Abbey of Sant' Antimo

Friday, September 11, 2009

I don't think there are words to describe a wonderful opportunity we had today. Our guide, Simone, took us to the Abbey of Sant' Antimo in the Orcia Valley of Tuscany. This 1,200 year old Benedictine Abbey, isolated in a rural area south of Siena, is an architectural delight of simplicity. But the best part was being treated to the actual service of a Gregorian Chant. This isn't a performance, but rather a religious ceremony. We've seen a lot of spectacular sights on this trip but I think this has to be the highlight for me. I've never experienced anything like it. The acoustics were perfect and nothing could be better than the original setting.


“Abbey of Sant' Antimo” © Kathy Dunham 2009