Abbazia di San Pietro

Walk Around the Abbey Grounds


The present entrance to the abbey is via the impressive portal (1614) designed by Valentino Martelli, which was clearly inspired by Porta San Pietro behind you.

This leads to the north cloister:

  • The entrance immediately on the left leads to stairs to the rooms around the first floor of the cloister that house the art collection that the Fondazione per l’ Istruzione Agraria inherited when it took over the abbey in 1890.

  • The entrance to the church is diagonally opposite you, with the campanile to the right.  Before the cloister was built, the road to Rome passed in front of the portico of the church and its campanile.

  • The door opposite you leads to a corridor through which you enter the grounds of the abbey.

At the end of the corridor, just before the door to the gardens, turn left to see the main cloister (early 16th century), which is also known as the Chiostro del Pozzo,  and which was designed by Francesco di Guido di Virio da Settignano and named for the well (1530) at its centre.  Under the portico opposite, you can see the portal and two bifore windows of the ex-Chapter House of the monastery.




Retrace your steps and then turn left into the garden.  The path ahead runs along what was originally the line of the main road, and most of the gardens were laid out after its diversion in 1587.  

The Chiostro delle Stelle (1571), which was designed by Galeazzo Alessi, can be seen through the grill behind the lily pond on the right.  




The path continues to the arch of Porta di Braccio.


Porta di Braccio (13th century)

This gate, which probably originally formed an “anti-porte” to the city, was recorded in 1295 (under its old name, Porta San Costanzo) as marking the end of the Rione di Porto San Pietro.  It was re-named in honour of Braccio Fortebracci in the early 15th century when it was incorporated into the new stretch of walls. 

This part of the wall was demolished in 1587 when the road was diverted, but the gate and one of its two towers survives. 



The path now enters the gardens that the monks laid out after the diversion of the road in 1587.  A milestone on the right, just after the arch, helpfully informed pilgrims of the distances to Rome (ahead) and Santiago di Compostella (behind them).







The gardens, like the abbey, are now under the administration of the Fondazione per l’Istruzione Agraria.  The belvedere ahead and to the left offers a fine view from its walls that reaches as far as Norcia and the Appenines beyond.



Leave the garden by the gate at the end on the right and turn left to rejoin Walk IV at Porta San Costanzo.  After a detour to San Costanzo, this walk takes you round the outside of the abbey and includes a fine view of the apse of the church.