A weekend in the Certosa di Pavia, Lombardy.. Contemplation and good food

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Sometimes, to make a spiritual journey to go home a little 'soul changed, there is no need to go far. If to attain the goals of fun and noisy summer holidays often face substantial costs and distances of thousands of miles for a weekend of inner peace just a lot less: even hour's drive for those coming to Pavia from Milan.
Although it is now since 1947 in the Monastery no longer inhabit the Carthusians, the history of this place is deeply steeped in the mystery of the contemplative life of cloistered monks. Looking at the small cloister, where there was a large part of the community life of the fathers, he is kidnapped in a world that usually is known only from books. The silence, the loneliness, the search for meaningful dialogue with God through self-isolation from the noise of the outside world, are the most known features of the life of the Carthusians. But also their typical day is interesting: from manual work and prayer, the rest are reserved for only a few hours, and never all below. While it is true that after 19.00 starts a period of rest, this lasts only up to 23.45, when does the "sunrise night", with Matins of the Virgin Mary and the prayers to be recited in the cell, followed by Matins and Morning Prayer in church, and Lauds of the Virgin in the cell up to about 3.30. The second is raised to 6.45, after which time the day continues through the mass, work, study and prayer, with a short break after lunch. The liveliest moment of the life of a Carthusian monk is called monaco spacing: Once a week is allowed to walk three or four hours, during which we can speak freely. Usually you walk in pairs and occasionally changing group, to speak with several brothers.
The monument, which gives its name to the town located 8 miles north of Pavia, was founded in 1396 by the will of Gian Galeazzo Visconti, and was destined to become a dynastic mausoleum of the Dukes of Milan. At that time there was the park of the Visconti Castle of Pavia, and the location of the monastery coincided with the northern margin of the park. To build the monastery had been chosen a large wood fenced linking the Visconti Castle of Pavia to the area where the lords of Lombardy went for hunting. The Vernavola Park, north of Pavia, still retains a trace of this park, though no longer connected to the Charterhouse, and even the castle.
Today, living in the monastery of the Cistercian monks, while in the Ducal Palace, which was once the summer residence of the Visconti and Sforza, is the Museum of the Certosa di Pavia. Here are collected many works from the monastery. We admired the ground floor gallery of plaster casts, which displays about two hundred plaster casts taken from the reliefs which decorate the monastery, while upstairs there are the paintings, vestments and sculptures.
On the second day of our stay in Pavia, we also toured the various fractions, which until 1929 constituted the common in their own right. Torre del Mangia, Torriano, Cascine Calderari and Samperone are small jewels of the churches where we saw very beautiful, like the Church of San Michele in Torre del Mangia, or San Rocco in Cascine Calderari.
During our weekend stay at Pavia we have one of the most historic place, the Hotel Ristorante Milano, Via Monument. "This site was born about fifty years ago, and then called Locanda Milano", tell us about the owners, Mr. Victor and Mr. Franco. We immediately won the family character of the place, we also appreciate that value during our dinner. Let's start with the carpaccio with sliced ??meats, and veal with tuna sauce with potato salad. We followed the appetizers from homemade ravioli with mushrooms, risotto with mushrooms, while some of us will taste a delicious risotto with frogs. The white rice reminds us once again the tradition of Carthusian monks in fact, whites favored foods because they symbolize purity. In choosing the second we divide between the fried calamari and shrimp, the fantasy of meat with mushrooms, frogs and fried with mixed salad. Chat with the owners, we find that booking a series of prepared dishes of venison, wild boar or hare-based.
There will be opportunity to also taste these delicacies, as we intend to return to Pavia soon when we will find our friends in Central Italy. Among spiritual ideas, art and good food, a trip to the monastery will be a very pleasant one.

Frances Bertha

FOR INFORMATION:

www.comune.certosa.pv.it

www.beiweb.net/ristorante.milano/

www.certosadipavia.com / albergomilano

Hotel Ristorante Milano

Monument Street, 13

Certosa di Pavia (PV)

0382/925633