The Abbey goes back to the mid-11th C when Benedictine monks replaced religious communities of Greek origin in many towns. In the late Middle Ages, the abbey fell into neglect and had to be rebuilt at the end of the 15thC. The central nucleus of the Abbey consists of a cloister facing east and a church, rebuilt by the Benedictine Congregation of San Giustina of Padua. Over the centuries, the monks kept adding on new parts such as a beautiful colonnade, several new buildings and stunning series of frescoes painted by major artists from Basilicata. In 1784, when the monks abandoned the abbey to transfer to Lecce, the Abbey lost part of its art works, library and archive. At the beginning of the 19thC, the monastery became property of the Town Hall.