Library of the Abbey of Farfa

The Benedictine Abbey of Farfa was an imperial abbey, one of the most important of the Middle Ages, named after the homonymous river located in the Municipality of Fara in Sabina, in the splendid natural setting of Sabina. The origin of the abbey is still uncertain, although some archaeological excavations carried out beneath it have revealed the presence of a complex dating back to Roman times. Today this complex preserves some characteristics of Carolingian architecture visible in the bell tower and the perimeter wall that surrounds it, as well as the beautiful pilasters attached to the walls. Inside, medieval frescoes and the remains of a medieval structure external to Italian architecture, known as westwerk, are kept, among which stands out the 9th-century tombstone dedicated to Abbot Sicard. Of notable interest is also a room in the monastic museum characterized by an exhibition of 12 scenes by Emanuele Luzzati and various references to the seventeenth-century writings of the Farfa monk Gregorio da Catino. Attached to the Abbey is the historic library that still preserves numerous volumes and manuscripts.