The Monastery of San Benedetto, also known as the Sacro Speco (“Sacred Cave”), stands literally carved into the rock face of Monte Taleo, above Subiaco, not far from San Vito Romano. It is one of the most striking and important places in Western Christian spirituality: here, around the year 500, the young Benedict of Nursia withdrew to live as a hermit in a natural cave, spending about three years there in solitude devoted to prayer and meditation. According to tradition, during that time he was known only to the monk Romanus, who lowered food to him on a rope from the cliff above.
From that cave, later known as the “Sacro Speco”, the monastic complex that can still be visited today developed between the 9th and 13th centuries, expanded above all between the 13th and 14th centuries. The building, supported by nine tall arches - some pointed - cantilevered over the rock, houses inside a cycle of frescoes spanning from the 8th to the 16th century, the work of various schools of painting, including one of the earliest known depictions of Saint Francis of Assisi, made while the saint was still alive.
A little further down the same gorge stands the Monastery of Santa Scolastica, dedicated to Saint Benedict’s twin sister: it was there, in 1465, that a group of German monks installed the first movable-type printing press in Italy.
Reachable only on foot along a path that climbs through the woods, the Sacro Speco remains today a destination for pilgrims and visitors alike, one of the most spectacular rock-cut sanctuaries in Lazio.
Opening hours and contacts
The monastery is open to visitors every day, with no booking required:
- morning: 9:00 am – 12:30 pm (last entry at 12:00 noon);
- afternoon, 1 April to 1 November: 3:00 – 6:00 pm (last entry at 5:30 pm);
- afternoon, 2 November to 31 March: 3:00 – 5:00 pm (last entry at 4:30 pm).
On Sunday mornings part of the sanctuary is closed to the public for religious services.
Phone: +39 0774 85039
Opening hours may change, especially on public holidays: it is best to check them before setting off.
Source for opening hours and phone: Italian Ministry of Culture (checked in October 2026). The monks’ website: Benedictines of Subiaco.
Photo: High Contrast and Livioandronico2013, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0 and CC BY-SA 4.0; pietro scerrato, CC BY 3.0.