Castione Marchesi - Abbazia di Santa Maria Assunta

The abbey was founded in 983 (or 1033) by Marchese Adalberto Pallavicino (see Fidenza) and his wife Adelaide. Benedictine monks lived in this fortified monastery upto 1325, when they were forced to leave the monastery by Azzone Visconti, Duke of Milan, who had conquered the village that had developed around the abbey. From 1484 Olivetan monks lived here, who rebuilt, renovated and enlarged the abbey.

After the Napoleon troops had marched into Italy, the buildings were sold and for a while this was a large farm and money former monastic buildings got lost. Meanwhile the church serves the parish.

The former abbey church, seen today, was probably completed end of the 12th century, but got modified over the next centuries. During recent renovations some fragments of a larger floor mosaics was discovered.

The left is probably the head of the satanic snake with the split tongue offering an apple to Eve.