Shrine of the Sacred Cave of St. Benedict

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Set into the rock face of Mount Taleo near Subiaco, the Sanctuary of Holy Cave enshrines the cave in which Saint Benedict spent 3 years living as a hermit. Over the following centuries, architectural and artistic masterpieces built up around it, but the cave still maintains its Benedictine austerity. The interior of the sanctuary is covered in artwork, some dating back to the 8th century. While the hermitage is filled with paintings, the most notable might be the representation of Saint Francis of Assisi, which is the oldest known image of the saint, having actually been drawn before his death.