When leaving the first cloister, we enter a second one bearing the name of Bramante, because its peaceful spaciousness reflects the style of this famous Renaissance Architect. It was built in 1595 and measured 40 m in length and 30 m in width including the flight of steps linking it up to the anti-portico of the upper Cloister.

The octagonal well in the center of this cloister is surrounded by Corinthian columns supporting an elegant trabeation, this well is perfectly equidistant from the entrance Cloister and from the Monumental Archive Cloister.

The balcony offers a beautiful view of the Liri valley, down below to the West where the villages Pignataro Interamna, S. Giorgio a Liri, Esperia, Pontecorvo, Aquino, Piedimonte S. Germano are sturding off against the background of the Ausoni Mountains. The large FIAT factory is sited in the middle of the Plain.

When turning your eyes to the West, you will notice the War Cemetery where more than one thousand Polish soldiers are buried, who lost their life in the battle preceding liberation of the Montecassino Abbey, which took place on May 18, 1944.

A white marble obelisk was raised in their remembrance on the mountain, bearing the following significant wording:

Mount Cairo, 1690 m high, dominates in the background.
From the gate on the right you will catch a view of the ancient grand access staircase with Roman and Mediaeval finds and memorial tablets on the walls.

Two imposing statues are flanking the foot of this access staircase: St. Benedict on the left remained almost untouched by the latest destruction, this statue is by the sculptor P. Campi of Carrara and bears the date 1736. The iscription at the base reads:

The statue on the right represents St. Scolastica and is a copy of the one, also sculptured by P. Campi, which was destroyed. Its inscription says:

Images available in this page:

	The Cloister of Bramante Sight of the cloister of Bramante (420x401, 80K)
	St. Benedict Statue of St. Benedict, by P. Campi of Carrara (360x620, 123K)
	St. Scolastica Statue of St. Scolastica, by P. Campi of Carrara (367X593, 54K)

Now you can visit:

• the Entrance Cloister;
• the Anti-portico of the upper Cloister;