CORTONA | Must-see Places

Le Celle Monastery

“Eremo delle Celle” is a masterpiece you can’t miss if you come to visit the area of Cortona. It is located just few kilometres far from the town, and it is a place of peace and calm. The monastery is built surrounded by nature and woods. The Eremo is one of the first Franciscan settlement chosen and wanted by San Francesco of Assisi. The history of the hermitage begins before the arrival of San Francesco. In fact, the name of this location Celle says that in this place once there was the ancient presence of small caves originated from the rocks, and used by the local shepherds and farmers. San Francesco arrived in Cortona in 1211 together with friar Silvestro. Thanks to a blessed from Cortona named Guido Vagnottelli, he knew this place. Francesco made some cells, included the one where he stayed many times, until few months before his death. You could still see his cell, that remained the same as it was when San Francesco was alive. After the death of the Saint, the monastery was fixed and expanded by friar Elia, the general minister of the Order of Friars Minors of that period. The construction works for the monastery, as it is today, began in 1235, when Frate Elia, who was from Cortona, started to build the first part of the convent. From the 1537 the monastery is inhabited by the Capuchin order of monks. Around the Eremo there is a beautiful wood of holm oak and cypress. And inside this wood there is a bridge, called Ponte del Granduca (Bridge of Gran Duke), that is over the river that go through the hermitage. This bridge dates back to 1728, and it was ordered by the Grand duke of Tuscany. The wood that surrounds the bridge and all the hermitage, dates back to very ancient times, because already in the oldest reproductions of hermitage, you can clearly see the big trees that surrounds the monastery. The hermitage is always generally open, so you could go and visit it when you like. Don’t miss the chance to visit this place, because is a place of soul, spirituality and nature, and this visit will remain in your heart and in your mind.