Travel Guide Alseno

Situated along Emilia River, between Piacenza and Parma, the town of Alseno in itself has no special interest except for its magnificent abbey. Founded in 1136 by the famous Cistercian monk Bernard de Clairvaux at the request of Arduino, Bishop of Piacenza, the Abbey di Chiaravalle della Colomba is a magnificent example of medieval art. It derives its name from the abbey of Clairvaux, now a penitentiary institution, while the name'della Colomba'would come from a dove which would have told the monks the location of the monastery by delimiting its perimeter with twigs. More likely, Colomba is the reference to the Holy Spirit, descending under the body of a dove in the Baptism of Christ. A centre for Spiritual Retirement, you can visit the abbey, including its magnificent 8 th century cloister, every day from to and from to. You can also buy liquor, herbal teas, herbal herbal medicines, honey and fragrances produced by the monks on site.If you are in the middle of June, don't miss the religious feast of the Corpus Domini, when you can admire the famous "Infiorata": a magnificent carpet of flower petals linking the entrance to the basilica of the basilica and on which sacred motifs are represented.