This is a very ancient Benedictine monastery, founded in the 11th century through the initiative of the noble Vicentine family of Maltraversi. Its name comes from the medieval term “pratalea” (area kept as meadows) and likely refers to the large land reclamation and cultivation of marshy lands in the area initiated by the Benedictines during the Middle Ages. After a period of decline, in 1448 it began to thrive again thanks to the connection with the powerful Padua Abbey of Santa Giustina, led by reforming religious. During those years, the church and part of the monastic areas were also reconstructed.
The church dedicated to the Assumption dates back to the period 1490-1550, and was built according to the design of Tullio Lombardo, with a Latin cross plan and three naves. The portal is the work of Andrea Moroni, while inside there are works by Venetian painters of the 16th-17th centuries, including the “Ascension of Christ” by the Paduan Domenico Campagnola located in the apse.
The monastery, behind and to the left of the church, is structured with four cloisters: the double or cloister of enclosure, botanical, hanging, and rustic. The botanical cloister dates back to the second half of the 15th century, once intended for the cultivation of medicinal plants and today an elegant garden, the double cloister surrounded by the monks' cells, and the hanging cloister or “of Paradise,” located on the first floor and characterized by finely crafted columns and capitals. The rustic cloister, which overlooks the guesthouse and the center for conferences and cultural activities, is from a later period.
Another striking space is the monumental refectory, where, in addition to the magnificent wooden furnishings, one can see a large “Crucifixion” painted by Bartolomeo Montagna at the end of the 15th century and a marble pulpit used for reading the Holy Scriptures during meals.
The Abbey of Praglia, still inhabited by Benedictine monks and a destination for constant religious tourism, also houses a National Monumental Library, which contains about 100,000 volumes. The upstairs room is enriched by 17 canvases by G.B. Zelotti, a painter of the late 16th century, inserted into the compartments of the wooden ceiling. Other canvases by the same artist, with biblical themes, are now located in the refectory.
The restoration laboratory for ancient books and manuscripts is another highlight of the Abbey.
Among the most famous guests of the Euganean monastery, we remember the Vicentine writer Antonio Fogazzaro, who set a scene from his novel “Piccolo mondo moderno” (1901) in Praglia.
