The Grange of the Holy Apostles. A Wonder to be Saved
A magnetic charm emanates from the ruins as old as the nearby village of Bivongi
Where
What is it and where is the grange of the Holy Apostles
On the road from Bivongi to the Monastery of St. John Theristis at a certain point one sees imposing ruins surrounded by vegetation. Thus lying on high ground they may look like what remains of a castle, but instead it is an ancient monastery, the Monastery of the Holy Apostles, also known as the Grangia of the Holy Apostles.
Why it is special: like a fortress
Getting there is difficult, there are no direct paths, the vegetation is very dense, and once there, exploration of the ruins is not advisable, since no security and protection work has been done. However, this does not prevent us from hovering for a moment and admiring it: perimeter walls, excerpts of stone buildings that look like corner turrets... in the right light, it really does look like a little piece of the Middle Ages that lost its way and found itself in our path.
A bit of history
The Monastery of the Holy Apostles has a very ancient history: it was allegedly founded between 1000 and 1100 as an independent outpost of the Catholic faith in a land garrisoned by hermits and Basilian monks. Some think it originated more or less at the same time as the town of Bivongi. From 1096, thanks to a donation by Roger the Norman (perpetuated by his successors), the monastery came under the control of the Charterhouse of Serra San Bruno, officially becoming the Grangia dei Santi Apostoli. In practice, it became a center of agricultural and religious administration in the area.
Grangia dei Santi Apostoli, a Wonder to be saved
Over time, the Grangia experienced abandonment, and today it retains only the memory of its former glory. But when you look at it from afar, silhouetted against the sky, you are invaded by the desire to explore every corner of it, and who knows, maybe one day, after proper restoration work, it will be possible to do so ... for now we are content to learn about its history and cherish the dream.
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Collections
The Map thanks:
PNRR a titolarità del Ministero della Cultura (MiC) M1C3 – 2.1 “Attrattività dei borghi” – Linea B – “Borghi in piazza - Spirito d’Oriente in Occidente” – Int. 2 - Digitalizzazione del territorio – CUP F49I22000220006 – CIG B693A24037
Enter the Map of Italy's Undiscovered Wonders and find treasures where you least expect it... Inspire, Recommend, Share...
