Santa Caterina del Sasso
Encyclopedia
Hermitage of Santa Caterina del Sasso is a Roman Catholic monastery
located in the municipality of Leggiuno
, in the Province of Varese
and the region of Lombardy
, Italy
. It is perched on a rocky ridge on the eastern shore of Lake Maggiore
.
The monastery can be reached on foot by descending down a long winding stairway or by taking a elevator
or by a number of ferry services or boats that dock at the pier.
The construction of the monastery dates from the fourteenth century, although the more recent frescos are from the nineteenth century. It consists of three buildings: the southern convent, the convent and the main church. In 1914 it was declared a national monument.
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
located in the municipality of Leggiuno
Leggiuno
Leggiuno is a town and comune in the province of Varese, Lombardy, Italy.It is the birthplace of Gigi Riva, a footballer of Cagliari and Italy. The great Italian operatic tenor Giuseppe Borgatti died there in retirement in 1950.-Main sights:...
, in the Province of Varese
Province of Varese
The Province of Varese is a province in the Lombardy region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Varese but its largest city is Busto Arsizio....
and the region of Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. It is perched on a rocky ridge on the eastern shore of Lake Maggiore
Lake Maggiore
Lake Maggiore is a large lake located on the south side of the Alps. It is the second largest of Italy and largest of southern Switzerland. Lake Maggiore is the most westerly of the three great prealpine lakes of Italy, it extends for about 70 km between Locarno and Arona.The climate is mild...
.
The monastery can be reached on foot by descending down a long winding stairway or by taking a elevator
Elevator
An elevator is a type of vertical transport equipment that efficiently moves people or goods between floors of a building, vessel or other structures...
or by a number of ferry services or boats that dock at the pier.
The construction of the monastery dates from the fourteenth century, although the more recent frescos are from the nineteenth century. It consists of three buildings: the southern convent, the convent and the main church. In 1914 it was declared a national monument.