Panorama Photo

The pano shows the valley of the Rapido river and in the distance the Abbey of Monte Cassino.
Monte Cassino is a rocky hill about 130 kilometres southeast of Rome, 2 kilometres west of Cassino and at an elevation of 520 m. Site of the Roman town of Casinum, it is widely known for its abbey, the first house of the Benedictine Order, having been established by Benedict of Nursia himself around 529. It was for the community of Monte Cassino that the Rule of Saint Benedict was composed.
It is perhaps the most famous Italian abbey, but it was completely destroyed during the Second World War.
From the pano one can well understand the strategic importance of the abbey from a military point of view, which caused its destruction.