Milano, Chiaravalle Abbey

The Chiaravalle Abbey was founded by S. Bernardo of Clairvaux ("chiara-valle", "clear valley") in 1135 (sec. XII) on a swampland reclaimed by the Cistercian Monks. Replaced with a new building in the 1150-60 decade, it was completed in 1221.
The magnificent building reflects the good result of an economic enterprise concerning the land that Milan aristocracy donated to the Cistercians: morass areas, inhabited by storks (which subsequently became the order's emblem). The Cistercians, through skilled irrigation of putrid river- and spring waters, transformed them in "marcite", that is water meadows ("pratum marcidum" according to the ancient definition) for extensive harvest. Under the Spanish domination the Abbey decayed, and the order was abolished from the Cisalpine Republic in 1796. Once the church was deconsecrated and the cloister was converted into stable and barrack, the whole building was gradually deprived of its cloisters, while moistness was increasingly damaging the wall paintings. It was only in the first decades of the XX century that repairs were made and the church was re-consecrated as parish. A wider restoration was carried out in 1952, consequently to the return of a nucleus of Cistercian monks. The Abbey is the prototype of Cistercian architecture in Lombardy, where the French Gothic merges into the local Lombard style. In compliance with the Latin cross plan with rectangular choir and the transept with chapels placed side by side, typical of the Fontenay Abbey (Bourgogne 1147), Chiaravalle reflects particularities proper of the Lombard Romanesque-Gothic style (use of terracotta; internal round arcades positioned upon pilasters with cylindrical base, etc.). The façade was re-edited in baroque forms in '600 (today only the portico remains) and brought back to its original style in 1926, with the re-opening of the rose window and the upper bifore window. The marble portal is of the XIII century.
Inside, the Latin cross presents a transept and three groin-vaults naves. Frescoes: almost all the decoration of the Abbey was made by the two brothers G. Battista (Milano, 1561-1627) and G. Mauro Della Rovere (Milan, 1575-1640), called the Fiammenghini. Among their works: the fresco of the counterfaçade, "S. Bernardo brings the separatists back to the Catholic Church"; in the transepts, the "Representation of Cistercian saints and bishops", the "Scenes of martyrdom of Cistercian monks" and the two big frescoes depicting "Monks reciting the Mass with Angels accompanying them in Chorus" which decorate the lunettes over the choir stall. These are the masterpiece of Carlo Garavaglia, XVII century, and represent in 44 panels the life of S. Bernardo. The "Madonna on the Throne with Child", in Leonardo's style, was painted by Bernardino Luini (1480 aprox.-1532). It is situated on the top of a stairway ('500) which led to the monks' dormitory. The most prestigious paintings are the frescoes of Giotto School (fourth decade of XIV century) on the inner walls of the cupola and of the drum sustaining it: in the high section: "Evangelists and Doctors of the Church"; in the drum: "Stories of the Holy Virgin, Annunciation and the Passage of the Holy Virgin". The sacristy, built at the beginning of the XV century, subsequently expanded in baroque age, preserves an altarpiece by Daniele Crespi (Varese, 1600 - Milan, 1630) depicting S. Bernardo's arrival to Milan. From the right transept the visit continues through the cloister, from where the outside of the tower-cupola is visible. At present the cloister is maybe the most suggestive place of the Abbey and it leads to the remnants of the ancient refectory and kitchens, as well as to the imposing Capitular Hall, where vestiges of graffiti from the XV century are conserved, representing the panorama of Milan at that time, with the Cathedral under construction.