Frascarolo PV

Acqualunga Abbey

The Abbazia di Acqualunga is located in the municipality of Frascarolo, in a region strongly linked to the presence of the Po River. Founded in 1180 by Ascherio, abbot of the Cistercian monastery of Santa Maria and San Giovanni di Rivalta Scrivia, the abbey included a church and a monastery dedicated to the Virgin Mary, named “Aqua Longa” due to the numerous watercourses nearby. After the founder’s death in 1185, the abbey came under the authority of the abbot of Rivalta Scrivia, who managed most of its assets until the early 13th century. In 1204, some Cistercian monks settled in the complex, transforming it into an autonomous abbey. In the 15th century, it became a commendam under the guidance of Galeazzo Petra, the first bishop of Vigevano. In 1530, by a papal bull from Clement VIII, the abbey was placed under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Vigevano, marking the end of its independence and the disappearance of the Cistercian order, although three monks remained as custodians until 1798, when it was suppressed. Today, from the old monastery demolished in the 19th century, only the abbey church and the old guesthouse remain, which now houses the parish rectory. The church is modest in size, with a three-nave structure divided into two bays each, with ribbed vaults and a flat-ended choir. The Abbazia di Acqualunga is situated within the homonymous nature reserve.