The Morimondo Abbey is a jewel dating back to the 12th Century. It is a Cistercian abbey located a few kilometers from Milan, in Morimondo, on the border with the territory of Pavia, on the right bank of the Naviglio di Bereguardo. If you are visiting Milan you must take into consideration to spend an afternoon around here.
The Morimondo Abbey: a brief history
The Morimondo Abbey begins its history on the 4th of October 1134 with the arrival of a group of founding monks from the mother house of Morimond, in France. In the first years the community had a progressive expansion in the number of vocations, so much so that two abbeys were soon founded: that of Acquafredda in Lenno in 1153, and that of Casalvolone near Novara in 1169.
A notable sign of the intense spirituality is demonstrated by the flourishing activity of the Scriptorium, aimed at the establishment of the monastic library, and the initial provision of fundamental texts of the two new filiations.
The expansion of the abbey’s land holdings was favored by its proximity to the border between the territories of Milan and Pavia, rival municipalities from which Morimondo nevertheless received protection and donations.
The time line of the Abbey History
4th of October 1134 – Arrival of the initial group of monks from France
11th of November 1136 – The monks move to the site of the abbey in Morimondo.The abbey ispartially completed
1182 – 1296 – Construction of the church next to the monastery
1314 – The church and monastery are runsacked. begins the decline of the abbey
1564 – The abbey becomes an official parish of the diocese of Milan by will of Archbishop San Carlo Borromeo
31st of May 1798 – The suppression, which occurred in the wake of the French Revolution, put an end to the presence of the Cistercian monks and caused the total dispersion of the codicological heritage
1805 – 1950 – The religious life was animated by Ambrosian priests. In 1941 the Archbishop of Milan, the Blessed Cardinal Ildefonso Schuster, on a pastoral visit to the abbey, having noticed its state of abandonment, wanted to bring religious life back to the monastery
1950 – The Congregation of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary settled in the monastery
1993 – Establishment of the Abbatia Sancte Marie de Morimundo Foundation and consequent valorization of the spiritual and cultural heritage of the abbey and of Cîteaux monasticism in general
How to get to the Morimondo Abbey from Milan
Opening times
The opening hours of the Morimondo abbey church are always the same throughout the year:
From 8.30am to 6.30pm every day
The different visiting times for the monastic complex are established by the abbey museum. Visiti this link for more.
Directions
The correct address to use on your gps app is “Piazza del Municipio 6, 20081, Morimondo, Milano”
If you are travelling there from the city of Milan, and depending on your exact location, the gps will either have you to take the A7 highway (exit Bereguardo) or the A4 highway (exit Marcallo Mesero)
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