Abbey of Piona

In Colico, on the northern end of Lake Como, the Abbey of Piona was born, as well as visiting the place of worship, we can take a walk through the dense woods to reach it. On the path that leads to the abbey we find some ruins, perhaps ancient appurtenances of the abbey. A portal with two columns on which there are the statues of San Bernardo and San Benedetto welcomes us at the entrance of the abbey. The history of the priory of Piona begins in the 7th century at the time of the Lombard occupation, when an oratory was built here by the bishop of Como, towards the end of the 11th century a flowering period began for the abbey. From 400 to 700 there was instead a decline that ended with the suppression of the abbey itself; after a long period of neglect, the complex was restored and occupied by the Cistercian monks who still live there. The church has a typically Romanesque appearance, it was consecrated in 1138 and dedicated years later to St. Nicholas, on the main facade there is a bronze door, a modern work of 1982, the doors are divided into six squares representing some scenes of life of San Benedetto. The interior is typical of Benedictine churches, very sober at an architectural level, which invites to prayer and meditation. There are two column-bearing lions that serve as holy water fonts; the only great decoration is the apse with frescoes of the four symbols of the evangelists with the twelve apostles underneath. In the thirteenth century the most valuable part of the monastery was built, the Cloister, a stone book open to the medieval imagery, which can be seen in the frescoes, in the shapes of the capitals and in the symbols present. A fresco of St. Benedict who, in order to escape the temptation of a woman, throws himself naked into the brambles and nettles. A fresco with the calendar that testifies to the importance of work, according to the Benedictine rule; work is considered not only a means of sustenance, but also a means of spiritual elevation. In fact, the monks have a production and sale activity.