Lombardy · Mantova
San Benedetto Po
The town that grew up around Polirone, the abbey founded in 1007 by the Canossa family, where Matilda of Canossa was buried for five centuries.
Known for
POLIRONE
The Benedictine abbey founded in 1007, one of the largest monastic complexes in Italy, restructured by Giulio Romano.
MATILDA OF CANOSSA
The countess of Tuscany was buried here from 1115 to 1632, when her remains were transferred to Saint Peter's in Rome.
THE PO
The town sits at 19 meters between the Po and the former Lirone, on what was once an island in the river.
When to visit
Best · Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- J
- F
- M
- A
- M
- J
- J
- A
- S
- O
- N
- D
- Best
- Hot or crowded
- Quiet
- Mostly closed
Why come
San Benedetto Po sits in the flat Po plain, 22 kilometers southeast of Mantova, on what was once an island between the Po and the Lirone rivers. The town exists because of its abbey. In 1007, Tedald of Canossa, grandfather of Matilda, granted half his land between the two rivers to the Benedictines and the monastery he named San Benedetto in Polirone became one of the principal centers of the Gregorian Reform in northern Italy.
Matilda of Canossa, the countess who hosted the emperor's penance at Canossa in 1077, was buried here from 1115 until 1632, when her remains were moved to Saint Peter's in Rome. Giulio Romano rebuilt the basilica between 1540 and 1547, with frescoes by Correggio and statues by Antonio Begarelli. The abbey kept its position until the Napoleonic suppression of 1797 emptied it. What survives, the basilica, three cloisters, the refectory, the infirmary, is one of the most significant Benedictine complexes in Italy.
The Sunday letter
We haven’t written San Benedetto Po’s letter yet.
One town every Sunday, with the photo, the food, the festa. Be there when this one comes up. Free, by Peter & Sophia from Pietrasanta.
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What to see
Abbazia di San Benedetto in Polirone
Benedictine abbey founded 1007 by Tedald of Canossa, restructured by Giulio Romano 1540-1547, with frescoes by Correggio and statues by Begarelli.
Basilica di San Benedetto
Abbey church redesigned by Giulio Romano, the cathedral-scale heart of the monastic complex.
Chiostri di Polirone
Three monastic cloisters from the medieval and Renaissance phases, attached to the basilica.
Refettorio e infermeria
The original Benedictine refectory and infirmary, both surviving the 1797 Napoleonic suppression of the monastery.
Piazza Teofilo Folengo
Square fronting the abbey, named for the sixteenth-century Benedictine poet Teofilo Folengo who lived in the monastery.
The slow-trip planner
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Living here
- Population 6,648
- In-betweeni
- Pharmacy in town
- High school within a 30-minute drive
- Train station in the comune
- Nearest airport Verona, 1 h 1 min drive
- Regional capital Milano, 2 h 23 min drive
Tags & datadesignations · numbers · sources
Recognised as
The numbers
- Elevation: 19 m
- Population: 6,648
- Surface area: 69.94 km²
These figures were compiled from public directories — ISTAT, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata — and from the official listings of the guides named on this page. Town details change; verify with official sources before you travel.
Close by
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