Tourist information - Cassino
The main feature of attraction here has to be the monastery of Montecassino, the monastery founded by St. Benedict in or around 529AD. Here is some importasnt information to read before visiting the Abbey.
The high number of pilgrims that every day come to the Abbey, by hundreds and thousands, keeps the Fathers from granting the requests submitted to them, first of all to guide the visitors through the Monastery.
Visitors are demanded to respect the sacrality of the place they are in (they don't have to consider it as a pleasure-ground) and they have to mantain a severe and intent behaviour, avoiding to speak aloud or make noise inside the cloisters.
On behalf of visitors is particularly requested to keep silent in the Church.
It's forbidden:
to come in the Abbey unsuitably dressed; women dressing shorts, sleeve-less or mini-skirts and men with shorts and vests will not be admitted into the Abbey;
to write on the walls or everywhere (everyone can sign a special register in the waiting-room);
to take pictures with the flash;
to smoke inside the cloisters.
Abbey entrance hours are:
from 8.30 a. m. to 12.30 a. m. in the morning
from 3.30 p. m. to 5 p. m. (6 p. m. in summer time) in the afternoon
Pilgrims are requested to keep carefully to above-mentioned hours to avoid trouble and confusion to the way of living Monks and to all the activities carried on in the Monastery.
During Festivities, when there are sung masses, people are allowed only to enter the Church.
HIGH MASS HOURS
9.0 a. m. - 10.30 a. m. - 12.0 a. m.
In Winter the Museum is only open on Sunday.
Remember that there is no refreshment room or any place where people can have meal in the Abbey (it's forbidden to eat in the cloisters).
The nearby Cassino and the easy way of accessing it allow to satisfy all visitors' requirements.
Sometimes the Fathers organize spiritual retirement periods (men only).