This fresco-adorned medieval monastery outside of Subiaco dedicated to Saint Benedict of Norcia is built right into the rock face of Mount Taleo. From its high vantage point, the monastery overlooks ancient ruins. Aside from beautiful views, it contains 13th- and 14th-century art, including what historians believe is the oldest surviving portrait of Saint Francis of Assisi. Monks constructed the entire complex around the Sacro Speco, or “holy cave,” of Saint Benedict, where the revered figure supposedly once lived. The tunnels contain a mix of decorated vaulted arches and bare, chiseled…
