The First Cistercian Abbey In Italy For Sale In Liguria

In the idyllic setting of the Ligurian Apennines, within the province of Genoa and not far from the border with Piedmont, lies this medieval abbey for sale. This majestic complex has preserved its cultural and architectural importance over the centuries. The complex consists of several buildings including farmhouses, a barn and a consecrated church with a bell tower, and measures over 4,200 sqm. All around, only unspoilt nature. The land, including gardens, fields and forests, totals 78 hectares.

This property for sale is truly unique, as it is the first Cistercian abbey in Italy. Its origins date back to the 12th century, when a group of monks from Burgundy decided to settle for the first time outside France, settling this area rich in meadows and immense expanses of woodland. Strategically located between Piedmont and Liguria, specifically between the Monferrato and the Ligurian Sea, the abbey fits perfectly into the natural context of rare beauty that surrounds it, characterised by centuries-old vegetation, large forests, and meadows that extend as far as the eye can see, surrounded by the profile of the mountains. The location is within the Beigua Regional Natural Park, the largest protected natural area in Liguria, rich in hiking trails and points of interest, recognised as a UNESCO site.

Italy's oldest Cistercian abbey, after centuries of prosperity under the protection of popes and emperors, was suppressed in 1442 and transformed into a commendery, following the principle of ecclesiastical benefice whereby land and real estate was granted to members of the clergy as compensation for their services. In 1635, Pope Innocent XI assigned the abbey's property to Cardinal Lorenzo Raggi and his noble family, later to become Salvago Raggi. 

The thousand-year history of these walls is steeped in events and adventures that go right up to the present day. In 1747, the abbey was occupied by the army during the War of Austrian Succession, as the bullet marks visible on some facades still testify. Even Napoleon Bonaparte passed through here during the Italian Campaign, as recalled by the so-called 'Napoleon Oak', a majestic tree at the edge of the property with an 'N' engraved on its bark. The abbey was later the beloved home of the diplomat Giuseppe Salvago Raggi and his granddaughter, the writer Camilla. During the 2000s, the Cistercian monks returned there for about ten years.

The extraordinary complex for sale consists of three main buildings and a consecrated church, organised around a central cloister. The total internal surface area exceeds 4,200 sqm. The interior spaces reflect the grandeur and elegance of medieval sacred architecture, where large halls with high vaulted or wooden ceilings alternate with more intimate and cosy rooms and functional spaces for work and communal life. 

Admirable is the Chapter House, which was the spiritual and community heart of the abbey. A perfect example of Cistercian architecture, it has nine bays punctuated by sandstone columns and alternating red and white banded decoration. Other original spaces are the armarium and locutorium, the monks' cells inside the former rectory and the guest quarters. In addition to lounges, kitchens and libraries, there are 30 bedrooms and 10 bathrooms on the different floors. In the east wing is the residence of the Marquises Raggi with its park of monumental trees. 

The abbey stands in the middle of a natural landscape of extraordinary beauty, surrounded by an immense 78 hectares of gardens, woods and cultivated fields that could be turned into vineyards. It also overlooks the bathing stream Orba, mentioned by Alessandro Manzoni in his ode 'Marzo 1821'. The property also includes a small hamlet with dwellings, agricultural outbuildings and farmsteads. 

With its rich historical background and vast potential, this abbey for sale promises to be a prestigious place of residence or cultural and tourist activity for those who wish to invest in a property of great historical and cultural value, immersed in a natural environment of exceptional beauty and in a strategic position between the hills of Monferrato, the splendid seaside towns of Liguria, as well as being less than two hours from Milan.