The Abbey of Santa Maria di Farfa is a monastery of the Benedictine Cassinese congregation, which takes its name from the river that flows not far away and which gave its name to the village adjacent to the abbey in the municipality of Fara in Sabina (RI).
The origin of the Abbey dates back to the 6th century, by San Lorenzo Siro. Destroyed by the Lombards, it was rebuilt around the end of the 7th century by the monk Tommaso da Moriana, the second founder of Farfa. A portal of the 14th century, with Gothic additions, leads into the courtyard in front of the church. Above the portal there is a fresco attributed to Cola dell'Amatrice (1508) and the Orsini coat of arms. The abbey complex includes the cloister called "Longobardo", the great cloister (17th century), the crypt with a semi-annular shape, at the entrance of which one can admire a valuable Roman sarcophagus, the museum and the splendid library.
The history of the Abbey of Farfa is also the symbol of the events that animated Italy during the Middle Ages: a combination of cultural, architectural and artistic influences that still bear witness to its importance. Alternating periods of splendor with years of decadence, of political and religious influence on abandonment, the Abbey has kept its charm intact, attracting numerous visitors every year.
Roma Lazio Film Commission
Via Tuscolana 1055 — 00173 Roma
Phone: +39 06 72286273/320
Fax: +39 06 722 1127
Email: info@romalaziofilmcommission.it
