On the Lungarno Sidney Sonnino in Pisa, we find what was once the Benedictine Monastery. The construction of the complex – which included church and monastery – dates back to 1393. It currently belongs to private owners and is a venue for events and conferences, as well as a guesthouse for students and university lecturers.
The different renovations
The complex has undergone several renovations over time, the first in the 16th century, when the nuns came under the Order of St. Stephen, and the second in the following century. It was during these works that the frescoes by Benozzo Gozzoli, who had depicted the Stories of St Benedict with them, were almost completely destroyed.
A later renovation was carried out in 1850 by architect Domenico Santini. To his intervention we owe the appearance of the current neo-Gothic façade.
It must be specified, however, that in reality the nuns had already done some restoration work in 1814. In 1808, in fact, the monastery was requisitioned (we are in the period of Napoleonic rule) and the condition – imposed by Ferdinand of Lorraine – that the nuns had to respect in order to regain possession was to restore the structure at their own expense.
Le Benedettine – Unipi
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Worth Knowing:
In fact, the nuns were originally settled near the Basilica of San Piero a Grado, but had to move because of Saracen raids.