Certosa di San Lorenzo, also known as Certosa di Padula, is considered one of the most beautiful religious places to visit in the province of Salerno. Recognised in 1998 by Unesco as a World Heritage Site.
Location
We decided to take a family trip to the Certosa di Padula in an early June afternoon. We got to the monastery by car which took around an hour drive from our Villa. Unfortunately, located at Viale Certosa, Padula, 84034, Salerno, car is the only means to visit.
Inside the Certosa
The monastery is home to around 350 rooms. It covers an area of 51,500 m², of which the cloisters make up 15,000 of those square meters, the largest in the world. It is divided into two areas, the first consists of the old working monastery and the second area hosts the former residences of the monks.
The entire visit was peaceful and exquisite. We managed to access almost every part of the site and admire every area without any rush.
We got to learn more about life under the ‘Carthusian rule’, which consisted of work and contemplation, by visiting the monks rooms and the neighbouring fields where they cultivated their own produce.
The monastery is also home to powerful architectural features, predominantly Baroque. You can admire paintings that have been preserved in the library, museum and within the main church. Also, found are more localised features such as ceramic tile decorations.
The monastery was abandoned by the monks in 1807 during the French occupation at the court of the Kingdom of Naples. Since then it has been maintained under the supervision of the Province of Salerno.
One thing we discovered was that it was last used operationally as a hospital during the Second World War!
How much does it cost?
Tickets for the Monastery and Museum cost €10 or alternatively if you just want to visit the Monastery it costs €8. You can buy the tickets online in advance here or on arrival on the day. You can check their latest opening times by visiting their official website.
Summary
We found the visit to the Certosa to be the perfect way to spend a free afternoon before enjoying an ice-cream or coffee on the way back to our Villa.
Photos by Monica
Looking for some more day trip ideas? Make sure to check out our Day trip to Mount Vesuvius post.
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