Boom of visitors at the monastery of San Placido Calonerò

Almost 3000 visitors in two days. The numbers from the Spring Fai Day at the Benedictine Monastery of San Placido Calonerò, home of the Cuppari Agricultural Institute, are record numbers.

Despite the distance from the center and the uncertain weather, many Messinians chose to visit the monastery that overlooks the entire valley between the Schiavo and Briga streams over the weekend. The structure, owned by the Metropolitan City, has finally become visitable after many years of restoration, which is still affecting some areas of the monumental complex such as the old Gothic chapel, where recent discoveries of important artifacts have been made, testifying to a millennia-long evolution.

The starting point of the visit is the medieval portal of the Swabian Castle owned by Count Andrea Vinciguerra d'Aragona, who donated the fief on which the complex stands to the monks. From there, visitors enter the two large late Renaissance cloisters, which have attracted the most attention from visitors.

Among the curiosities are those related to the stay in those places in 1535, after the victorious expedition to Tunis, of Emperor Charles V. Legend has it that on a stormy night, just as the emperor was sleeping in his chambers, a lightning bolt struck the tower, killing his steward, who was then buried right inside the monastery.

Among the most admired structures is also the Cuba of Byzantine origin with mannerist stucco elements and frescoes. The final stop of the visit is the Provincial Wine Cellar and the cellar of the Cuppari Institute, which overlooks the surrounding hills and vineyards. It is also possible to taste the highly prized Faro doc produced by the students.