“... land in part domesticated,shaded by olive trees, vines, fig trees, lemon trees,

and in part wilderness,shaded by pines and cypresses...”

Land Registry 1798

La Cervara has always been wrapped in an aura of mysterious charm: in seven centuries of history,moments of splendour have alternated with periods of decay and information handed down over thecenturies contain a mixture of reality, fantasy, history and legend. Its first inhabitants were a fewBenedictine monks who in 1361 founded a monastery and dedicated it to Saint Girolamo.The prestige of the Abbey of La Cervara and its splendid position made it a favourite destination forfamous people such as: the poet Francesco Petrarca, Saint Catherine of Siena, Pope Gregory XI (1376) -the last Pope of Avignon, Don John of Austria (1574) - the famous military leader who defeated the Turksat Lepanto, the literary scholar Alessandro Piccolomini and Guglielmo Marconi - the inventor of thewireless telegraph. Francis I, King of France, defeated at Pavia in 1525 by Charles V King of Spain, hadthe singular misfortune of being imprisoned in the small tower overhanging the sea, from which asplendid view of the bay of Portofino may be enjoyed.In the Sixteenth century, the Monastery reached its maximum glory: for more than a century it had led aCongregation including more than ten Benedictine monasteries; this gave La Cervara great power andgreat wealth. To defend itself from the Saracen pirates, who at the time infested the coasts of Liguria, thefine renaissance-style tower was built which still dominates the whole complex today.In the following centuries the complex of La Cervara underwent numerous transformations. It changedhands many times starting from the end of the Eighteenth century when, following the French Revolution,the Benedictines were ousted with the suppression of the Monastic Orders. At the beginning of theNineteenth century a colony of Trappist monks arrived at La Cervara, but, when they refused to submitto the Emperor Napoleon, they were sent in exile to the island of Capraia as well.La Cervara again fell into a state of abandonment and the whole monastic complex was put up for sale in1859. In 1868, it was bought by the Marquis Giacomo Durazzo, who carried out important renovationworks and then decided to sell it to the Somascan Fathers so that the presence of monks could return themonastery to its past splendours. The latter carried out renovation and architectural upgrading works, theresults of which can still be seen today.Later, La Cervara passed on to a group of Carthusian monks from France; the new monks took great careof the Abbey and its gardens but were forced to sell it in 1937 and La Cervara became once and for all aprivate residence. A large part of this transformation took place with the works carried out in the Fiftiesand Sixties, but later La Cervara fell again into a state of abandonment and suffered gradual decline bothin its structures and in its pictorial decorations.Starting from the year 1990, when it was taken over by the current owner, important recovery andrestoration works were carried out, under the supervision of the Office of Environmental and ArchitecturalAssets of Liguria, by the architect Mide Osculati with intervention, for the renovation of the paintings, ofPinin Brambilla Barcilon, the famous restorer of Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper.

ORIGINS AND HISTORY

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In ancient times the stretch of coast looking onto the Gulf of Tigullio and descending steeply to the seatowards Portofino had thick vegetation: those woods, from the Latin “Silvas”, gave their name to the place,which in the Middle Ages was called “Sylvaria” and then Cervara. Still protected today by the rich vegetationof the Mediterranean scrub, La Cervara and its Sixteenth century tower can hardly be seen from the sea front.Holm oaks, Aleppo pines, heathers, ash trees, hackberries, the characteristic Mediterranean undergrowth,surround it climbing up towards the monastery. At the very top a series of terraces, typical of the Ligurianlandscape, the so-called “strips of ground”, where originally and still today olives grow, are proof of thecentury-long presence of the Benedictin monks.What was once the monk’s vegetable garden is today the only Italian-style Garden in Liguria overlooking thesea. The box hedges (Buxus Sempervirens L.), skilfully pruned in the shape of geometric designs, accordingto the best traditions of topiary art, surround the XVII marble fountain depicting a putto. The plants climbingup the walls or growing along the borders are an integral part of the design of the Monumental Garden as arethe vines of the ancient pergolas.In the flower-beds a quantity of different flower species, which guarantee blossoming throughout the year,alternate with plants with coloured foliage. Among the various species there are the highly coloured bird-of-paradise flowers, the exotic bougainvillea, the singular erythrine (Erythrina Crista-galli) and again, pine trees,a hundred-year old pink pepper tree and the very rare pink capers (Capparis Spinosa L.). The quiet courtyardshaded by a centuries-old wisteria (Wisteria Sinensis L.) and the pergola of the upper garden, whose pillars arecovered in rhynchospermum or false jasmine (Rhynchospermum Jasminoides L.), provide charming, perfumed– even if short-lasting – bloomings.In the Garden of Simples, low box hedges surround small beds in which aromatic herbs, officinal plants anda collection of rare citrus plants in pots grow and remind us of the presence of the monks.

THE GARDENS

The strategic position of the Monumental Complex of La Cervara between Santa Margherita and Portofinomake it an ideal venue for organising conferences, corporate meetings, concerts, private parties and weddings,both inside as in the wonderful surrounding gardens. It is in such setting, in the charm of its gardens and inthe silence of its Cloister, that the management of La Cervara offers all the collaboration necessary for everytype of event, guaranteeing the highest level of customization.The complex is offered at exclusive use for the celebration of important events or for meetings that simplyrequire privacy and intimacy. Its articulated structure enables the planning of different moments in places andenvironments that are always new, taking full advantage of the opportunities offered by the scenery with thecenturies-old Coenobium in the luxuriant scenery of the Monte di Portofino.La Cervara is also a centre for the increasing and spreading of cultural assets and activities, integrating itselfand working alongside national and international bodies, with the main aim of returning the complex to itsoriginal social and cultural role. To such end it offers itself as a venue with an interesting calendar of concertsand events. Some of the greatest musicians who have played here are Uto Ughi accompanied by Bruno Canino,the maestro Murray Perahia and the violinist Maxim Vengerov.In agreement with the Ministry of Cultural Assets, La Cervara - declared a National Monument in 1912 - isopen to the public for guided tours. From March to October, the Abbey can be visited on the first and thirdSunday of the month (at 10 am, 11 am and 12 pm). With a minimum of 30 people and obligatory booking theAbbey can be visited on any day of the year.

EVENTS

Guests attending an event have an extra privilege: they may stay in one of the rooms of the main building ofthe Abbey and in the ancient Saracen Tower. Here everything has been designed to combine the most refinedmodern pleasures with the charm of the past: historic magnificence and very modern comforts. Each room isunique, with furniture and décor that recall the artistic tradition of the Abbey and the great personalities thatmarked the seven centuries of history of La Cervara. Each room offers glimpses of the historic garden andmagnificent views of the Gulf of Tigullio. The ancient tower in which Francis I King of France was locked upafter the battle of Pavia in 1525 (there is a plaque to mark his imprisonment), contains today a charming suitewith a breathtaking view as far as the eye can see. Ancient walls and cutting-edge comfort: this is the unusualunion behind the pleasure of staying at La Cervara. A surprising privilege for those seeking an experience tobe remembered.

HOSPITALITY

Lungomare Rosse tti - via Cervara, 1016038 Santa Margherita Ligure (Genova - Italia)

te l. +39.0185.293.139 - fax. +39.0185.291.270e .mail: abbazia@cervara.it - www.cervara.it

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