Vallombrosa

VALLOMBROSA, a summer resort of Tuscany, Italy, in the province of Florence, reached by a cable railway 5 m. long from the station of S. Ellero (which is 16 m. S.E. of Florence) and 328 ft. above sea-level, on the N.W. slope of the Prato Magno chain. The former monastery, suppressed in 1816, is occupied by the Royal School of Forestry. A number of hotels have been built. Similar summer resorts are situated among the woods above the Casentino or upper valley of the Arno to the east, such as Camaldoli, Badia di Prataglia, &c. Camaldoli was the original headquarters of the Camaldulensian order, now partly occupied by an hotel. Five hours' journey to the S. of the last on foot and 7^ m. to the E. of Bibbiena by road is the monastery of La Verna, 3660 ft. above sea-level, founded by St Francis in 1215.