Polirone Abbey

Boniface III, Margrave of Tuscany made further grants and commissioned a larger church, housing the remains of the hermit, Simeon of Polirone (died 1016).

In the 15th century, Guido Gonzaga, abbot in commendam, rebuilt the church in late Gothic style.

Thirty-one figures by Antonio Begarelli of Modena were provided for the church,[7] and Paolo Veronese painted three altarpieces in 1562.

Three cloisters, the free-standing great refectory (1478–79), the "new" infirmary (1584), and the abbey church are still present, and open to visitors.

Three themed itineraries of the monastery, offered since the millennium celebration of 2007, concentrate on aspects of the cloistered life at Polirone: "Land and daily bread", "Herbs and monks", and "Prayer and reading".

Giulio Romano 's abbey church at Polirone, with its traditional enclosed forecourt, the Piazza Matilde di Canossa in the foreground
The vaulted Chiostro dei Secolari housed visitors apart from the monks.