The Church

It was founded in the XII century and almost completely rebuilt on the monks' behalf in the XVI and XVII century. Beyond the city walls a sweeping staircase leads to the Assunta church, built in 1490-1495 and probably projected by Tullio Lombardo. Nearby a Romanic bell tower is what remains of the original 1100 church. Inside the church there are paintings of a XVI century Venetian painting school and over the altar a XIV century wooden cross. Outside, on the church's right, there's the monastery's entrance. In Praglia's abbey live over 40 monks, one of the largest Benedictine communities in Italy.

The ancient Library

The monastery's ancient library and the hundred thousand books it holds are a national monument, even if it was robbed twice of its refinedly illuminated ancient manuscripts: in 1810 after the Napoleonic suppression and in 1867 due to the enforcement of the decree that scattered all religious orders. The librarian of the time wrote: "Seven carts are leaving today for Padua". The care for the monks' books is also witnessed by the book restoration lab that, founded in 1951, has retrieved the manuscripts damaged by the flood at Florence and the tidal waves at Venice the 4th of November 1966.

The Refectory

The "big refectory" is remarkable for its XVIII century seats (walnut and brier walnut) enriched by different little wooden statues decorated with a moral saying over each one. Outside there's a precious sink belonging to the XVI century.

The Botanical Cloister

Inside (it can be visited in the afternoon, except on Mondays and during important religious ceremonies) there are four wonderful cloisters: botanical cloister, suspended cloister, rustic cloister and seclusion cloister.