The monastic heart of the plain

CChiaravalle Milanese identifies with the abbey founded in 1135 by the Cistercian abbot Bernard of Clairvaux.

The monks settled in a marshy area, transforming it with their industriousness into a fertile agricultural area suitable for cattle breeding to produce milk and cheese. It was in the Tecchione farmstead, now part of the Municipality of San Donato Milanese, that the first wheel of ‘grana’ cheese was obtained.

The Chiaravalle Abbey is today one of the most important historical and religious monuments internationally. Characterised by a sober yet majestic style thanks to its belltower, the abbey features frescoes and architectural elements typical of the Cistercian order, reflecting the founders’ ideal of purity and austerity. The cloister, the heart of the abbey, is the symbol of monastic life. The mill, south of the complex, bears witness to the agricultural tradition of the monks who contributed to the prosperity of the abbey and its connection with the surrounding area.

The route to the abbey follows the ‘Monks’ Path’ starts from Nocetum (today’s Nosedo), with the small church of Saints Philip and James, and crosses the Parco della Vettabbia, rich in farmsteads, water meadow and watercourses, including the springs, to finally reach this place of spirituality