The original Abbey was founded by St. Benedict in 529 A.D.and dedicated to St Martin of Tours. In the original monastery the Saint founder was buried with His sister St Scolastica and Their tomb is still to be seen at the foot of the main altar. Through the centuries the church was destroyed 4 times. By Lombards, by Saracens, by an earthquake, and more recently during world war II in 1944.The monastery was thought to be occupied by German troops, bombed and mostly destroyed, it was soon rebuilt exactly as it was between 1947-1964.In the area at the foot of the mountain it can be visited the commonwealth war cemetery in wich are more than 4.000tombs.A few miles away from the town centre is the german war cemetery too.

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