SERRA SAN BRUNO - miasteczko z zakonem - a mystical town

Serra San Bruno (Kalabria) - to miasteczko polozone wsrod lasow w centrum Kalabrii pomiedzy Morzem Jonskim a Morzem Tyrrenskim. Swoja slawe zawdziecza ono polozonemu na obrzezach zakonowi zalozonemu wlasnie przez swietego Bruno.

Na poczatek kilka slow o samym miasteczku. W samym jego centrum na odcinku okolo jednego kilometra znajduje sie 5 kosciolow o podobnym stylu architektonicznym odrestaurowanych w ostatnich latach.

Serra San Bruno (Calabria) – it is a town situated among the forests in the heart of Calabria, between the Ionian Sea and the Tyrrhenian Sea. It owes its fame to the founder of a famous religious Order : St. Bruno from Colonia, in Germany.

 I tell you sothing about the center of the town: in about one kilometer there are five churches with a similar architectural style, recently restored.

Najwazniejszym i najbardziej znanym zabytkiem tej okolicy jest wlasnie zakon zalozony przez swietego Bruno, ktory przybyl w te strony z rodzinnych Niemiec. Legenda glosi, ze swiety Bruno udal sie w droge do Ziemi Swietej i zatrzymal sie w tych stronach, gdyz krajobrazowo przypominaly mu jego rodzinne tereny. Faktem jest, ze ta czesc Kalabrii bardziej przypomina Europe Polnocna anizeli samo jej Poludnie.

Do samego srodka zakonu niestety nie mozna wejsc. Dla turystow otworzono jednak muzeum, w ktorym przedstawiono historie zakonu oraz satarno sie pokazac codzienne zycie zakonnikow.

The most important and famous monument of the area is the old monastery founded by St. Bruno, who arrived in this place from Germany. The legend says that St. Bruno arrived here from a travel to the Holy Land, and he stopped in these place because the landscape reminded him his native land. The fact is that this part of Calabria is more like Northern Europe than just a Mediterranean area.

Unfortunately it is not possible to vist the monastery of the Order inside. Tourists, however, can visit the interesting museum, which presents the history of the Order and shows the daily life of monks too.

Zakon otoczony jest murami i zatopiony wsrod lasow, ktore w letnie upalne dni sa wspanialym miejscem do spacerow.

The monastery is surrounded by walls and it is among forests, which in summer it is a great place for walks.

Przy zakonie znajduje sie tez niewielki sklepik, w ktorym mozna nabyc produkty wytwarzane przez zakonnikow, jak np. miod czy przetwory.

Okolo 2 kilometrow od zakonu znajduje sie niewielkie jeziorko, dzis odrestaurowane i zrobione "pod turyste". Legena glosi, ze swiety Bruno chodzil tam i godzinami kleczal w zimnej wodzie. Na pamiatke tego wydazenia w jeziorku stoi dzis figura swietego, a w jego poblizu znajduje sie swiatynia, ktora przed laty odwiedzil Jan Pawel II.

Near the monastery there is also a small shop where you can purchase products made by monks, such as honey and other food.

Approximately two kilometers from the monastery is located a small lake, today restored. A legend says that St. Bruno walked here and he stayed on his knee for several hours to pray in the cold water. In memory of this event in the lake today there is a statue of St. Bruno, and it is near a temple, which some years ago was visited by Pope John Paul II.