Castiglione Hosts Medieval Studies Days on Monastic History and Research
Castiglione will host the Medieval Studies Days promoted by the Università Cattolica di Brescia from October 11 to 13. The goal: to review studies related to monastic history. An opportunity for the town, said Mayor Arturo Sigurtà: “We are launching the first conference on the Middle Ages. In Castiglione, there are two convents (one has become a private residence). In the area of the Santa Maria convent, more than 10,000 square meters of Roman mosaics have been discovered.”
Professor Giancarlo Andenna (professor of Medieval History and director of the Center for the Study of Monastic Settlements in Brescia): “Monasteries were important not only for the agricultural development of the territory but also from an urban and settlement perspective. Santa Giulia had extensive holdings in the territories of Mantua and Cremona. Conversely, Castiglione was the birthplace of the Confalonieri nun family, who dominated at Santa Giulia in the 13th century.”
Territories and monastic settlements in the Middle Ages
“At that time, rigid borders between provinces did not exist. There was interdependence among neighboring territories. Regarding the settlements in the North, we have recognized the need to explore what is stored in monastic archives and what information can be derived. Various foundations have promoted museums. But there is a need to go beyond objects and understand, for example, the culture and spiritual life of nuns. Special attention is given to Brescia, the upper Mantuan area, and eastern Lombardy.”
“Convents were a highly significant European phenomenon. Remember that Cluny had 5,000 priories in Europe. Not even the most powerful multinational corporation can boast 5,000 dependencies. The priors met every two years in Cluny, which was thus an important decision-making center. Now, we intend to deepen our understanding of archive contents, even involving the Politecnico di Milano. This is the first time that monastic funds are being investigated as large repositories of information.”
Program and organization
The first day will be held at Palazzo Gonzaga, in via Battisti 4, on Thursday, October 11, at 2:30 PM. On Friday and Saturday, sessions begin at 9:30 AM. A visit to the Santa Maria monastery is planned, where Saint Luigi Gonzaga retired in 1584. Attendance is free and valid for teacher training. The days are organized by the Comune di Castiglione, the Cesimb, and the Eulo, with sponsorship from the Cattolica di Brescia, the Regione, and the Ateneo di Brescia.
