# Exterior view [View the canonical artwork record]() ## Artwork - Artist: [ARCHITECT, Italian]() - Date: 1301-1350 - Technique: Photo ## Commentary The Chiaravalle Abbey is a Cistercian monastery officially founded in 1135 by a group of monks from the Abbey of Citeaux in France. It is one of the earliest examples of Gothic architecture in Italy, notwithstanding its Romanesque and late Romanesque elements. The construction of the present church began in the 1150s and lasted until 1221 when the church dedicated to St. Mary was consecrated. During the 13th century, the work continued for building the first cloister, located south of the church. Later, in the 14th century, the crossing tower by Francesco Pecorari and the refectory were realized. The photo shows the view from the north, dominated by the <a onclick="return OpenOther\('/html/p/pecorari/chiarav2.html'\)" href="/html/p/pecorari/chiarav2.html">crossing tower</a> \(bell tower\). ## Related artworks - [Aerial view]() - [Aerial view]() - [Apse of a basilica]() - [Arsenale Gateway]() - [Arsenale Gateway]() - [Basilica di Sant'Antonio: Chiostro del Noviziato]() - [Basilica Santi Nereo e Achilleo]() - [Ca' Foscari: Façade]() - [Chamber of the millers]() - [Chiesa dell'Incoronata: Interior of the dome]() - [Cloister gallery]() - [Detail of the façade]() ## Attribution [Web Gallery of Art]()