The abbey of Farfa is the most importatnt religius monument of the whole Sabine territory. Its origins go back to the first half of the sixth century, when was founded by Bishop Lorenzo. It was destroyed soon after by rebuilt at the end of the seventh or at the beginning of the eighth century by the willing hands of a group of Savoian monks headed by Thomas of Morienne. Due to its strategic position, the Abbey was an important political stronghold of the time, with a growing influence in the ancient Italic reign. Its importance became known to the Longobard King of Pavia who consequently extended their protection to the Abbey walls. In AD 774 the Sabine Abbey decided to side with the emperor Charlemagne who, a year later, granted the Monastery with two diplomas of immunity. These were official grants which exempted the Abbey from any civil and religious jurisdiction. This action, the first of its kind, placed the Abbey under the direct protection of Charlemagne. The fact that the Abbey became an official monastery by appointment of Charlemagne gave increased prosperity not only to Farfa but to its whole hinterland. A sociak and political relationship slowly grew between Farfa and the Carolingians, which continued throughout the ninth century. This alliance(and subsequent fortune of Farfa),  howevwr, was not to last, and in AD 898, whit the collapse of the empire, the Abbey was conquered and savagely burnt to the ground. It was rebuilt during the following years, but, despite the new building the town and Abbbey went through a period of decline which continued into the coming century. In the following period the building saw a brief revival. In 1122, a century later, the Abbey wentthrough a political "change of guard" in accordance with the Worms concordat. The patronance and subsequent protection of the Charlemagne empire over the Benedectine Abbey ended and was substituted by the papal "Crown". There followed a moment of despair and decline which accompanied the monastery's  integration into the new political and ecclesiastical organization.Whit the beginning of the middle ages the Abbey's difficulties increased requiring the judical intervention of the Vatican. In the fourteenth century,in order to buffer this great crisis, the Roman authorities introduced the commenda, a rule by which the Abbot was to be appointed directly by the Pope. Once implemented, the main consequence of this new system of nomination led to the hengemony in Farfa of the Roman baronial families, the first of which was the Orsini; their supremacy lasted until the mid fifteenth century when the FArnee family succeeded them. Following the Saint Giustina reform, in 1567, Alessandro, the apostolic vice-chancellor and bishop of Sabina, obtained, by means of a papal decree of Pio V, the annexation of Farfa to Cassino. After this important political event, Farfa saw a new political event, Farfa saw a new period of splendour thanks, not only to the entire renovation of the building, but also to the widesperead publycity given to the local fair. Farfa's period of economical and political rebirth lasted until the beginning of the seventeenth century when, together with the arrival of the Barberini Family, the whole area fell into deccline once again.
As far as concerns the structure of theAbbey, the present building is a result of numerous renovations undergone throughout the ages. The basilica plan of the Abbey church was reconstructed by the skilled hands of Lombard craftsmen at the end of the fiftenth century. The whole structure was rotated at 90° to the original orientation. An airon gate gives accessto the church. Fragments of a Christian sarcophagus representing pagans, the traditio legis and Meleagro's funeral can be found on the façade of the church, whilst the lunette placed over the central portal offers a fine fresco of cola dell'Amatrice. On the three internal roman naves we can admire the "Last Judement", executed in 1561by Flemish craftsmen by means of a very rare technique: oil painting on wall. It was not until 1494 that the coffer ceiling of the central nave, which bears the Orsini coat of arms, was completed. A visit to Abbey is not complete without visiting the magnificent Library which can be reached by passing through the cloister. The library contains over 60.000 volumes, ancient codices, maps, parchments, incunabula and valuable manuscripts which reccall the prestigious Farfa scriptorium, part iculary important during the eleventh and twelfth centuries, thanks to the precious opera of the monk Gregorio da Catino. The history of the Abbey can be seen in the Museum, where the lives and adventures of twelve important Abbots of the Monastery are explained in a modern and innovative way. Archeological relics, original texts and sketches are the main story tellers of the Abbey's ancient history. Images of Castkes dependent on the Abbey and the traditional fair which took place twice a year in the characteristic workshops are a thematic thread which lead the visitor throug the Abbey's magnificent history.

Visit the official web site www.abbaziadifarfa.it