Certosa di Trisulti: The Nativity Crib Scene

  

When we visited the Charterhouse in the mountains at Trisulti in the Summer we went into the church which is situated in the courtyard of a papal palace of Innocent III (the pope who gave his blessing so that Francis of Assisi, the humble man of vision, could continue with his work as a friar preaching the gospel of love, justice and peace; demonstrating the way of Christ to the church and society in general).

A baptismal service was taking place at the time and many of the side chapels and adjoining rooms were open.

                                           

                                               

In the courtyard the shepherd boy placard indicates the open door into a semi-darkened room where there's an illuminated Nativity Crib set in a village with scenes and figurines of country folk who are engaged in a traditional way of life and working on different crafts. Some of the models are moving so it's a dynamic and endearing permanent display that has been there for many decades.

The nativity scene or il presepio was first introduced by Francis of Assisi on Christmas Eve of A.D. 1223 when the people of Gubbio in Italy created a living nativity scene in the woods and Francis preached the joyful message of the birth of Jesus Christ - 'the child of Bethlehem'.

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Italy: higher up the mountain: Certosa di Trisulti (3)

view from the church and palazzo courtyard.

Even though the Charterhouse of Trisulti is located in a remote, wooded location it has been possible for many years to visit it on foot because of the mountain tracks across the area.  In fact, the name 'trisulti' derives from three nearby mountain passes in the region. A castle belonging to the noble Colonna family also stood near the monastery.

Today, many visitors come to see the frescoes and other artwork in the old pharmacy, but as well as being a retreat house for seminarians the monastery serves the local people of the Collepardo area and there are services in the adjoining church.  On the day we were there a baptism was taking place. There's also an ancient ecclesiastical palace, a library of antiquarian books and a collection of the types of herbs used in medicinal remedies and alpine plants that can be found in the Abruzzi mountains. The monastery shop sells liqueurs, herbal preparations, honey, chocolate, literature and souvenirs similar to those at the sister Casamari Abbey.

Visitors enter the monastery through the towered Tuscan-style portico with its marble plaque in relief of St. Bartholomew, the patron saint of the Certosa.

Many of the frescoes in the monastery were painted by Filippo Balbi (1806-1890). The one over the inner door of the entrance portico depicts the Virgin and Child giving the bread of providence to a monk and others hand provisions to children.

Mr. P. rested on the steps of the pharmacy and I went inside.  The light was variable so the results of my photographic efforts are mixed.

The top frescoes are the more well known ones.  On the top left is a painted door depicting, I believe, F. Balbi's serving boy and the other is a caricature of 'poverty' and 'egotism'.

In the salon/waiting room every wall is covered in paintings and over the two arched doors are those depicting events in the life of Balbi.

There are other paintings in the hall decorated with 3D artificial tropical trees, poetic sayings and a long cased clock with a face that has eyes that must have moved from side to side when it was working. I remember years ago there was a huge stuffed eagle at the end of the corridor and a live one in a cage in the grounds, but probably something that the community wouldn't want to display or keep these days.

  

This is the pharmacy with its original cases of medicine jars and bottles.  Even the doors and window shutters are beautifully painted. 

As you can imagine, the collages represent only some of the details in the old pharmacy and there are other areas of the monastery complex also of interest.  Finally, we visited the monastery shop to buy some gifts for my husband's family such as this herbal digestive drink.

Italy: higher up the mountains: Certosa di Trisulti (2)

Set in the wooded mountains of the Ciociaria region, at an altitude of 800m, the Charterhouse of Trisulti is a huge monastic complex that has now become a national monument. Its fame is partly due to the old pharmacy decorated with many frescoes that have fantastical themes and beyond the high walls that enclose this part of the monastery there's a beautiful garden.

When I'm looking around a garden I'm always interested in how the garden is tended.  The plentiful supply of water that has been channelled from the nearby mountain streams into the monastery must be of benefit in keeping the gardens well watered.

Next to the formal gardens is an area of land with outbuildings and store rooms which is used for growing fruit, vegetables and herbs.

A view of the enclosed gardens from one of the windows in the pharmacy.  More about the frescoes that decorate the pharmacy and adjoining rooms next time.

Italy: higher up in the mountains: Certosa Di Trisulti (1)

As you know, our Italian house is situated in a mountainous region in South Lazio. This photo was taken years ago before I had a digital camera so it looks rather like a retro postcard!  It's the Collepardo area where we go for picnics in the Summertime.  There are interesting caves to visit and Trisulti Monastery is in this area.

On the first weekend of our time in Italy we drove up to Trisulti hoping to get some good photos of the mountains on the way - very difficult when the road is a winding one with few places to stop safely as you go higher and it follows the natural line of a deep gorge.

These first photos are near home, the last looking back towards where we live.  This area is mostly shepherding country and a few decades ago the only buildings were shepherds' dwellings. With the improved access on the main tracks many have been upgraded so there are modern homesteads and we noticed many had started building thick stone boundary walls. Landslides can occur during sudden heavy rain storms.

It's also land suitable for growing olive trees and producing olive oil.  We were given a large can of the local olive oil by a relative of a relative in exchange for some of our white wine that had gone to vinegar.  Sadly it was much to heavy and impossible to transport back to England by plane, but has been stored in the cool of the canteen for future use when we are in Italy.

This photo doesn't really convey how high up we were, but as you can see it's a popular area for serious cycle training and must be exhilarating going down hill!

This area opens up at the side of the gorge and is a popular place to camp or come for the day for a family picnic. You can climb up a track though the woods to the source of the river which, of course, is only a mountain stream in this lovely, shady spot.

Below is a glimpse of the Certosa di Trisulti from across the gorge and before you get to the camping/picnic area where the road goes right down into the ravine and then up again towards the monastery area. The road is quite narrow and there are no barriers.  Beyond the brown grassy edge is a drop into the gorge.

Because of its inaccessibility - my husband explained that once there was just a rough track to it -   it was and is still is used as a retreat place to test a religious vocation, and also attracts visitors because it has become well-known for its ancient pharmacy with its beautiful and unusual wall paintings. Also, imagine trying to build in this remote area!

The area is covered in oak, sweet chestnut and beech woods with some pine.  We have always been fascinated by this oak tree near the monastery clinging to the edge of the gorge and half dead and half alive. We've passed the interest in it onto our children and grandchildren who always want to walk along the track to take a look at it.  Fortunately there's a barrier at this point!

We spent a while in the monastery and grounds before getting some water from the fountain. There a few of these fountains in the area where folk come to fill up bottles and jars with mineral water to take home.  More about the Charterhouse another time, but as we went for a light lunch in the restaurant attached to it I will finish off this post with a look around the rustic-style Trisulti Ristorante.

I always feel that I'm going back in time and to the era when we came here first in the 1970s. We had a delicious lunch of cannelloni made with fresh pasta and Mr. P. had mixed roasted meats and salad.

This was an extra taster dish presented to us of mozzarella filled with chopped up pieces of salami and rocket leaves.

                                                             Monastery entrance door

Next time we can take a stroll around the monastery gardens and courtyards and take a look at the famous pharmacy murals (I was delighted to find that this year it was possible to take photos of the paintings for the first time.