Certosa di Pavia to Be Managed by Italian Culture Ministry After Monks Depart

The Certosa di Pavia, a masterpiece of late medieval and Renaissance art in Lombardy, will be taken over by Italy's Ministry of Culture through the Regional Directorate of National Museums of Lombardy after the Cistercian monks of the Congregation of Casamari decide to leave on January 1, 2026. The monks have resided there since 1968. The Regional Directorate, in agreement with Fondazione Cariplo, has commissioned Fondazione Fitzcarraldo of Turin to develop a strategic plan for the site's revitalization, involving local authorities, religious institutions, research bodies, cultural associations, and entrepreneurs. Director Rosario Maria Anzalone stated that the goal is to improve access and visitor experience, including extended opening hours and the introduction of an entrance fee to cover management costs, as the site currently lacks ministerial surveillance staff. Anzalone emphasized efforts to maintain the Certosa's essence as a place of faith and Christian worship even without a stable monastic community, aiming to transform it into a major cultural attractor and driver of territorial development.