Abbey of Sant'Antimo site features

The abbey stands alone in a valley below Montalcino, with no village crowding it — the first thing to register is how completely rural the setting is, and that the building is far larger and more ambitious than anything around it would suggest.

Begin outside, and put your hand to the wall. The outer walls are built of alabaster, and the stone is translucent: shine a light against them and you see it come back through. In a region where alabaster is carved into objects, a whole church built of it is startling.

The portal survives from the earlier, Carolingian building and is richly decorated with animal and vegetable motifs. Of that same early edifice the apse remains, now called the Cappella Carolingia, which carries frescoes by Giovanni d'Asciano with stories of St Benedict and currently serves as the sacristy. Beneath the chapel is a crypt with a nave and two aisles divided by four columns.

Inside the main church the eye goes up. The nave is about 20 metres high and reads in three horizontal bands: the huge arcades at ground level, the matronaeum above them, and the chiaropiano at the top. The nave is roofed with trusses — open timber, not vaulting — while the aisles and the ambulatory are groin vaulted.

Then walk round behind the altar, because this is what the building is famous for. An ambulatory with radial chapels curves round the east end: a continuous walkway with chapels opening off it like spokes. It is typically French, and in Italy the scheme exists in only four other churches. It was built so that pilgrims could circulate to pray at the Martyrium, where the saint's relics are kept, without interrupting the monks in the choir.

Look for one capital in particular: Daniel in the lions' den, by the French Master of Cabestany, showing Daniel praying between the hungry lions on one face and, on the others, the lions devouring his accusers.

The Sala Capitolare carries a triple mullioned window with richly decorated capitals.

• The ambulatory with radial chapels — typically French, and in Italy known only here and in Santa Trinità at Venosa, the cathedrals of Acerenza and Aversa and Santa Maria di Piè di Chienti. Built so pilgrims could circulate to the Martyrium, where the saint's relics lie.
• The alabaster outer walls — translucent: a light held against them passes back through the stone.
• The capital of Daniel in the lions' den — by the French Master of Cabestany: Daniel praying between the hungry lions on one face, the lions devouring his accusers on the others.
• The Cappella Carolingia — the apse of the earlier building, with frescoes by Giovanni d'Asciano telling stories of St Benedict; it now serves as the sacristy.
• The Carolingian portal — richly carved with animal and vegetable motifs, surviving from the same early edifice.
• The crypt — beneath the chapel, with a nave and two aisles divided by four columns, and parts of the earlier structure visible.
• The 20-metre nave in three bands — the huge arcades, the matronaeum above and the chiaropiano at the top, roofed with open trusses while the aisles and ambulatory are groin vaulted.
• The Sala Capitolare — with a triple mullioned window and richly decorated capitals.
• The 1118 inscription — cut on the altar step and on a column to its left, dating the start of the present church.