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Abbazia di San Michele alla Verruca - Pisa in Tuscany

The ruins are all that remains of the medieval abbey. It stands along the road that from Montemagno leads to the top of the Verruca (mt. 536) where in the Middle Ages there was a fortress of the Republic of Pisa which controlled the whole valley and was later razed to the ground by the Florentines. The abbey is mentioned in a document of the year 861; it was abandoned at the end of the 14th century and probably destroyed by the Florentine troops. Recent excavations have brought to light the ruins of the religious building and the fence of the monastery, besides graves and pieces of pottery of the 15th century.

Originally, the monastery probably had an extent of more than 3000 square meters; its heart was represented by the abbey and a cloister situated to the south of the building. The refectory and the kitchen probably collapsed downhill. The above-mentioned excavations brought to light three graves near the Capitular Hall and a very large water cistern (4x7) connected with the refectory and the cloister by means of two main channels. Four graves were brought to light also on the side facing the Verruca. All these finds were delivered to the Municipality of Vicopisano.

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