The Abbazia di Santa Maria del Bosco is part of Contessa Entellina‘s cultural heritage and is an ancient 12th century Cistercian abbey overlooking the beautiful Valle del Belice.

The complex was built by a group of hermits who lived in the abbey following the Benedictine rule and rises on four levels around two picturesque cloisters. The abbey is surrounded by a vast expanse of woods and offers an unprecedented view of western Sicily.

Inside, the monastery complex encompasses an incredible mix of arts and cultures; the highlight of the indoor decorations, in fact, are the splendid stucco ‘Putti’ made by sculptor Giacomo Serpotta that frame some of the doors; moreover, it is inside the Abbey that the famous sculpture ‘Portrait of Eleanor of Aragon’, made by Francesco Laureana in 1468, is kept.