Abbey of Piobbico (Sarnano)

The history of the Abbey of Piobbico

The site originally held a chapel dedicated to Santa Maria inter rivoira, meaning "between the rivers," because it lies between the Tenna and the Tennacola. On that base the Benedictine abbey was founded in 1030 in the Romanesque style and consecrated in 1059.

For centuries the abbey played an important role because it stood on the border between the dioceses of Camerino and Fermo. On the opposite side of the hill washed by the Tennacola, which marks this natural boundary, stands the Benedictine monastery of Santi Vincenzo e Anastasio in Amandola.

In the 13th century the monks of Piobbico had a long dispute with the young Comune (commune) of Sarnano. In exchange for land they obtained permission to build an oratory in the town. The oratory rose in Piazza Alta and is considered the forerunner of today's Collegiate Church of Santa Maria Assunta. Once the church in town was built, the monks gradually left Piobbico, and the abbey declined.

What to see at the Abbey of Piobbico

The church of San Biagio is built of scaglia rossa, a red limestone found in the area. The facade has a single high oculus and a round-arched portal. An inscription dated 1117 carved above the portal records some restorations. These works seem to have shortened the original length of the church.

The interior has a narrow nave leading to a flat, rectangular apse wall with two narrow windows. The oldest part is the three-aisled crypt under the presbytery. The current church is the surviving part of the original Benedictine church, remodeled several times. Sturdy, rough, simple columns support cross vaults.

How to visit the Abbey of Piobbico

After the damage from the 2016 earthquake the abbey was restored, and on July 27, 2024 it reopened to the public. Opening is on request, so before planning the trip it is best to make arrangements with the Comune di Sarnano (town hall).

In 2020 the Tamburini del Serafino association and the Centro Studi Sarnanesi collected texts and photographs about the building. The work received a contribution from MIBACT (the Italian Ministry of Culture) and the patronage of the Comune di Sarnano. The material makes a virtual visit possible.

The abbey is also the starting point of a loop walk in the Valle dei Tre Santi. The route, of moderate difficulty, takes about 2 hours with about 150 m of elevation gain. Along the mountain bike route from Sarnano to the Valle dei Tre Santi, a stop at the abbey is planned after the spring.

Where the Abbey of Piobbico is located

The abbey stands in the hamlet of Piobbico, in the municipality of Sarnano, in the province of Macerata. The hamlet lies at 730 m above sea level, about 5 km from the center of Sarnano. From Sarnano, follow the road to Piobbico and Pintura di Bolognola.

Piobbico is the base for reaching the Valle dei Tre Santi. This natural gorge carved by the Tennacola lies between the hamlets of Giampereto di Sarnano and Pintura di Bolognola.

Around the Abbey of Piobbico

The Valle dei Tre Santi is the most natural destination. From the abbey, follow the paved road with signs for the valley, pass through Giampereto, and then the road turns to gravel. Along the way there is a spring for refilling water. The Tennacola has carved a narrow gorge closed off by a waterfall. Up to the gorge the hike is fairly easy. In spring care is needed, because the stream carries more water and the crossing may not be straightforward. The route runs almost entirely through woods, so it can also be done in summer. A more demanding variant, of about 2 hours round trip, leads to the springs of the Tennacola.

In Sarnano, Piazza Alta, where the Collegiata di Santa Maria Assunta stands, is worth a visit. Other churches and monasteries of the Sibillini are collected on the page Abbeys and monasteries of the Sibillini.

Piobbico also keeps the memory of an episode of the Resistance. On March 29, 1944, Nazi and Fascist troops reached the hamlet during a roundup. The partisan lieutenant Decio Filipponi turned himself in and was killed. His act allowed the population to be saved.