The Abbey of Santa Maria di Pulsano

• From the Abbey of Pulsano you can enjoy a splendid view of the Gulf of Manfredonia
• In the surrounding valleys in Pulsano there are as many as 24 hermitages, some of which can be reached in the Abbey of Pulsano
• The mass is celebrated with the double rite: Latin and Byzantine 
• The Abbey was voted as the place of the heart for the FAI in 2010
• The Pulsano hermitages cannot be visited in spring, during the nesting of rare species of birds that populate the area
• Pulsano holds annual courses in Medieval Iconography

Not to miss:

The Abbey of Santa Maria Santa Maria di Pulsano

The Abbey of Santa Maria Santa Maria di Pulsano was built in the 6th century by the monk-Pope San Gregorio Magno.
Later, after the Saracens destroyed it, it was rebuilt at the beginning of the 12th century by San Giovanni da Matera.
San Giovanni da Matera had found in Pulsano similar landscapes to those of his native land, and here he founded the congregation of the "Eremiti Pulsanensi".
After a few months the new community numbered fifty monks.

Santa Maria di Pulsano now counts only two monks and many faithful volunteers.
The Abbey rises in a panoramic point: from here you have a unique panoramic view of the Gulf of Manfredonia and the Garganiche valleys.

Pulsano hermitages

Around the Abbey there are 24 hermitages.
The hermitages are camouflaged in the mountain.
Some hermitages had millstones to produce grain, others were equipped with systems for wine production and water conservation.

We recommend a walk in these places to see this beauty and ask how did the hermits live here.
Almost all the hermitages are reachable, but only with the help of an expert guide.
Among those that can be visited without a guide we suggest the Hermitage of San Nicola.
The harmony and silence of this place will amaze you.

Travel Tips

- If you decide to visit the Abbey in the summer, try to avoid the hottest hours given the lack of shade;

- To explore the hermitages, wear comfortable shoes (possibly trekking), long trousers and a small bottle of water;

- We propose excursions of different levels of difficulty to visit the hermitages of Pulsano (click here);

- Before reaching the Abbey you will find a closed gate. Open it with the button on the left. The gate serves only to prevent the podolic cows that populate the area from entering;