Parco dei Colli di Bergamo

The former monastery of Valmarina is situated in a small valley which seems almost geographically opposed to that housing the Benedictine monastery of Astino. Evidences of a female Benedictine monastery and of the relative church dedicated to S.Benedetto date back to the year 1150.

The Vallombrosani Benedictines settled in Valle di Astino already in 1070, interweaving with the nearby town a thick network of cultural, social, and religious relationships. Here the first Mental Hospital of the town and the relative Consortium dealing with its management were created (1142). Their assets merged in 1305 in the heritage of Misericordia Maggiore.