Heading towards Varna, a few kilometers from Bressanone, the abbey of Novacella appears in the distance, surrounded by woods, meadows, and vineyards. The natural setting in which it is located, at the foot of the mountain and immersed in nature, is surprising. The view of the complex of architectural works ranging from Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque, Rococo, to classicism impresses with its grandeur and sense of spirituality. Like the rings of a tree, the buildings develop around the ancient heart of the complex, the abbey church and the cloister, forming a compact entity, like a village surrounded by walls.
The Abbey of Novacella, still run today by the Augustinian Canons Regular, is located in the Isarco Valley in Alto Adige, Northern Italy. In addition to its great beauty, what makes it famous is its historicity: it was founded in 1142, and in 2022, its 880 years of history were celebrated. From the beginning, it was an important cultural and artistic center.
Entering the abbey area, Castel Sant’Angelo appears – a two-story chapel called the Chapel of St. Michael – which represents the most interesting example in the region of a central plan building. Proceeding towards the heart of the abbey, we arrive at the courtyard with the Baroque-style well, with depictions of the seven wonders of antiquity: on the eighth side, a representation of the Abbey itself was added as the eighth wonder. The library also overlooks the courtyard. Inside, adorned with elegant stucco and characterized by the transition from Rococo to classicism, there are 42 bookcases with carved superstructures with about 98,000 volumes. Among the most precious books are various medieval manuscripts, mostly dating back to the fifteenth century, when they were handwritten, demonstrating the culture that was already present in the abbey in that century.
To the south of the religious building, the cloister stretches out, punctuated by a series of pointed arches and Gothic frescoes, which surround the small inner courtyard where a fountain is located.
On the south side of the cloister, you can access the abbey museum, renovated in 2021, which includes among its treasures various triptychs and altarpieces dating back to the late Middle Ages. It also hosts exhibitions dedicated to various cultural and religious themes. The historic garden, with its ancient plants and herbarium, should also be mentioned.
The oldest cellar, located below the floor of the church, consists of several rooms at different levels, of small size, and connected by staircases, which, although recently renovated, still maintain their medieval charm. Today, the abbey of Novacella is counted among the oldest active wineries in the world, not only for the vineyards owned at the time of its foundation but also because of the archaeological finds found in the Isarco Valley, which prove that the area was already cultivating vines before Christ.
Taking the small road that starts from the monastery parking lot and climbs the slope of the mountain, where the vineyards reach an altitude of about 900 meters, is very suggestive. The history of the Abbey of Novacella merges with that of its wines, which can be tasted in the abbey’s wine shop.
From the aesthetics that gratify the sight, to the spiritual mystery that nourishes the soul, to the art of wine, a journey into authenticity that celebrates the value of time in the enjoyment of living.
