:
1. https://flic.kr/p/bBCmtC
2. commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5596550
3. https://flic.kr/p/t6q9D
4. https://flic.kr/p/5ucdGM
5. https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=44820030
6.  https://flic.kr/p/4NPNMY

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