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The Hermitages of St Benedict in Vicovaro: sacred caves overhanging the river Aniene
The Hermitages of San Benedetto are located in Vicovaro, carved into the rock beneath the Convent of San Cosimato, which itself hangs over the Aniene river. The complex of natural caves was shaped by karst erosion, later converted into rock-hewn chapels and monastic cells. Reopened to the public in 2015 after restoration, they remain one of the most remarkable sites in the Aniene Valley.
Stone stairways and a hidden chapel
The visitor descends a staircase cut into the rock face. At the bottom, on the left, there is a small walled-off cave — once an ossuary — followed by a larger one: the rock chapel dedicated to Archangel St Michael. The entrance is a 15th-century stone portal, salvaged from the church above. Inside, there is a chamber with an apsidal niche and two large frescoes: on the right, the attempted poisoning of St Benedict; on the left, St Francis; and in the centre, a Regina Angelorum enthroned between Archangels Raphael and Gabriel. All the decorations are by Antonio Rosati, dating to the late 17th century.
The cell of St Benedict
A second group of caves — no longer connected to the first group — houses the chapel believed to be St Benedict's personal cell. The space beneath is supported by a natural pillar, partly hewn from the rock. Inside there are two altars: a small one with a crescent-shaped niche, and another built in 1683 by Rosati, featuring an aedicule depicting St Francis and St Benedict in adoration. A second entrance exists from the garden behind the convent, but neglect and the passage of time have made it impassable.
