Let us now turn our attention to the eastern part of the abbey.
Before us rise the three apses, one of the most fascinating and characteristic elements of the entire complex. These apses are a magnificent example of Romanesque architecture: solid, essential, harmonious. Each has a semicircular shape. The tripartite arrangement corresponds to the three interior spaces of the church and reflects the order, symmetry, and clarity typical of medieval spirituality. The central apse is the largest, more prominent and imposing, while the two lateral apses, smaller in size, create a balanced visual rhythm. Approaching them, one can appreciate the masonry style, built with blocks of tuff and local stone, with brick inserts.
The exterior walls of the church’s side aisles are adorned with a series of hanging arches, grouped in threes along the pilasters, and in pairs for the central apse. A sawtooth brick cornice and marble corbels run along the full length of the side walls and the apses.
The apses served not only an architectural function: they were the liturgical heart of the church, the most sacred space. From here, the monks’ chanting once filled the valley, creating a profound connection between the abbey’s spirituality and the surrounding landscape.
If one pauses for a moment, it becomes evident how the three apses, with their soft and regular forms, have been silently dialoguing with the surrounding nature for nearly a thousand years.
