Eremo Le Celle

Following the roads that wind up from Cortona toward the mountains, you come to a place that, despite its remoteness, conveys a sense of security, peace, and tranquility.

At the Le Celle Hermitage, where Franciscan friars have lived for over 800 years, visitors have the opportunity to learn about the community and the history of the site.

A hermitage, such as this one in the idyllic Tuscan countryside, is a religious site typically located in a quiet, secluded spot. Here, clergy members lead a secluded life devoted to prayer and the study of religious texts. The origins of this hermitage date back to the early 13th century.

A discovery while traveling

When the mendicant friar Francis, who later became known as Saint Francis of Assisi, passed through the town of Cortona during his travels, seeking a place to retreat, a young nobleman interested in Francis’s teachings offered him the land overlooking the town. Here, the slopes of the surrounding hills were uncultivated and uninhabited, making them ideal for a place of undisturbed prayer.

Built at the request of a saint

He liked the place so much that he ordered the construction of the first “cell,” that is, the first dwelling for the order’s followers. Initially quite small, the complex already comprised six cells, an oratory, and a dining hall about ten years after its founding. The hermitage on the hills above Cortona took on its current form only in the mid-16th century. In addition to further living quarters, the complex’s church and gardens were also built, terraced like steps on the rocky slope. In this way, the spiritual site that visitors can still explore today gradually took shape.