Abbey of Sant'Antimo

Roughly 31 miles southeast of Siena, outside the town of Montalcino, is the Abbey of Sant'Antimo (Abbazia di Sant'Antimo in Italian). This abbey was originally built as a Benedictine monastery in the 9th century.
The actual construction dates for the Abbey of Sant'Antimo aren't clear, but it's possible that the monastery was founded by Charlemagne. In any case, records of the land on which the abbey was built go back to the year 813, and construction on the church that exists on the site now was completed in the late 11th or early 12th century.
By the mid-12th century, the Abbey of Sant'Antimo had lost much of its power, and the abbey eventually fell into disrepair by the 15th century. The site was in such bad shape in the 1800s that it was good for little more than housing livestock. In the 1870s, after the unification of Italy, the abbey was restored by the new national government.
In 1992, the Abbey of Sant'Antimo once again became a working monastery, this time for a group of the Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré (otherwise known as Premonstratensians).

Practical Info

The abbey is open to visitors, as well as those seeking a spiritual retreat. Visiting hours are from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and again from 3 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. The Premonstratensian priests chant several times a day, which can be magical to hear.