Certosa di Farneta
Farneta Charterhouse, in Italian Certosa di Farneta (also Certosa di Santo Spirito di Farneta or Certosa di Maggiano) is a Carthusian monastery (charterhouse) just north of Lucca, region of Tuscany, Italy. History The charterhouse was founded in the early 14th century. In the 17th century, the painters Giovanni Fondagna and Stefano Cassiani worked on the interior of the church, including the cupola and two altar-pieces. The monastery was suppressed by Napoleonic forces in 1809, only to be re-occupied later in the 19th century. 20th century In September 1944, monks from the charterhouse opened their doors to troops from the 16th SS Panzergrenadier Division, who said they came bearing gifts for the abbey. They broke into the monastery to arrest 32 partisans and Jews being sheltered in the monastery. Some of the refugees were able to escape. Six monks and six lay brothers were arrested, tortured, and killed by firing squad. A plaque at the entrance of the monastery, dedicated on 20 January 1985, nearly four decades after the event, reads: Among the twelve Carthusians killed were two Germans, one Swiss, one Venezuelan, and one Spaniard. The remaining monks were also from diverse countries. Those killed were Benedetto Lapuente, Bruno D'Amico,