"The oldest Benedictine monastery in the world, with three cloisters and the first Italian printing press"
Monastero di Santa Scolastica
Subiaco, Latium, Italia
Founded by Saint Benedict around 520 AD as one of thirteen monasteries in the Aniene valley, Santa Scolastica is the only one that survived. Through two Saracen destructions, centuries of rebuilding, and the upheavals of Italian history, this monastery has persisted. Three cloisters spanning the Cosmatesque, Gothic, and Renaissance periods mark the passage of architectural time. In 1465, the first Italian printing press was established within these walls, introducing moveable type to the peninsula.
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Quick Facts
Location
Subiaco, Latium, Italia
Tradition
Site Type
Coordinates
41.9188, 13.1096
Last Updated
Mar 9, 2026
Founded by Saint Benedict c. 520 AD as one of thirteen monasteries in the Subiaco valley. The only survivor. Twice destroyed by Saracens, rebuilt each time. Home to three cloisters spanning eight centuries and the first Italian printing press (1465).
Origin Story
Benedict of Nursia, after his three years as a hermit in the cave that would become the Sacro Speco, founded thirteen monastic communities in the Aniene valley. The community that would become Santa Scolastica was among them. Named for Benedict's twin sister Scholastica, herself a monastic who established a women's community nearby, the monastery became the principal foundation in the valley. When Benedict departed for Monte Cassino, the Subiaco communities continued, but over the following centuries all but Santa Scolastica were destroyed or abandoned. The monastery became the repository of Benedict's Subiaco legacy.
Key Figures
Saint Benedict of Nursia
Founder of the monastery c. 520 AD
Saint Scholastica
Benedict's twin sister, for whom the monastery is named; founder of women's Benedictine monasticism
Abbot Lando
Built the Cosmatesque cloister (c. 1200)
Arnold Pannartz and Conrad Sweynheym
German clerics who established the first Italian printing press at the monastery
Pope Benedict VII
Consecrated the Romanesque church on December 4, 980
Spiritual Lineage
Benedictine Order. Territorial abbey. The oldest Benedictine monastery in the world. The sole survivor of Benedict's thirteen Subiaco foundations. Connected to the broader Benedictine network that includes Monte Cassino, Cluny, and thousands of foundations worldwide.
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