Gole di Fara and Monastery of San Martino in Valle

Description

Hidden by the Gole di Fara San Martino, the ruins of the Monastery of San Martino in Valle are immediately redolent of a magical place. They can be reached from Fara San Martino (CH), by taking the wide unpaved road that winds up from the parking area above the source of the River Verde to the entrance to the Gole di San Martino which also features the remains of the gate that the monks could use to deny access to the valley. The environment is sparse and rocky and the narrow path that characterises the Gole of San Martino is evocative and thrilling. On exit, the walls suddenly open out into the wide Vallone di Santo Spirito, closed off by imposing rock walls on both sides. Here are the remains of the convent complex which were brought to light by excavations in 2005 and 2009, after years of concealment beneath the detritus of landslides from the 1800s and 1900s (only a part of the bell tower was visible). While the general structure can be dated to the 11th century, there are clear signs of restauration work in the 13^th century. Various written sources indicate that a simple monastic rock complex was already present between the 8^th-9^th century.

Position on map